The Culham Laboratory hypervelocity test facility

Culham Laboratory has designed and constructed a hypervelocity test facility (HTF) using electromagnetic launcher technology. Aimed at launching projectiles of approximately 1 gm to a velocity approaching 15 km/s, the facility is configured around an existing 1.1-MJ, 8-kV capacitor bank. The authors describe the electromagnetic launcher design and its power supply system and also report on its early operation. Theoretical performance is predicted and compared with experimental performance. A preliminary assessment of structural integrity, including rail and insulator damage, is presented. >