Researchers may have new way to test aging Army missiles

Researchers at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville say they may have a new way to test whether aging Army missiles are still good to fire. The breakthrough could save the military “millions of dollars," they believe.

Dr. Paul Ruffin, a senior researcher and adjunct professor, says the Army currently takes older missiles apart to see if they are usable. “We found Optical Raman Spectroscopy can look at a missile’s propellant to determine whether the missile is still good,” Ruffin said in a university release. “The Raman probe can be inserted in the motor, and it shows us whether the propellant in the rocket motor is still useful.”