Fred Blomshield Email & Phone Number

Inyokern, Ca, Us

Ridgecrest, California, United States

My most recent work was a small consulting job for the Army helping solve a combustion instability issue with a motor under development. Before that I had a multi-year effort with China Lake. After the major earthquake of July 2019 that struck the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center, considerable damage was done and many facilities were deemed unsafe. One of these facilities was the T-Burner which is used to test the combustion response of solid propellants. It was the only one in… Show more My most recent work was a small consulting job for the Army helping solve a combustion instability issue with a motor under development. Before that I had a multi-year effort with China Lake. After the major earthquake of July 2019 that struck the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Center, considerable damage was done and many facilities were deemed unsafe. One of these facilities was the T-Burner which is used to test the combustion response of solid propellants. It was the only one in existence in the United States. The current one was designed and built by me in the mid 1980s. I was asked to return to the Navy as a contractor to consult and assist the in the design and fabrication of a new T-Burner. I will also be assisting and training new engineers and scientists in its use. The first test series will be for the Blue Origins crew escape solid rocket that is being designed and built by Aerojet. Show less

Anywhere

I have extensive experience in the study of combustion instability of solid rockets. Besides the many research areas discussed below during my tenure at China Lake, I have real world engineering experience in solving real world combustion instability issues. I also am willing and eager to teach a class on solid rocket combustion instability which can be anywhere from several hours to a full week depending upon the needs of the customer.

Huntsville, Alabama

In May, 2016, I was hired as a part time faculty member of the University of Alabama, Huntsville, where I taught my solid propellant combustion instability class as a Graduate level 1-week emersion class. This was a university credit class. This class continues to be taught as a video lecture where I am available to answer questions from students.

Ridgecrest, Ca

Contract consultant to the Navy on various projects relating to solid rocket combustion instability. In this role I also mentored younger engineers and scientists. I developed a novel way to determine combustion instability pressure oscillation levels from pressure data.

Rome Area, Italy

In October 2016 I taught my solid propellant combustion instability class. This led to consulting on solid propellant particle collection for space launcher applications including the strap-on boosters for Ariane and the Vega Launch system.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Contract consultant to the Navy on various projects relating to solid rocket combustion instability. In this role I also mentored younger engineers and scientists.

China Lake, Ca

Retired in August 2012 as a Branch Head of Combustion Sciences in the Energetics Research Division at China Lake. He led a group of 24 S&Es who performed research in energetic materials (EM) combustion, hazards, combustion diagnostics, combustion modeling, air breathing combustion and shipboard fire sciences since 2003. Worked in ramjet combustion instability, prediction and analysis of motor instability and theoretical combustion modeling. Projects include JSF Countermeasures, AMRAAM… Show more Retired in August 2012 as a Branch Head of Combustion Sciences in the Energetics Research Division at China Lake. He led a group of 24 S&Es who performed research in energetic materials (EM) combustion, hazards, combustion diagnostics, combustion modeling, air breathing combustion and shipboard fire sciences since 2003. Worked in ramjet combustion instability, prediction and analysis of motor instability and theoretical combustion modeling. Projects include JSF Countermeasures, AMRAAM, Sidewinder, Sea Sparrow, HARM, Missile, Trident, Space Shuttle Booster, Minuteman, Penguin, RAM, LRLAP, Army endoatmospheric interception missiles and the THAAD and Arrow interceptor missiles. Involved in a joint programs among Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and the US in examining and understanding non linear combustion instability. Besides combustion instability work, he also adapted a propellant performance computer code for use and improved the program to optimize propellant formulations. These programs are in widespread use throughout the propellant and solid rocket design community. Work included high pressure combustion instability, pulsing full scale motors, active control of combustion instability, combustion instability suppression, insensitive munitions, NASA Space Shuttle solid motors, missile defense interceptor motors and modeling non-linear and linear combustion instability behavior in motors. He served on numerous incident investigation teams for DOD and NASA. He was the scientific advisor to the Navy, Army and Air Force and NASA on combustion instability. He is internationally known and was the NAWCWD representative in solid propulsion Data Exchange Agreements with France, Norway, Netherlands, Korea, Israel and South Africa. Served as contract monitor on Russian research contracts funded through the MDA. Recently he has been technically involved in the monitoring of air quality (particulate, ozone, meteorological) of the base and surrounding test ranges. Show less

Saint Louis, Mo

Co-op Student over 5 separate work assignments totaling 2 years worth of work over 4 years. I worked in Aerodynamics, flight controls, wind tunnels and propulsion groups.