Summary of the DNA SMES development program

In 1987 the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) initiated a program at the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) to develop superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) as a short-duration, high-power source for a Free-Electron Laser-Directed Energy Weapon. SMES was also recognized as being able to fulfill the important civilian electric utility application of diurnal storage. In 1986 the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) had proposed an engineering test model (ETM) as the logical next step in SMES development. Since the military and civilian requirements for energy storage were similar, the SMES ETM development was proposed as a dual-use program from the outset. DNA was selected to manage the program because of its experience in managing the development of high-power nuclear-effects simulators. This paper summarizes the management results and conclusions of the two-phase SMES-ETM development program.<>