Uncertainty based multidisciplinary design optimisation of conventional space transportation systems

An investigation of methods for the multidisciplinary design optimisation of conventional space transportation systems under model and environmental/operational conditions is presented. Simplified engineering models, including propulsion, mass, launch/mission, are coupled to cost/operational models, and then integrated within a multidisciplinary optimisation framework, including different approaches and methods for the uncertainty treatment. The objective is to evaluate the usability and usefulness of the probabilistic approaches for uncertainty quantification and compare them to evidence based approaches, when included into the design optimisation phase.