Abstract: Based on the fact that the performance of distributed real-time control systems closed through control network depends on not only control algorithms but also network scheduling, time divisionmultiple access (TDMA) with determinate timing and reliabilitywasused as controlnetwork to describe the controlmessages through network. A scheduling model for distributed real-time control systems based on TDMA control network was established. Based on thismode,l a genetic algorithm- based scheduling algorithm was proposed to improve the control performance and network utilization ratio. A scheduling example shows that compared with the normal condition, the period of optimized control tasks isminimized and the control performance and the network utilization ratio are improved.