The Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center (CPIAC) is one of several United States Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored Information Analysis Centers (IACs), administered by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC). CPIAC is the oldest IAC, having been in continuous operation since 1946 when it was founded as the Rocket Propellant Information Agency as part of the Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory. Currently CPIAC is operated by The Johns Hopkins University, Whiting School of Engineering. IACs are part of the DoD’s Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP) prescribed by DoD Directive 3200.12 and are chartered under DoD Instruction 3200.14-E5.
CPIAC is the U.S. national clearinghouse and technical resource center for data, reports, and analyses related to system and component level technologies for chemical, electrical, and nuclear propulsion for rockets, missiles, and space and gun propulsion systems. CPIAC also provides technical and administrative support to the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) Interagency Propulsion Committee, the primary technical information exchange platform for the U.S. propulsion industry.
In addition to maintaining the most comprehensive propulsion-related scientific and technical reports collection in the world, CPIAC maintains a number of industry handbooks, manuals, databases, and its signature Propulsion Information Retrieval System (PIRS). This extensive information collection represents the documented national knowledge base in chemical rocket propulsion and is available for dissemination to eligible individuals and organizations.
As a knowledgeable and objective participant in supporting industry research and development, CPIAC assists sponsors in maximizing increasingly limited research and development funding by focusing on key propulsion system technology needs through workshops, symposia, technical assessments, and surveys. CPIAC also performs research in support of its publication of a series of recurrent technology reviews and state-of-the-art reports in selected technical areas.
Read more about Chemical Propulsion Information Analysis Center: History of CPIAC
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