Space Technology, Section-A, Module -3, Lecture-3

Note: The optimization problem may be restated as maximization of function (ratio of

ML n
 λ 
payload to total vehicle weight) = ∏  i  , subject to a prescribed (by the
M 01 i =1  1 + λi 
mission) ∆Vrocket , n .
 1 + λi 
n n
Where=
∆Vrocket , n∑1 ei  ε + λ  ∑1 U eiln ( µi ) becomes the constraint on λi
U ln =
 i i 

This leads to same optimal value of λi

Example: (for Case I)

Suppose if Ue and ε is same for all stages.

M  n  λ  n
ln  L  = ∑ ln i  = ∑ F (λi ) (Objective function)
 M 01  1  1 + λi  1

∆Vrocket ,n n
1+ λ n
=
Ue
∑1 ln ε + λi
= ∑ G (λ )
i −1
i (Constraint function)
i

(λi ) G (λi ) + α F (λi )

L=

∂F 1 (1 + λi ) − λi ∂G 1 (ε + λi ) − (1 + λi )
= × , = ×
∂λi  λi  (1 + λi ) 2 ∂λi  1 + λi  (ε + λi ) 2
   
 1 + λi   ε + λi 

ε + λi + α ′ ελi - α ′ λi = 0
ε αε 1
or λ i = = or α =
α ′ − 1 − εα ′ 1 − α − ε α′

Since all other terms are constant λi should be a constant,

 λ   λ 
n n
ML
∴ = ∏ = 
M 01 1 1+ λ  1+ λ 

Which is same as optimization based on maximum ∆Vn .

Case II.
Suppose if U e is constant for all the stages, but ε i is varied, equation (6) could be
altered

(ε i + α − 1)λi + αε i = 0
αε i (8)
λi =
1−α − εi

ML n
− αε i n
αε i
and =∏ =∏ (9)
M 01 1 ε i + α − 1 − αε i 1 (ε i − 1)(α − 1)

ML
For known and ε i , the Lagrange multiplier α could be evaluated from equation (9).
M 01
Upon back substitution in equation (8) one can get λ i

Example: for a two stage rocket

ML αε 1 αε 2 α2 ε 1ε 2
= =
M 01 (ε 1 − 1)(α − 1) (ε 2 − 1)(α − 1) (α − 1) (ε 1 − 1)(ε 2 − 1)
2

α M L (ε 1 − 1)(ε 2 − 1)
=
(α − 1) M 01 ε 1ε 2

M 02 αε 1 ML αε 2
= λ1 = and = λ2 =
M 01 − M 02 (1 − α − ε 1 ) M 02 − M L (1 − α − ε 2 )
M 02 ε1 α ML ε2 α
or = and =
M 01 (ε 1 − 1) (α − 1) M 02 (ε 2 − 1) (α − 1)

ε 1 (ε 2 − 1)
M 02 = M 01 M L
ε 2 (ε 1 − 1)

Note:

If ε 1 =0.1 & ε 2 =0.2 M 02 = 0.66 M 01 M L ε1 < ε 2 M 02 < M 01M L

If ε 1 =0.2 & ε 2 =0.1 M 02 = 1.51 M 01 M L ε 2 < ε 1 M 02 > M 01 M L

It can be observed from the above result that, if the structural co-efficient of higher
stage(ε 2 ) is greater than the lower stage(ε 1 ), the mass of that higher stage is less than
the mass of that same stage when the structural co-efficient is constant (Case 1
condition), similarly if the structural co-efficient of lower stage(ε 1 ) is higher than the
higher stage(ε 2 ), the mass of the higher stage will be higher than the mass of that same
stage when the structural co-efficient is constant (case 1 condition).

Case III

If the exhaust velocity U e is also allowed to be varied, similar procedure could be

followed.
n
 1 + λi  n
Vn = ∑ U ei ln   = ∑ F (U ei , ε i λi ) (10)
i =1  ε i + λi  i =1

This objective function has to be maximized subjected to the constraint

ML n
 λ 
= ∏  i  (11)
M 01 1  1 + λi 

Expressing the constraint function in log form

ML n
 λ  n
ln = ∑ ln i  = ∑ G (ε i , λi ) (12)
M 01 1  1 + λi  1

The maximum condition is when λ i satisfies

∂   1 + λi   ∂  λi 
U ei ln    + α ln =0 (13)
∂λi 
  ε i + λi   ∂λi  1 + λi ) 

After differentiation rearrangement

α 
 ε i
λi =  U ei 
(14)
α 
1−   − εi
U ei 

Now ‘α’ can be obtained by substituting (14) in (11) i.e.

Knowing ‘α’, individual payload ratios, λi can be obtained from (14)

Example: for a two stage rocket

ML ε 1 (α U e1 ) ε 2 (α U e 2 )
=
M 01 (ε 1 − 1)(α U e1 − 1) (ε 2 − 1)(α U e 2 − 1)

M 02 ε1 (α U e1 ) ML ε2 (α U e12 )
= and =
M 01 (ε 1 − 1) ((α U e1 ) − 1) M 02 (ε 2 − 1) ((α U e 2 ) − 1)

ε 1 (ε 2 − 1) U e 2 α
M 02 ( approx ) ≈ M 01 M L when << 1
ε 2 (ε 1 − 1) U e1 Ue
If ε 1 = ε 2 ,

U e2
M 02 ≈ M 01 M L ,
U e1
U e 2 > U e1 , M 02 > M 01 M L

It can be observed from the above equation that if the incremental velocity of higher
stage (U e2 ) is greater than that of lower stage (U e1 ), the mass of that higher stage will
be higher than the mass of the same stage when the incremental velocity and the
structural co-efficient are constant.

Further reading
1. Mech. & Thermodynamics of Propulsion (2nd Ed.) by Hill & Peterson. (Appendix VIII)