Design of Space Launch Vehicle Using Numerical Optimization and Inverse Method

The inverse method and the numerical optimization technique are developed and implemented for the design of space launch vehicles, which satisfy given heat transfer rate, e neness ratio and internal volume constraints, and show minimum drag characteristics. With the proper specie cation of the target pressure distribution, the inverse method is successfully applied to the design of a body with 21% less drag than the initial shape. Several gradient approximations, shape functions, and approximate analysis methods are utilized for the design of optimum nose fairing shapes with heat e ux and volumeconstraints. Several strategies are implemented to the design examples in hypersonic speeds, including a Korean three-stage sounding rocket. The designed bodies have less drag than the initial bodies while maintaining the surface heat transfer rate at the nose. These methods are demonstrated to be efe cient design tools for the high-speed vehicle design.