Multidisciplinary design optimization of the shape and trajectory of a reentry vehicle

In this paper, the results for the optimal conceptual design of a reentry vehicle's shape and trajectory are presented. The general problem is decomposed into disciplinary subsystems that perform separated analyses for aerodynamics, weight estimation, and flight dynamics. A novel surface grid generation program that minimizes the number of panels required to calculate the aerodynamic coefficients by the Newtonian theory is used to largely reduce the computing time required by the aerodynamic analysis. The exchange of information between the analysis subsystems required by the interdisciplinary couplings is coordinated by a multidisciplinary design optimization technique. The shape considered for the vehicle is a spherically blunted biconic. The objectives of the optimization are the cross-range and the total heat load, subject to constraints on heating rate peak, vehicle weight, and longitudinal stability.