Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad have developed a compact, low‑cost light gas gun that can fire projectiles at speeds up to 0.8 km per second, enabling controlled high‑speed impact testing in the lab. The student‑led project, built using PVC pipes at around ₹50,000, offers a far more affordable alternative to conventional defence‑grade testing systems.
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad have built a compact, low‑cost experimental setup to simulate high‑speed impact conditions, potentially transforming how armour and projectiles are tested. The system, installed at the High‑Speed Experimental Laboratory (Hi‑SEAL), uses a light gas gun that fires projectiles at speeds of up to 0.8 km per second, allowing researchers to study material behaviour under extreme stress in a controlled laboratory environment.
The project was led by a student team guided by Assistant Professor S.K. Karthick, whose group focuses on high‑strain‑rate mechanics and defence‑related materials research. “The system is designed to fill a critical gap in defence and materials testing,” Karthick explained. “On one side, engineers want stronger materials that can stop projectiles; on the other, they want more penetrative projectiles. A controlled, repeatable test bed is essential for both.”
Traditionally, such testing relies on large‑scale ballistic trials that are expensive, logistically complex, and sometimes difficult to fine‑tune. The IIT Hyderabad setup side‑steps this by using a gas‑driven light gas gun that accelerates projectiles without the need for live ammunition or full‑scale weapons. The device is built largely from PVC pipes and common engineering parts, keeping the cost to roughly ₹50,000, a fraction of that of conventional impact‑testing equipment.
The team also developed a sensor system to measure projectile velocity with high accuracy and constructed a sand‑filled impact chamber to safely absorb and stabilise high‑energy impacts. The project received support under IIT Hyderabad’s BHARATI grant, which funds experimental infrastructure in strategic research areas. Key student contributors include G. Sri Datta Krishna, Y.V. Karthik, M.N. Marzouq, T. Harshada, and M. Raj Kiran Reddy, who handled design, fabrication, and instrumentation.
While the primary focus is on defence applications—such as evaluating next‑generation armour and penetration performance – the system also holds promise for space research. Scientists can use it to simulate high‑speed impact scenarios similar to those encountered in space environments, including meteoroid or orbital debris strikes on spacecraft materials.
Karthick noted that such lab‑scale facilities are vital for early‑stage research. “They allow students and researchers to experiment, test ideas, and refine materials before moving to large‑scale, real‑world trials,” he said. The team has already begun discussions with defence laboratories and aims to scale up the system further, optimise materials, and develop more efficient impact‑testing technologies.