美国航天基金会授予神七团队太空成就奖

美国航天基金会3月30日宣布,将该基金会的2009年“太空成就奖”授予中国神舟七号载人航天飞行任务团队（简称神七任务团队）。中国载人航天工程总设计师周建平、神七任务航天员翟志刚等当天代表神七任务团队参加了颁奖仪式,并领取了奖项。     

世界主要航天国家2009年航天活动预测

2009年全球航天业的挑战在于：认识到政府和私人航天项目2008年取得的辉煌成就，从而使商业航天和太空探索并驾齐驱。2008年世界航天业取得诸多成就，包括：①中国航天员首次太空行走；②欧洲航天局（ESA）自动转移飞行器（ATV）圆满完成首次飞往“国际空间站”货运任务；③美国太空探索技术公司（SpaceX）法尔肯-1火箭成功发射；     

国外航天营养与食品研究进展

随着载人航天的不断发展,航天员太空停留时间也从加加林最初的1h48min增加到如今“国际空间站”常规驻留6个月,而由美国航天员斯科特·凯利和俄罗斯航天员米哈伊尔·科尔年柯共同执行的“国际空间站”1年期驻留任务也于2016年3月2日顺利结束。回顾世界载人航天走过的历程,一个不争的事实是：每一次载人航天任务的顺利完成,都与乘员良好的食品与营养保障密不可分,尤其是随着太空驻留时间的延长,航天食品与营养对乘员生理和心理的健康以及工作绩效方面的影响将愈加重要。为此,对航天营养与食品提出了更高的要求,以满足长期载人航天的需要。     

萨加德的太空生活感受

美国航天员诺曼·萨加德今年3月14日乘俄罗斯“联盟TM21”号飞船进入“和平”号空间站,7月7日乘“阿特兰蒂斯”号航天飞机返回地面。在这次美俄联合航天活动中萨加德是公众瞩目的对象,更是新闻界的焦点。他在太空度过52岁生日,创造了在太空连续飞行115天的美国航天新纪录,打破保持了21年之久的美国航天员84天持续太空飞行的纪录。虽然这115天还不及俄罗斯航天员波利亚科夫在太空连续飞行439天超长纪录的1/3,但     

空间站首次上演太空高尔夫秀

北京时间2006年11月23日上午8时57分,国际空间站的飞行工程师、俄罗斯航天员秋林从空间站上成功地将一个高尔夫球击入地球轨道。此次太空高尔夫表演吸引了世界众多航天迷和高尔夫球迷的目光。本次太空行走是2006年9月第14宇航组进驻国际空间站以来的首次太空行走。对航天员秋林及其搭档洛佩斯·阿莱格里亚来说,这分别是他们的第4和第6次太空“漫步”。太空挥杆23日这天上午,秋林及其同伴美国航天员洛佩斯·阿莱格里亚身着130千克的俄制“海鹰”航天服从空间站“走”了出来,在失重状态下,他们的动作显得有些迟缓。空间站外部的摄像机记录下了…     

“太空火灾”不容等闲视之

常言道:“水火无情”。骤起的熊熊大火,常常是在顷刻间使生灵涂炭,财产遭殃。 “太空火灾”至今仍是航天(尤其是载人航天)活动的最大隐患之一。据统计,迄今已有11位航天员在太空火灾中殉难。在美国,不计举世惊骇的1986年1月28日的“挑     

走进微重力世界--太空的火焰

1999年初冬,中国的第一艘载人航天试验飞船“神舟一号”发射升空,在太空邀游了将近一天之后,成功返回地面,拉开了中国载人航天的序幕。 载人航天是一项浩大而宏伟的航天工程,航天员是其中的核心。航天员不仅要安全往返于地面和空间,而且要在太空完成各项复杂而艰巨的任务。他们通过各种各样的科学实验.探索地球以外的大自然奥秘;而这些太空新知识的获得,又将极大地提高人类认识世界和改造世界的能力。     

航天员是这样炼成的

中国航天第一人杨利伟在2003年10月乘“神舟5”号飞船进入太空，从而实现了中华民族百年飞天梦。至今，全球已有900余人次进入太空。由此不难看出，21世纪初将掀起载人航天的热潮，航天员正成为一种新兴的职业。在这些候选航天员进入太空之前，至少需要4年的大学学习，还要接受飞行和科学教程的培训。     

54两次访问月球的约翰·扬

“阿波罗”16号登月航天员约翰·扬，是美国航天史上航天员生涯最长、执行任务最多的航天员之一，也是一位颇有传奇色彩的航天员：他曾经六次进入太空，两次去过月球（一次为绕月，一次为登月）。人称约翰·扬工作、睡觉、吃饭、呼吸均与太空飞行息息相关。     

太空飞行里程碑——献给2003年世界空间周

1957年10月4日,世界上第一颗人造地球卫星“斯普特尼克1号”从拜科努尔 航天中心发射升空。这颗卫星重83.6千克,向地面发回“噼噼啪啪”的无线电发报声,叩开了进入太空的大门。从此人类活动进入宇宙空间,开创了人类航天的新纪元。F1961年4月12日,世界上第一个航天员尤里·加加林乘坐东方1号宇宙飞船进入太空,在太空停留108分钟,环绕地球飞行一圈后返回地面,人类进入载人航天的新阶段。1963年6月6日,苏联东方6号飞船把世界第一个女航天员瓦莲金娜·捷列什科娃载上太空轨道,绕地球飞行48圈,3天后安全返回地面。迄今已有40名女航天员进入太空…     

2005年全球反恐特警队赛记

2005年3月30日到4月2日为期4天，在美国拉斯维加斯举行的全球特警挑战赛（Original World SWAT Challenge,OWSC）中，总计有18支队伍参赛。[编者按]     

The Comet Halley flyby I.R. sounder “I.K.S.”

An infrared sounder is being developed in France to observe in 1986 Comet Halley from the Soviet “VEGA” flyby probes. The instrument, called “I.K.S.”, has three measuring channels. Two of these channels will provide the spectrum of the comet emission in the spectral intervals 2.5–5.0 μ and 6–12 μ, at a constant resolution λ/Δλ = 50.The third channel analyzes the comet I.R. image at a spatial frequency of about 1 arc minute^?1; two I.R. colours are used in this channel: 7–10 μ and 10–14 μ. From the results expected, it is hoped that (1) most primary simple molecules emitted by the nucleus will be identified; (2) the chemical composition and perhaps crystalline structure of the dust grains and ices released by the comet will be derived; and (3) the diameter of the nucleus and its brightness temperatures will be measured.     

Indirect search for Dark Matter with H.E.S.S.

Observations of the Galactic center region with the H.E.S.S. telescopes have established the existence of a steady, extended source of gamma-ray emission coinciding with the position of the super massive black hole Sgr A^*. This is a remarkable finding given the expected presence of dense self-annihilating Dark Matter in the Galactic center region. The self-annihilation process is giving rise to gamma-ray production through hadronization including the production of neutral pions which decay into gamma-rays but also through (loop-suppressed) annihilation into final states of almost mono-energetic photons. We study the observed gamma-ray signal (spectrum and shape) from the Galactic center in the context of Dark Matter annihilation and indicate the prospects for further indirect Dark Matter searches with H.E.S.S.     

The C.E.B.A.S.-Minimodule: behaviour of an artificial aquatic ecological system during spaceflight.

The C.E.B.A.S.-Minimodule, a closed aquatic ecosystem integrated into a middeck locker and consisting of a Zoological (animal tanks), a Botanical (plant bioreactor), a Microbial (bacteria filter) and an Electronic Component (data acquisition/control system) was flown on the STS-89 spaceshuttle mission in January 1998 for 9 days. Preflight the plant bioreactor was loaded with 53 g of Ceratophyllum demersum (coontail) and the animal tanks with 4 adult pregnant females of the fish, Xiphophorus helleri (sword-tails), 200 juveniles of the same species less than 1 week of age, 38 large and 30 juvenile Biomphalaria glabrata water snails. The filter compartment was filled with 200 g of lava grain inoculated with laboratory strains of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. A ground reference was undertaken with the same biological setup with a delay of 4 d. After an adaptation period of 5 d the system was closed and integrated into the spaceshuttle one day before launch. Video recordings of the animals were automatically taken for 10 minutes in 2-hour periods; the tapes were changed daily by the astronauts. The chemical and physical data for the aquatic system were within the expected range and were closely comparable in comparison to the ground reference. After 9 d under space conditions, the plant biomass increased to 117 g. The plants were all found in very good condition. All 4 adult female fish were retrieved in a good physiological condition. The juvenile fishes had a survival rate of about 33%. Almost 97% of the snails had survived and produced more than 250 neonates and 40 spawning packs. All samples were distributed according to a defined schedule and satisfied all scientific needs of the involved 12 principal investigators. This was the first successful spaceflight of an artificial aquatic ecosystem containing vertebrates, invertebrates, higher plants and microorganisms self-sustained by its inhabitants only. C.E.B.A.S. in a modified form and biological setup is a promising candidate for the early space station utilization as a first midterm experiment.     

Mechanisms underlying cellular radiosensitivity and R.B.E.: introductory remarks.

A general outline of the symposium titled "Mechanisms underlying cellular radiosensitivity and R.B.E." will be given in the introduction. The essential topics of molecular radiation biology are described with respect to the damage, repair and mutagenesis caused by high-LET irradiation to cellular DNA. The importance of clustered DNA lesions (locally multiply damaged sites) formed in vivo is discussed. This symposium is devoted to the mechanisms of the biological effects of radiation with high LET, especially with regard to the effects of heavy ions and neutrons which may cause possible risks in space flight, (e.g. carcinogenesis and mutagenesis). Detailed understanding of these risks, however, demands knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the biological effects of high-LET radiations. Thus, it was the organizers' idea to hold a symposium dealing with primary physical and chemical events caused in cellular deoxyribonucleoproteins by densely-ionizing radiations and to relate them to track structures and energy transfer processes. The mechanisms of DNA damage were regarded from different points of view including those considering DNA repair and mutagenesis. Problems associated with cell survival and radiation protection were discussed as well. Our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of high-LET radiation actions, however, is limited compared to what we know about low-LET radiation effects (e.g. from gamma-rays or X-rays). To emphasize this statement, I would like to summarize briefly the open questions in molecular radiation biology, what we know already about low-LET effects and what is lacking describing the effect of high-LET radiation.     

The "C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE": a self-sustaining closed aquatic ecosystem for spaceflight experimentation.

The C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE is the miniaturized space flight version of the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.). It fits into a large middeck locker tray and is scheduled to be flown in the STS 85 and in the NEUROLAB missions. Its volume is about 9 liters and it consists of two animal tanks, a plant cultivator, and a bacteria filter in a monolithic design. An external sensor unit is connected to a data acquisition/control unit. The system integrates its own biological life support. The CO2 exhaled by the consumers (fishes, snails, microorganisms) is assimilated by water plants (Ceratophyllum demersum) which provide them with oxygen. The products of biomass degradation and excretion (mainly ammonia ions) are converted by bacteria into nitrite and nitrate. The latter is taken up by the plants as a nitrogen source together with other ions like phosphate. The plants convert light energy into chemical energy and their illumination is regulated via the oxygen concentration in the water by the control unit. In ground laboratory tests the system exhibited biological stability up to three month. The buffer capacity of the biological filter system is high enough to eliminate the degradation products of about one half of the dead animal biomass as shown in a "crash test". A test series using the laboratory model of the flight hardware demonstrated the biological stability and technical reliability with mission-identical loading and test duration. A comprehensive biological research program is established for the C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE in which five German and three U.S.-American universities as well as the Russian Academy of Sciences are involved.     

C.E.B.A.S. MINI MODULE: test results of an artificial (man-made) aquatic ecosystem.

The original Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) is a long-term multi-generation research facility for experiments with aquatic animals and plants in a space station the development of which is surrounded by a large international scientific program. In addition, a miniaturized laboratory prototype, the C.E.B.A.S. MINI MODULE, with a total volume of about 10-12 liters for a Spacelab middeck locker was developed and a first version was tested successfully for two weeks with a population of fishes (Xiphophorus helleri) in the animal tank and a Ceratophyllum spec. in the illuminated higher plant growth chamber. The water recycling system consisted of a bacteria filter and a mechanical filter and the silastic tubing gas exchanger was separated by valves for the utilization in emergency cases only. Data were collected with the acquisition module of the original C.E.B.A.S. process control system. In addition, an optimized version was tested for 7 weeks with fishes and plants and thereafter with fish and with plants only for 2 and 1 weeks, resp.. The paper presents the relevant water parameters (e.g., pH, pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation, flow rate, ion concentrations) during the test period as well as morphological and physiological data of the enclosed animals and plants. On the basis of the given results the possible role of the C.E.B.A.S. system as a scientific tool in artificial ecosystem research and for the development of a combined animal-plant intensive aquaculture system and its utilization in bioregenerative life support is discussed.     

Aquatic modules for bioregenerative life support systems: developmental aspects based on the space flight results of the C.E.B.A.S. MIN-MODULE.

The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) is an artificial aquatic ecosystem which contains teleost fishes, water snails, ammonia oxidizing bacteria and edible non-gravitropic water plants. It serves as a model for aquatic food production modules which are not seriously affected by microgravity and other space conditions. Its space flight version, the so-called C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE was already successfully tested in the STS-89 and STS-90 (NEUROLAB) missions. It will be flown a third time in space with the STS-107 mission in January 2003. All results obtained so far in space indicate that the basic concept of the system is more than suitable to drive forward its development. The C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE is located within a middeck locker with limited space for additional components. These technical limitations allow only some modifications which lead to a maximum experiment time span of 120 days which is not long enough for scientifically essential multi-generation-experiments. The first necessary step is the development of "harvesting devices" for the different organisms. In the limited space of the plant bioreactor a high biomass production leads to self-shadowing effects which results in an uncontrolled degradation and increased oxygen consumption by microorganisms which will endanger the fishes and snails. It was shown already that the latter reproduce excellently in space and that the reproductive functions of the fish species are not affected. Although the parent-offspring-cannibalism of the ovoviviparous fish species (Xiphophorus helleri) serves as a regulating factor in population dynamics an uncontrolled snail reproduction will also induce an increased oxygen consumption per se and a high ammonia concentration in the water. If harvesting locks can be handled by astronauts in, e. g., 4-week intervals their construction is not very difficult and basic technical solutions are already developed. The second problem is the feeding of the animals. Although C.E.B.A.S.-based aquaculture modules are designed to be closed food loop systems (edible herbivorous fish species and edible water plants) which are already verified on Earth this will not be possible in space without devices in which the animals are fed from a food storage. This has to be done at least once daily which would waste too much crew time when done by astronauts. So, the development of a reliable automated food dispenser has highest priority. Also in this case basic technical solutions are already elaborated. The paper gives a comprehensive overview of the proposed further C.E.B.A.S.-based development of longer-term duration aquatic food production modules.     

V.L.A. observations of flare build-up in coronal loops

Very Large Array (V.L.A.) measurements at 20 cm wavelength map emission from coronal loops with second-of-arc angular resolution at time intervals as short as 3.3 seconds. The total intensity of the 20 cm emission describes the evolution and structure of the hot plasma that is detected by satellite X-ray observations of coronal loops. The circular polarization of the 20 cm emission describes the evolution, strength and structure of the coronal magnetic field. Preburst heating and magnetic changes that precede burst emission on time scales of between 1 and 30 minutes are discussed. Simultaneous 20 cm and soft X-ray observations indicate an electron temperature $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\textcolor{red}{}\text{2.5 × 10}{}^7\text{K}$ and electron density $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\textcolor{red}{}\text{10}{}^{10}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$ during preburst heating in a coronal loop that was also associated with twisting of the entire loop in space. We also discuss the successive triggering of bursts from adjacent coronal loops; highly polarized emission from the legs of loops with large intensity changes over a 32 MHz change in observing frequency; and apparent motions of hot plasma within coronal loops at velocities V > 2,000 kilometerspersecond.     

美国的战斧巡航导弹

3月19日,美英法三国开始对利比亚实行军事打击。在当天进行的空袭行动中,部署在地中海的美军和英军军舰与潜艇就向利比亚首都的黎波里郊区和东部城市米苏拉塔等地发射了110多枚战斧巡航导弹,袭击了20多处防空设施和民事目标。在随后的几天里,每天又都发射了一批这种导弹。截止到4月1日,美军共发射了221枚、英军共发射了7枚战斧巡航导弹。那么,战斧巡航导弹究竞