Propulsion System Design and Optimization for Ground Based Interceptor using Genetic Algorithm

Ground-based interceptors(GBI) comprise a major element of the strategic defense against hostile targets like Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles(ICBM) and reentry vehicles(RV) dispersed from them. An optimum design of the subsystems is required to increase the performance and reliability of these GBI. Propulsion subsystem design and optimization is the motivation for this effort. This paper describes an effort in which an entire GBI missile system, including a multi-stage solid rocket booster, is considered simultaneously in a Genetic Algorithm(GA) performance optimization process. Single goal, constrained optimization is performed. For specified payload and miss distance, time of flight, the most important component in the optimization process is the booster, for its takeoff weight, time of flight, or a combination of the two. The GBI is assumed to be a multistage missile that uses target location data provided by two ground based RF radar sensors and two low earth orbit(LEO) IR sensors. 3Dimensional model is developed for a multistage target with a boost phase acceleration profile that depends on total mass, propellant mass and the specific impulse in the gravity field. The monostatic radar cross section (RCS) data of a three stage ICBM is used. For preliminary design, GBI is assumed to have a fixed initial position from the target launch point and zero launch delay. GBI carries the Kill Vehicle(KV) to an optimal position in space to allow it to complete the intercept. The objective is to design and optimize the propulsion system for the GBI that will fulfill mission requirements and objectives. The KV weight and volume requirements are specified in the problem definition before the optimization is computed. We have considered only continuous design variables, while considering discrete variables as input. Though the number of stages should also be one of the design variables, however, in this paper it is fixed as three. The elite solution from GA is passed on to(Sequential Quadratic Programming) SQP as near optimal guess. The SQP then performs local convergence to identify the minimum mass of the GBI. The performance of the three staged GBI is validated using a ballistic missile intercept scenario modeled in Matlab/SIMULINK.