Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization of Space Vehicle Structures

The digital transformation of engineering design processes is essential for the aerospace industry to remain competitive in the global market. Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) frameworks play a crucial role in this transformation by integrating various engineering disciplines and enabling the optimization of complex systems. A multidisciplinary structural analysis and design optimization (MSADO) framework can account for interactions between structural responses. This paper presents an MSADO framework for spacecraft structures utilizing commercial software tools such as Simcenter 3D, Nastran, HEEDS and open-source Python libraries. The proposed framework integrates structural, thermal and acoustic analysis to optimize the spacecraft's overall performance while satisfying multiple design constraints. The framework is applied to the design of a typical spacecraft structure, aiming to optimize structural weight for required structural performance under various static and dynamic loading conditions when the spacecraft is inside the launch vehicle or operating in orbit. Lamination parameter optimization and mixed integer programming are incorporated into the framework to significantly improve optimization performance when composite parts are involved in the design.