Nearly-orthogonal sampling and neural network metamodel driven conceptual design of multistage space launch vehicle

This paper presents a new design methodology for efficient conceptual design of complex systems involving multidisciplinary and computationally intensive analysis with large number of design variables. A nearly-orthogonal sampling of design space is proposed with good space filling properties to extract maximum useful information about system behavior using much lower number of trial designs. This sampled data is then used as training data for artificial neural network, which will act as a metamodel to represent the time consuming disciplinary analyses. A stage-wise interconnection of separate neural networks is also proposed for trajectory metamodel to offset dimensionality curse of neural networks. Genetic Algorithm performs global optimization by utilizing this metamodel and subsequently sequential quadratic programming performs the local optimization utilizing exact analyses. The performance of proposed methodology is investigated in this paper for the conceptual design optimization of multistage solid fueled space launch vehicle. The results show excellent approximation of highly non-linear functions using proposed sampling and drastic reduction in overall design optimization time, due to greatly reduced number of exact disciplinary analyses.