Integrated System Design of Air Launched Small Space Launch Vehicle using Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

Design of launch vehicles is highly complex undertaking and it involves a number of integrated disciplines and relatively a large number of design variables, so there is need of specialized state-of-the-art design tools to control overall design process and optimize the performance of vehicle itself. In this paper we propose an integrated system design approach for multidisciplinary conceptual design and optimization of multistage Air Launched Space Launch Vehicle comprising of three-stage solid propulsion system. The vehicle performance modeling requires that analysis from four separate disciplines be integrated into the design optimization process. The disciplines of propulsion characteristics, aerodynamics, mass properties, and flight dynamics have been integrated to produce a high-fidelity system model of the entire vehicle. Genetic algorithms have been chosen as optimizer because of their robustness and their efficient capacity to explore the design space. The objective is to develop an integrated system design approach that can more efficiently (less computational time) and effectively (solution quality) facilitate integrated design analysis and optimization for Air Launched Space Launch Vehicle at conceptual design level under certain mission and flight constraints. The mission of the ASLV is to deliver a small satellite of 200kg to Low Earth Orbit with minimum possible Gross Launch Mass. The proposed design approach is meant for initial design sizing purposes but gives a quick insight on the vehicle performance prior to detailed design with minimum basic vehicle data.