美发射“火星侦察轨道器”

美国航宇局8月12日使用宇宙神5运载火箭在卡纳维拉尔角发射了“火星侦察轨道器”（MRO）。项目首席科学家加文把该轨道器称为“科学搜索引擎”和行星监视器，而喷推实验室项目科学家朱瑞克则称之为气象卫星、地质勘探器和未来探测任务和侦察兵。MRO将为今年5年内要发射的两个着陆器打前站，为其确定潜在着陆区域。“凤凰”着陆器定于2007年发射，将着陆在火星极区，     

俄罗斯将在2011年协助印度测试月船-2着陆器

据美国aviationnow网站2010年8月31日报道,俄罗斯联邦航天局计划2011年测试印度月船-2（Chandrayaan2）任务上的着陆器。月船-2预计2013年发射,包括轨道器、着陆器、漫游车。预计使用印度的地球同步轨道卫星运载火箭从萨迪什·达万航天中心发射。着陆器由俄罗斯提供,轨道器和漫游车由印度空间研究组织建造。漫游车重30～100kg,具体重量取决于采取半硬着陆还是软着陆。     

美国火星表面探测使命述评（上）

从1975年发射（1976年着陆火星）的海盗-1探测器以来,美国已成功执行了6次火星表面探测使命,即海盗-1与海盗-2轨道器/着陆器,＂火星探路者＂（MPF）着陆器/巡游车,＂勇气＂与＂机遇＂火星探测巡游车（MER）,以及＂凤凰＂着陆器;而推迟到2011年发射的＂好奇心＂火星科学实验室（MSL）将火星着陆技术与表面巡游车技术推向一个新的高度。从＂海盗＂着陆器到＂好奇心＂巡游车、美国历经三种火星着陆系统与三代火星表面巡游车技术的发展。三种着陆系统为着陆腿着陆系统（＂海盗＂与＂凤凰＂）,气囊着陆系统（MPF与MER）,以及空中吊机着陆系统（MSL）。三代巡游车为MPF＂旅居者＂巡游车、MER＂勇气＂与＂机遇＂巡游车,以及MSL＂好奇心＂巡游车。现在,美国在火星进入、降落与着陆（EDL）运作与表面避障移动方面,已达到技术成熟与先进的水平,满足安全着陆与表面移动探测的要求。文章阐述美国上述七项火星表面探测使命的立项背景、科学目标与有效载荷、飞行系统组成,以及飞行运作程序;分析美国火星着陆技术与表面巡游车技术的发展。     

美国火星表面探测使命述评（下）

从1975年8月发射（1976年7月着陆火星）的海盗-1探测器以来,美国已成功执行了6次火星表面探测使命,即海盗-1与海盗-2轨道器/着陆器,＂火星探路者＂（MPF）着陆器/巡游车,＂勇气＂与＂机遇＂火星探测巡游车（MER）,以及＂凤凰＂着陆器;而推迟到2011年发射的火星科学实验室（MSL）将火星着陆技术与表面巡游车技术推向一个新的高度。从＂海盗＂着陆器到MSL＂好奇心＂巡游车、美国历经三种火星着陆系统与三代火星表面巡游车技术的发展。三种着陆系统为着陆腿着陆系统（＂海盗＂与＂凤凰＂）,气囊着陆系统（MPF与MER）,以及空中吊机着陆系统（MSL）。三代巡游车为MPF＂旅居者＂巡游车、MER＂勇气＂与＂机遇＂巡游车,以及MSL＂好奇心＂巡游车。现在,美国在火星进入、降落与着陆（EDL）运作与表面避障移动方面,已达到技术成熟与先进的水平,满足安全着陆与表面移动探测的要求。文章阐述美国上述七项火星表面探测使命的立项背景、科学目标与有效载荷、飞行系统组成,以及飞行运作程序;分析美国火星着陆技术与表面巡游车技术的发展。     

基于火星轨道器的着陆器定位误差及可观性分析

针对深空探测过程中地面测控数传能力及着陆器星上功率受限等问题,文章提出了以轨道器为中继站的火星着陆器测量定位方法,旨在工程约束条件下分析地面测控站对着陆器的跟踪情况、轨道器与着陆器之间的可观性以及不同着陆点定位精度的差异,并给出相应的误差改善措施。该手段充分利用轨道器星上设备,达到提高定位精度的目的。结果表明,轨道器与着陆器之间通信的可见性要好于着陆器直接对地通信,有利于着陆器位置的确定;此外,通过几何因子和克劳美罗下限分析发现,若着陆器的着陆点位于轨道器星下点区域内,其定位精度较差。该方法充分利用轨道器与着陆器间的UHF通信链路,可为中国首次火星自主探测任务中着陆器的安全着陆提供参考。     

美欧拟压缩火星探测计划

NASA科学任务署行星科学分部主任格林4月18日说．NASA和欧空局将压缩原定在2018年发射两辆火星漫游车的计划,改为只造一辆漫游车,用其钻探火星表面,并存放所采集的土壤样品,以供最终运回地球。     

欧俄探测器抵达火星,着陆器坠毁

正欧空局和俄罗斯"外空火星"2016项目下的"微量气体轨道器"(TGO)和"斯基亚帕雷利"着陆器10月19日抵达火星,其中前者成功进入一条绕火星运行的大椭圆初始轨道,而后者则坠毁在火星表面上。"微量气体轨道器"的主发动机点火工作了139分钟,使轨道器成功地被火星引力俘获。"斯基亚帕雷利"着陆器于格林尼治时间14时42分(北京时间22时42分)开始进入火星大气层,但来自着陆器的信号却在预定着陆时间将至之时中断。欧空局任务运行部门主管费     

“长征”五号运载火箭成功发射“天问”一号火星探测器

正2020年7月23日12时41分,"长征"五号运载火箭在中国文昌航天发射场点火起飞。中国迈出行星探测的第一步——奔向火星。这是"长征"五号运载火箭首次执行应用性发射,成功将"天问"一号火星探测器送入预定轨道。"天问"一号火星探测器由着陆巡视器和环绕器组成,着陆巡视器包括进入舱和火星车。在地火转移轨道飞行约7个月后,"天问"一号探测器将到达火星附近,通过"刹车"完成火星捕获,进入环火轨道,并择机开展着陆、巡视等任务,进行火星科学探测。     

美开始设计建造新火星漫游车

正NASA官员7月1 5日宣布,旨在搜寻火星生命的"火星"2020漫游车已通过称为"关键决策点"(KDP)C的全面评审,从而可转入最终设计与建造阶段。若一切顺利,这辆六轮机器人漫游车将在2020年8月发射,2021年2月在火星上着陆,然后将对火星表面进行至少两年的探测。具体着陆地点尚未确定。来自加州理工大学的"火星"2020项目科学家法利称,这项任务的主要科学目标是寻找生命迹象。现在的火星表面     

NASA为“火星”2020漫游车选定仪器

NASA定于2020年发射的下一辆火星漫游车“火星”2020将识别、采集并储存火星岩石样品,以备未来由机器人或宇航员取回地球,并将继续寻找火星以往曾存在生命的迹象.它还很可能将采用重新设计的车轮,以避免眼下正在困扰好奇号漫游车的车轮加速磨损问题.NASA官员7月31日宣布为这辆新漫游车选定了7台科学仪器.该漫游车将以2012年8月6日登陆火星表面的好奇号漫游车为基础,包括采用好奇号着陆时所用的进入、下降与着陆系统以及与好奇号相同的车辆底盘.但NASA官员称,工程技术人员将对漫游车设计进行某些调整,以解决部件过时问题,提高着陆精度,并很可能会改变车轮所用材料.     

Introduction to Japanese exploration study to the moon

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) views the lunar lander SELENE-2 as the successor to the SELENE mission. In this presentation, the mission objectives of SELENE-2 are shown together with the present design status of the spacecraft. JAXA launched the Kaguya (SELENE) lunar orbiter in September 2007, and the spacecraft observed the Moon and a couple of small satellites using 15 instruments. As the next step in lunar exploration, the lunar lander SELENE-2 is being considered. SELENE-2 will land on the lunar surface and perform in-situ scientific observations, environmental investigations, and research for future lunar utilization including human activity. At the same time, it will demonstrate key technologies for lunar and planetary exploration such as precise and safe landing, surface mobility, and overnight survival. The lander will carry laser altimeters, image sensors, and landing radars for precise and safe landing. Landing legs and a precisely controlled propulsion system will also be developed. A rover is being designed to be able to travel over a wide area and observe featured terrain using scientific instruments. Since some of the instruments require long-term observation on the lunar surface, technology for night survival over more than 2 weeks needs to be considered. The SELENE-2 technologies are expected to be one of the stepping stones towards future Japanese human activities on the moon and to expand the possibilities for deep space science.     

搭建地月鹊桥的嫦娥四号中继星（英文）

The far side of the moon is a unique place for some scientific investigations. Chang'e 4 is a Chinese lunar far side landing exploration mission. Relay communication satellite, named as Queqiao, is an important and innovative part of Chang'e 4 mission. It can provide relay communication to the lander and the rover operating on the lunar far side to maintain their contacts with Earth. It was launched by LM-4 C launch vehicle at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on May 21, 2018. After five precise orbit controls and a journey of more than 20 days, Queqiao inserted into final halo mission orbit around Earth-moon libration point 2, located about 65,000 km beyond the moon. It is the world's first communication satellite operating in that orbit. Up to now, Queqiao worked very well and provided reliable, continuous communication relay service for the lander and the rover to ensure the mission success of Chang'e 4 exploration mission. Via Queqiao, the lander and the rover were controlled to work by ground stations and obtained a great amount of scientific data. The mission overview, operation orbit selection, relay communication system design and flight profile were introduced in this article.     

“凤凰号”火星探测器着陆过程

文章主要介绍了＂凤凰号＂火星着陆器的着陆过程、着陆点选择方法原则、巡航阶段工作任务,对进入（Entry）、下降（Descent）和着陆（Landing）即EDL阶段的蒙特卡罗分析结果和飞行器重建数值结果进行了总结比较。并对＂凤凰号＂相关的经验和教训进行了比较总结,这对中国未来的火星探测以及其他深空探测具有一定的借鉴作用。     

Venus, Mars, and the ices on Mercury and the moon: astrobiological implications and proposed mission designs

Venus and Mars likely had liquid water bodies on their surface early in the Solar System history. The surfaces of Venus and Mars are presently not a suitable habitat for life, but reservoirs of liquid water remain in the atmosphere of Venus and the subsurface of Mars, and with it also the possibility of microbial life. Microbial organisms may have adapted to live in these ecological niches by the evolutionary force of directional selection. Missions to our neighboring planets should therefore be planned to explore these potentially life-containing refuges and return samples for analysis. Sample return missions should also include ice samples from Mercury and the Moon, which may contain information about the biogenic material that catalyzed the early evolution of life on Earth (or elsewhere). To obtain such information, science-driven exploration is necessary through varying degrees of mission operation autonomy. A hierarchical mission design is envisioned that includes spaceborne (orbital), atmosphere (airborne), surface (mobile such as rover and stationary such as lander or sensor), and subsurface (e.g., ground-penetrating radar, drilling, etc.) agents working in concert to allow for sufficient mission safety and redundancy, to perform extensive and challenging reconnaissance, and to lead to a thorough search for evidence of life and habitability.     

小天体柔性附着状态协同估计方法

针对小天体附着过程易发生倾覆、反弹导致任务失败问题,提出“柔性附着”概念,替代传统小天体探测的刚性附着模式,为提高小天体附着任务可靠性提供新的解决思路和技术途径。在此基础上,针对柔性着陆器的状态估计问题展开研究。首先建立了柔性着陆器近似模型,提出了柔性着陆器“等效面”概念及柔性着陆器姿态的近似表征方式,进而提出了柔性附着状态协同估计方法,并通过数值仿真检验了柔性着陆器状态协同估计的可行性。     

嫦娥一号卫星的初步科学成果与嫦娥二号卫星的使命

嫦娥一号卫星于2007年10月24日在西昌卫星发射中心成功发射,2009年3月1日受控落月,在轨运行495d,一共取得了1.37Tbyte的原始科学探测数据,在此基础上生产出4Tbyte科学应用数据产品。通过对这些科学探测数据的初步分析和应用研究,已经获得了包括＂我国首次月球探测工程全月球影像图＂等在内的一系列科学成果,圆满实现了预期的各项科学目标,为推动我国月球与行星科学的研究和后续月球探测工程的开展奠定了重要基础。嫦娥二号卫星在嫦娥一号卫星取得圆满成功之后,进行了一系列技术改进,作为探月二期工程的先导星,将于今年年底前发射升空。嫦娥二号卫星从发射到第一次近月制动所经历的时间由13d缩短为5d,环月轨道高度由200km降低为100km,CCD相机的像元分辨率由120m提高到10m,激光高度计测量月面高程由1次/s提高到5次/s。嫦娥二号卫星将重点开展对月面着陆区地形地貌的精细探测,试验验证相关关键技术,为探月二期月面软着陆奠定科学和技术基础。     

火星探测器着陆技术

火星着陆技术是火星探测的关键技术之一。由于火星环境与地球有很大不同,要实现火星探测的软着陆仍具有非常大的挑战性。介绍了各种火星着陆技术方案,对气动减速、控制和着陆缓冲等关键技术进行了分析。     

Some problems of selection and evaluation of the Martian suit enclosure concept

One of the most important tasks for preparation of a future manned mission to Mars is to create a space suit, which ensures efficient and safe operation of the man on the planet surface.

The concept of space suit (SS) utilisation on the Mars surface will be determined mainly by the Mars mission scenario. Currently the preference is given to utilisation of robotics with the crew driving a Mars rover vehicle, whereby the suit will be used solely as an additional safety means.

However, one cannot exclude the necessity of a durable self-contained stay of the man outside a pressurised compartment, to pick up, for instance, soil samples or do certain repair work in case of an emergency.

The requirements to the Mars suit and especially to the personal self-contained life support system (LSS) will depend in many respects on the Mars environmental conditions, the space vehicle system concept and performance characteristics, the airlock and its interface design, the availability of expendable elements for the LSS, etc.

The paper reviews principal problems, which have to be solved during development of the Martian suit. A special attention is paid to the issue of suited man mobility during traversing on the planet surface.

The paper also reviews the arguments for application of a suit semi-rigid design concept and evaluates potentialities of using certain elements of the existing “Orlan” type suit.

The paper presents results of a number of studies on selection of the planetary SS enclosure concept and on experimental evaluation of mobility of the lower torso and leg enclosures in conjunction with a specially designed prototype model (tentative model) of the SS enclosure.     

鹊桥中继通信卫星在轨运行一年（英文）

Queqiao relay communications satellite was developed to provide relay communications services for the lander and the rover on the far side of the moon. From entering into its halo mission orbit around the Earth-moon libration point 2 on June 14, 2018, it has operated on orbit more than fifteen months. It worked very well and provided reliable, continuous relay communications services for the lander and the rover to accomplish the goals of Chang'e 4 lunar far side soft landing and patrol exploration mission. The on-orbit operation status of Queqiao relay communications satellite is summarized in this paper.     

Vanguard--a European robotic astrobiology-focussed Mars sub-surface mission proposal

We present a new European Mars mission proposal to build on the UK-led Beagle2 Mars mission and continue its astrobiology-focussed investigation of Mars. The small surface element to be delivered to the Martian surface--Vanguard--is designed to be carried by a Mars Express-type spacecraft bus to Mars and adopts a similar entry, descent and landing system as Beagle2. The surface element comprises a triad of robotic devices--a lander, a micro-rover of the Sojourner class for surface mobility, and three ground-penetrating moles mounted onto the rover for sub-surface penetration to 5 m depth. The major onboard instruments on the rover include a Raman spectrometer/imager, a laser plasma spectrometer, an infrared spectrometer--these laser instruments provide the basis for in situ "remote" sensing of the sub-surface Martian environment within a powerful scientific package. The moles carry the instruments' sensor head array to the sub-surface. The moles are thus required to undergo a one-way trip down the boreholes without the need for recovery of moles or samples, eliminating much of the robotic complexity invoked by such operations.