Multi-Disciplinary Optimization Conceptual Design of the Launcher Based on Non-Turbopump Propulsion Systems

Abstract

Turbopump propulsion systems have been used in almost all launch vehicles. With the advancement of manufacturing technologies, especially in the use of composite and lightweight structures, the use of non-turbopump propulsion systems has been considered due to the reduction of operating costs. This study has been investigated the multi-disciplinary optimization design of a two-stage launch vehicle using a pressure-fed propulsion system for both stages. Two main propulsion systems including gas-pressure and self-pressure feeding systems, have been evaluated in different configurations on two launcher stages. To extracting the optimum and possible solution, the launcher mission also has been added as a design variable in the optimization algorithm. The launcher has been extracted and introduced for each specific configuration of the launcher to achieve a certain orbital altitude with the maximum carrying payload and minimum gross mass. For this purpose, the AAO multidisciplinary optimization design framework has been used. The system-level and subsystem optimizer of the GA-SQP algorithm have been chosen.

Keywords

• launcher
• multidisciplinary optimization design
• pressure-fed propulsion system
• gas-pressure and self-pressure system
• system design