The main objective of this thesis is to introduce the reader to the problematics of air-launch and to a custom design solution applying this concept. The specifics of this method of bringing a payload into orbit are described and explained. Overview of projects which use aircraft to launch spacecraft is included. Determination of primary parameters of a launch vehicle designed to carry a payload of a specified mass is conducted. The required flight performance has been estimated, a computational model has been developed in software MATLAB, and a multidisciplinary optimization of the design parameters has been performed using a genetic algorithm optimization method. Parameters of the designed air-launched rocket are compared with those of a ground-launched rocket. According to the specific criteria, the Airbus A310-300 aircraft was selected as the most suitable transport aircraft to be used for launching the designed launch vehicle. The last part of the thesis is devoted to the proposal of necessary modifications and estimation of the flight performance.

In the present thesis, the objective was to find the maximum amount of payload mass that can be put into a 500 km polar orbit by a 1400 kg air-launched multi-stage rocket launched from a fighter jet platform. To fulfill the objective an algorithm incorporating several modules was developed. The modules performed calculations based on theoretical models and literature values to arrive at optimal design variables. From the design the maximum payload mass was able to be derived and it was concluded that a three-stage launch vehicle was able to deliver a 22.0 kg payload to the desired orbit. / I den här avhandlingen var syftet att hitta den maximala mängden nyttolastmassa som kan transporteras av en 1400 kg flerstegsraket uppskjuten från luften till en 500 km polär bana. För att uppfylla målet utvecklades en algoritm med flera moduler. Modulerna utförde beräkningar baserade på teoretiska modeller och litteraturvärden för att komma fram till optimala designvariabler. Från konstruktionen kunde den maximala nyttolastmassan härledas och det konstaterades att en trestegsraket kunde leverera en nyttolast på 22.0 kg till den önskade omloppsbanan.

In the present thesis, the objective was to find the maximum amount of payload mass that can be put into a 500 km polar orbit by a 1400 kg air-launched multi-stage rocket launched from a fighter jet platform. To fulfill the objective an algorithm incorporating several modules was developed. The modules performed calculations based on theoretical models and literature values to arrive at optimal design variables. From the design the maximum payload mass was able to be derived and it was concluded that a three-stage launch vehicle was able to deliver a 22.0 kg payload to the desired orbit. / I den här avhandlingen var syftet att hitta den maximala mängden nyttolastmassa som kan transporteras av en 1400 kg flerstegsraket uppskjuten från luften till en 500 km polär bana. För att uppfylla målet utvecklades en algoritm med flera moduler. Modulerna utförde beräkningar baserade på teoretiska modeller och litteraturvärden för att komma fram till optimala designvariabler. Från konstruktionen kunde den maximala nyttolastmassan härledas och det konstaterades att en trestegsraket kunde leverera en nyttolast på 22.0 kg till den önskade omloppsbanan.

The objective of this study was to design a launch vehicle capable of deploying a nanosatellite into a Sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km orbital altitude from the JAS 39E/F Gripen fighter aircraft. This was achieved by first performing theoretical calculations for the required nozzles and solid propellant grain configurations for the first two solid stages, followed by the necessary liquid propellant configuration for the third stage. Lastly, two methods were investigated in solving the trajectory ascent problem for the launch vehicle design. First, by stating the trajectory problem as an initial value problem while guessing a Sigmoidal steering law. Secondly, by stating the trajectory problem as a boundary value problem. The latter was solved by transcribing the trajectory problem into a nonlinear program where a parametric steering law was derived using a Sequential quadratic programming algorithm.Ultimately, resulting in a launch vehicle design with a gross lift-off mass of 1,289 kg, capable of launching an 8.4 kg payload into the targeted orbit, with suggested modifications to increase the possible payload mass to 12.9 kg. / Målet med den här studien var att designa en luftlanserad trestegsraket kapabel till att transportera en nanosatellit upp till en solsynkron omloppsbana på 500 km altitud från ett JAS 39E/F Gripen jaktflygplan. Det gjordes genom att först beräkna de nödvändiga dysorna och krutladdningsformerna för de två första stegen tillsammans med en flytande bränsledesign för det tredje steget. Två metoder undersöktes för bananalysen. Först genom att anta en Sigmoidal styrningsfunktion för pitchen, sedan genom att transkribera problemet till ett icke-linjärt program där en parametrisk styrlag togs fram genom att använda en Sequential quadratic programming algoritm. Slutligen presenterades en raketdesign med en total vikt på 1 289 kg, kapabel till att skjuta upp en nyttolast på 8,4 kg till den önskade omloppsbanan tillsammans med förslag som kan öka den möjliga nyttolasten till 12,9 kg.