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Nontangent, Developed Contour Bulkheads for a Wing-Body Single Stage Launch VehicleDry weights for a SSTO vehicle which incorporates nontangent, developed contour bulkheads are estimated and compared to a baseline vehicle with 1.41 4 aspect ratio ellipsoidal bulkheads, Weights, volumes and heights of optimized bulkhead designs are computed using a preliminary design bulkhead analysis code. The dry weight of a vehicle which incorporates the optimized bulkheads is predicted using a vehicle weights and sizing code. Two optimization approaches are employed. A structural-level method, where the vehicle s three major bulkhead regions are optimized separately and then incorporated into a model for computation of the vehicle dry weight, predicts a reduction of 4365 Ib (2.2 percent) from the 200,679 Ib baseline vehicle dry weight. In the second, vehicle-level, approach, the vehicle dry weight is the objective function for the optimization. During the vehicle- level analysis, modified bulkhead designs are first analyzed, then incorporated into the weights model for computation of a dry weight. The optimizer simultaneously manipulates design variables for all three bulkheads to reduce the dry weight. The vehicle-level analysis predicts a dry weight reduction of 5129 Ib, a 2.6 percent reduction from the baseline value. These results suggest that nontangent, developed contour bulkheads may provide substantial weight savings for SSTO vehicles.
Document ID
20040086794
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Wu, K. Chauncey
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Lepsch, Roger A., Jr.
(NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1999
Subject Category
Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
AIAA Paper 99-0835
Meeting Information
Meeting: 37th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit
Location: Reno, NV
Country: United States
Start Date: January 11, 1999
End Date: January 14, 1999
Sponsors: American Inst. of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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