The process begins with complete disassembly of the missile, which is done remotely, by machine, for safety reasons. To extract the solid propellant from the rocket motors for recycling, a drill-like tool is applied to the propellant, shaving off slivers of the solid propellant. Once the chips or slivers are removed, they enter the liquid ammonia ingredient extraction and reclamation process, which releases no pollutants into the air. The Army missile demilitarization requirements near-term objective is the R3 of approximately 200,000 TOW systems, over the next decade, beginning this year. Long-term objectives include the R3 of approximately 400,000 MLRS starting in 2005, in addition to other active and inactive systems.
Recycling is the right thing to do, but it's a matter of cost.
This technology hopes to provide a cost-effective method to recycle missile systems. The development of the technology at Redstone through the pilot program is reaching the engineering and manufacturing development, to mature the system from a pilot program to implementation by private industry. We are now in the process of acquiring the funding needed to transition and mature this technology in preparation for full scale Army production and execution. The remaining 2 percent, detonators, squibs, igniters and asbestos containing components, are not easily recycled and are best disposed of using traditional incineration and destruction processes.