News Release

NASA fuels land mine removal efforts with Thiokol, Marshall Center agreement

Peer-Reviewed Publication

NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center News Center



A new flare for deactivating landmines uses the same NASA rocket fuel that boosts the Space Shuttle into orbit. Excess fuel is being used through an agreement between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and Thiokol Propulsion in Brigham City, Utah. Arthur G. Stephenson, left, director of the Marshall Center, and Gerald W. Smith, vice president and general manager of space operations at Cordant Technologies, parent company of Thiokol, discuss how the new flare destroys landmines without using explosives. Thiokol is NASA's prime contractor for the Space Shuttle Reusable Solid Rocket Motors. Active landmines, estimated to number 80 million in 70 countries, kill or maim some 26,000 people a year. PHOTO CREDIT: NASA Photo by: Doug Stoffer

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The same rocket fuel that helps power the Space Shuttle as it thunders into orbit will now be taking on a new -- perhaps surprising -- role, with the potential to benefit millions of people worldwide.

Leftover rocket fuel from NASA is being used to make a new flare that destroys land mines where they were buried, without using explosives. The flare was developed by Thiokol Propulsion in Brigham City, Utah, the NASA contractor that designs and builds rocket motors for the Space Shuttle.

Thiokol is using the surplus propellant through an agreement with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. "Clearly, this project has the potential to save lives worldwide," said Marshall Center Director Arthur G. Stephenson. "Marshall is happy to help in this humanitarian endeavor."

The flare is safe to handle and easy to use. People working to deactivate the mines -- usually members of a military or humanitarian organization -- simply place the flare next to the uncovered land mine and ignite it from a safe distance using a battery-triggered electric match. The flare burns a hole in the land mine's case and ignites its explosive contents. The explosive burns away, disabling the mine and rendering it harmless.

Occasionally, the mine detonates before the explosive is fully consumed. When this occurs, the explosion is more controlled and minimized, causing less damage than other mine-disposal methods, according to Charles Zisette, program manager with Thiokol. Other methods include deactivation by hand or deliberate detonation, both highly dangerous processes.

An estimated 80 million or more active land mines are scattered around the world in at least 70 countries. Land mines kill or maim 26,000 people a year, most of them women or children, and usually after military hostilities have ended. Worldwide, there is one casualty every 22 minutes.

Using leftover rocket fuel to help destroy land mines incurs no additional costs to taxpayers. To ensure enough propellant is on-hand for each Shuttle mission, NASA allows for a small percentage of extra propellant in each batch. Once mixed, surplus fuel solidifies and cannot be saved for use in another launch. In its solid form, however, it is an ideal ingredient for Thiokol's new flare.

Thiokol Propulsion is a division of Cordant Technologies Inc. The flare was conceived in collaboration with DE Technologies, Inc., King of Prussia, Pa. Marshall is NASA's lead center for developing space transportation and propulsion systems.

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Note to Editors / News Directors: Interviews, photos and video supporting this release are available to media representatives by contacting Jerry Berg of the Marshall Media Relations Department at (256) 544-0034. Photos supporting this release are available by request or on the Web at:

http://www1.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM/news/photos/1999/photos99-277.htm

For more information or an electronic version of this release, visit Marshall's News Center on the Web at: http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news


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