Model Center-Integrated Reduced Order Multi-fidelity Optimization Scheme for NASA MDAO Framework

During Phase I of this effort, ZONA Technology, Inc. significantly improved the medium fidelity design and analysis capability of NASA's MDAO architecture by successfully adding ZONA CAE tools such as ZAERO, ZEUS, ASTROS and ZMORPH synergistically integrated within a ModelCenter MDAO framework. In Phase II of this effort, ZONA aims to improve all the three tiers of NASA's MDAO architecture as follows: (1) The low fidelity capability will be enhanced by incorporating ZONAIR for providing flight loads (for structural design) and pressure differential (for sonic boom mitigation). ZONAIR will also 'flexiblize' rigid CFD loads for aeroelastic analyses, (2) the medium fidelity capability will be further extended by addition of new ModelCenter plug-ins and improvements in the existing plug-ins for ZONA CAE tools, for facilitating ease of design process, and (3) the high fidelity analyses capability will be augmented by the development of supportive software offering beneficial features such as automated surface+flowfield mesh morphing/generation, commonality of input within all branches of fidelity, etc. Rapid shape sensitivity generation capability will be offered with incorporation of ZEUS-DO into the framework. For ease of model-making and input setup process, a pre/post-processor software called ZONA-MV will be further improved with linkage to NASA's VSP tool. A NASTRAN-to-ASTROS finite element model converter will be developed. The overall development outcome of Phase I+II effort will then be combined as a 'ModelCenter.ZONA MDAO Pak' with on-demand cloud computing ability, unlimited tokens for massively parallelized optimization efforts, and will be perpetually licensed within all NASA Research Centers.