Multidisciplinary Approach to Linear Aerospike Nozzle Design

A model of a linear aerospike rocket nozzle that consists of coupled aerodynamic and structural analyses has been developed. A nonlinear computational fluid dynamics code is used to calculate the aerodynamic thrust, and a three-dimensional finite element model is used to determine the structural response and weight. The model will be used to demonstrate multidisciplinary design capabilities for relevant engine concepts, assess performance of various multidisciplinary design approaches, and provide a guide for future application development. In this study, the multidisciplinary design problem is formulated using the multidisciplinary feasible strategy. The results for the multidisciplinary feasible formulation are presented with comparisons against sequential aerodynamic and structural designs. Significant improvements are demonstrated by using a multidisciplinary approach in comparison with the single-discipline design strategy.