Concurrent design and optimization of a star tracker for space applications by identification of critical design parameters and their effect on a performance measure

Abstract

An optimization procedure to be used concurrently with a top-down general design process was developed. The optimization procedure consists of identifying the critical design parameters and analyzing their effect on a performance measure. By performing the optimization procedure concurrently with the top-down design process, the design solution will be optimized while considering the necessary functions and requirements it must satisfy. The procedure is applied to the design of a star tracker for space applications that is being designed by Commercial Space Center for Engineering(CSCE) and the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M. Mass was the performance measure that was optimized when the procedure was applied to the star tracker design. It was found that the structural design of the star tracker would have the most influence on the mass optimization. Mass estimations and natural frequency analysis were conducted to analyze the design parameter combinations of the star tracker design. It was found that the optimization procedure provided a systematic process and traceability for a designer to determine where decisions originated and how they related to the functional need of the design solution. The procedure can be time consuming depending on what type of analysis method is performed on the parameter combinations to obtain an optimal configuration. Also, a designer must still provide technical and research knowledge in solving the design problem. One main advantage to the optimization procedure is that it is applicable to a wide variety of design problems.