Small launch vehicle optimal design configuration from ballistic missile components

Abstract

A hybrid optimization approach combining a genetic algorithm (GA) with simulated annealing (SA) has been used for design and optimization of a small four stage solid propellant space launch vehicle (LV). This hybrid optimization approach considers the advantage of widely used GA as a global optimizer complemented with speed efficient SA to find the optimum. The proposed LV is composed of solid rocket motors (SRM) of an existing two stage intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM), the first and second stages SRM of the IRBM were used in the first, second and third stages of the LV, whereas a kick SRM was designed and optimized for the fourth stage. The proposed LV design is capable of delivering a small satellite of 120 kg to a circular low earth orbit (LEO) of 600 km altitude. The fourth stage kick SRM parameters and trajectory variables were optimized simultaneously. A multi-discipline feasible framework had been implemented to perform the multidisciplinary optimization. The obtained results show that the proposed LV design configuration is viable and the hybrid optimization approach was able to find the optimal solution with very acceptable values.