a smokeless lift charge or pyrotechnic propellant 220 preferably nitrocellulose is placed within combustion chamber 208 of the enclosed base 204 the quantity of smokeless pyrotechnic propellant 220 is selected in a conventional manner based upon the combustion characteristics of the smokeless pyrotechnic propellant 220 and the particular loads which are intended to be ejected from the launch tube or barrel 202 disposed above the level of the smokeless pyrotechnic propellant 120 within the combustion chamber 208 of the enclosed base 204 a radially inward projecting shoulder 222 supports a gas sealing disk 224 the gas sealing disk 224 is sized to fit securely within the combustion chamber 208 when seated on the shoulder 222 optionally a conventional pyrotechnic prime composition is deposited on an upper surface 226 of the gas sealing disk opposite from the smokeless pyrotechnic propellant 220 next one or more pyrotechnic compositions 228 are disposed within the combustion chamber 208 with the initial pyrotechnic composition 228 seated on the upper surface 226 of the gas sealing disk 224 each pyrotechnic composition 228 is preferably formed as a pressed solid and includes a open central core 230 the outer radial dimensions of each pyrotechnic composition 228 is selected to be smaller than the inner radial dimension rd of the launch tube or barrel 202 thereby providing a combustion facilitating air gap 232 between the sides of each pyrotechnic composition 228 and the launch tube or barrel 202 the specific chemical structure of each pyrotechnic composition 228 is selected based on conventional parameters such as desired combustion color effects.