Preliminary Sizing

Launch Vehicle Mass

Aircraft Mission Analysis
Takeoff Weight Iteration
MAE 155A
1980's Dryden Flight Research Fleet (NASA Image)
2
MAE 155A
Launch Vehicle Mass
Iteration is required to find launch vehicle mass breakdown that yields the required
second-stage burnout velocity.
Find mp1, ms1, mp2, ms2, to yield Vb.
V
b
=g
c
I
sp1
ln
(
m
p1
+m
s1
+m
p2
+m
s2
+m
L
m
s1
+m
p2
+m
s2
+m
L
)
+g
c
I
sp2
ln
(
m
p2
+m
s2
+m
L
m
s2
+m
L
)
m
p
=propellent mass
m
s
=structural mass
m
L
=payload
First Stage
Second Stage
But there are hidden dependencies; for example, the structural mass of each stage
depends on the mass of the propellant that it must contain.
3
MAE 155A
Airplane Takeoff Weight
Aircraft conceptual design begins with an estimate of gross takeoff weight.
The $100 empty weight estimate:
W
T O
=W
fuel
+W
f ixed
+W
empty
crew
cargo
equipment
passengers
beer
structure
propulsion
avionics
W
T O
(
1
W
fuel
W
T O

W
f ixed
W
T O
)
=W
empty
W
empty
0.5W
T O
W
fuel
W
T O
0.3
W
f ixed
W
T O
0.2
W
empty
0.91W
T O
0.95
Appendix I (Light Civilian Aircraft):
Nicolai, L.M., Carichner, G.E. Fundamentals
of Aircraft and Airship Design, AIAA, 2001
4
MAE 155A
Fuel Weight Estimate
A nominal mission profile is generally used to estimate fuel weight (and therefore
takeoff eight).
The total fuel weight accounts for fuel used during each mission segment.
Typical mission segments:
Engine Start and Takeoff
Climb and Accelerate
Cruise Out
Combat Acceleration
Combat Turning
Payload Drop
Cruise Back
Loiter
Descent and Landing
W
fuel , j
=W
j
W
j +1
W
j
=weight at start of segment j
W
fuel , j
= fuel used segment j
W
fuel , j
=
(
1
W
j+1
W
j
)
W
j
5
MAE 155A
Terminal Flight Segments
Engine Start, Taxi, and Takeoff
W
j+1
W
j
=0.970-0.975
Climb and Accelerate (starting from Mach 0.1 - also see Nicolai Figure 5.2)
W
j+1
W
j
=1.00650.0325 M
W
j+1
W
j
=0.9910.007 M0.01M
2
subsonic cruise
supersonic cruise
Descent for Landing
W
j+1
W
j
=0.990-0.995
Landing and Taxi
W
j+1
W
j
=0.992-0.997
6
MAE 155A
Cruise Segments
The cruise mission segments are handled by range calculations.
W
j+1
W
j
=exp
|
RC
V (C
L
/ C
D
)

W
j+1
W
j
=exp
|
RC
j(C
L
/C
D
)

R=
V
C
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
R=range
C=TSFC or BSFC
C
L
=lift coefficient
C
D
=drag coefficient
V =airspeed
j=propulsion efficiency
R=
j
C
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
jet
prop
W
i
=initial weight
W
f
=final weight
7
MAE 155A
Loiter Segments
Loiter mission segments are modeled with endurance calculations.
W
j+1
W
j
=exp
|
E C
(C
L
/ C
D
)

W
j+1
W
j
=exp
|
E V C
j(C
L
/C
D
)

jet
prop
W
i
=initial weight
W
f
=final weight
E=
1
C
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
E=
j
C
1
V
C
L
C
D
ln
W
i
W
f
E=endurance
j=propulsive efficiency
C=BSFC or TSFC
C
L
=lift coefficient
C
D
=drag coefficient
V =airspeed
8
MAE 155A
Combat Segments
Combat segments are represented by timed segments at maximum thrust.
W
j+1
W
j
=1C
(
T
W
)
max
d
C=TSFC
T=thrust
d=time
An 'x' number of 360-degree combat turns can be converted into a timed segment.
=
g
V
.
n
2
1
A=(2n) x=heading change
=
A
At
=
x(2n)
At
=
x(2n)
d
d =
x (2n)

d =
x(2n)V
g .n
2
1
x=number turns
d=time complete
V =airspeed
n=load factor
V =airspeed
=turn rate
9
MAE 155A
Takeoff Weight Iterations
The mission fuel weight is obtained using the weight ratios from each segment.
W
final
W
T 0
=
W
8
W
1
=
(
W
8
W
7
)(
W
7
W
6
)

(
W
2
W
1
)
W
fuel
=(1+reserve+trapped )
(
1
W
8
W
1
)
W
T O
1.06
(
1
W
8
W
1
)
W
T O
8 segment mission
W
T O
=W
fuel
+W
f ixed
+W
empty
Did the final takeoff weight estimate (*) match the assumed initial value?
If not, try a different initial takeoff weight and evaluate the mission again.
Recall that empty weight
depends upon takeoff weight.
*
W
empty
0.91W
T O
0.95
10
MAE 155A
Dropped Payload
A dropped payload segment represents a discrete change in airplane weight
Include the dropped payload at the correct place in the mission.
Airplane weight after drop affects fuel usage in later mission segments.
An absolute weight (not weight ratio) must be computed for each mission segment.
W
j+1
=W
j
W
drop
W
j+1
=
(
W
j +1
W
j
)
W
j
dropped payload
other segment type
W
fuel , j
=W
j
W
j +1
W
fuel , j
=0
W
fuel
=

j
W
fuel , j