Broad-search algorithms for the spacecraft trajectory design of Callisto–Ganymede–Io triple flyby sequences from 2024 to 2040, Part I: Heuristic pruning of the search space

Triple flybys of the Galilean moons of Jupiter can capture a spacecraft into orbit about Jupiter or quickly adjust the Jupiter-centered orbit of an already captured spacecraft. Because Callisto does not participate in the Laplace resonance among Ganymede, Europa, and Io, triple flyby sequences involving gravity-assists of Callisto, Ganymede, and Io occur only aperiodically for limited time windows. An exhaustive search of triple-flyby trajectories over a 16-year period from 2024 to 2040 using “blind” searching would require 8,415,358 Lambert function calls to find only 127,289 possible triple flyby trajectories. Because most of these Lambert function calls would not converge to feasible solutions, it is much more efficient to prune the solution space using a heuristic algorithm and then direct a much smaller number of Lambert function calls to find feasible triple flyby solutions. The novel “Phase Angle Pruning Heuristic” is derived and used to reduce the search space by 99%.     

盘–缝–带伞超声速充气过程仿真研究

随着火星探测着陆研究的发展,对其主要的减速方式——盘–缝–带伞应用的研究也日趋火热。而在火星探测中,对伞衣充气过程的分析又是最为复杂的难题之一。文章介绍了常用于降落伞流场求解的数值模拟方法,并对它们的利弊做了简要的描述。文章使用守恒元/解元方法对盘–缝–带伞在超声速条件下,从收束状态开始的充气过程进行了数值模拟。首先对前置体进行单独仿真,之后在不同的马赫数下通过对降落伞系统的整体仿真完成对降落伞开伞过程的模拟。仿真数据与实验数据进行对比,获得了较为一致的结果,验证了方法的可行性。另外,文章对两种工作状态下的充气过程进行了对比,分析了盘–缝–带伞在两者中充气过程的异同,以及前置体阻力贡献随着马赫数的变化。最后通过开伞云图对充气过程中的开伞失败现象进行了分析。研究结果可为火星探测提供参考。     

热–声–振耦合效应对薄壁叶片结构应变影响的试验研究

热–声–振耦合是影响叶片、太阳电池阵、天线、导弹等航空航天产品可靠性和耐久性的重要因素之一。文章设计了可模拟热–声–振耦合作用的试验装置,搭建热、声、振、应变测试系统,针对薄壁叶片结构进行热、声、振单独作用及耦合作用试验,基于应变数据定量分析热–声–振耦合效应及其特点,得出耦合效应对产品造成的影响远远大于单一因素作用的结果。研究结果还可为薄壁叶片结构航空航天产品多应力耦合效应分析提供参考。     

Microgravity gas–liquid flow through packed beds

Analysis of possible physical mechanism involved in the process of transition of bubble-to-pulse flow regime in cocurrent gas–liquid flow through a packed bed in microgravity demonstrates that the transition can be described by the key dimensionless group Suratman number and the ratio of gas to liquid Reynolds numbers. This result establishes a physical basis to the existing empirical transition equation which is also based on the same dimensionless groups. Furthermore, the concepts of driving-to-resistance force ratio and pore-level bubble flow mechanism have been utilized to explore the basis of the existing modified friction factor correlation for two-phase flow through a packed bed under microgravity.     

A Study of the Luminescence of the Lyman–Birge–Hopfield Bands in the Atmospheres of the Earth and Titan

Cosmic Research - Calculations were made of the volume and integral emission intensities of the Lyman–Birge–Hopfield (LBH) bands of molecular nitrogen at 146.4, 138.4, 135.4, and 132.5...     

The case for enhanced India–Canada space cooperation

Based on the premise that both India and Canada are spacefaring nations actively involved in the exploration and use of outer space towards scientific and commercial ends, this paper seeks to pave the way for each of the two countries to derive optimum scientific and economic benefits from their space activities through bilateral cooperation. Although each country's space programme has a different focus, the analysis in the paper demonstrates that they could be highly complementary of, and beneficial to, each other. Notwithstanding the presently conducive political environment for bilateral cooperation, as evidenced by the recent high-level political exchanges between the two countries, there are several regulatory and policy obstacles that will hinder any efforts towards bilateral space cooperation. The paper proffers some viable options for overcoming the challenges identified or envisaged.     

Dynamics of the 0.3–100 MeV Proton Energy Spectra in the Inner Heliosphere in Quiet Periods of 1974–1991

Variations of the proton spectra in the 0.3–100 MeV energy range based on the data of various instruments installed onboard the IMP-8 satellite are studied for very quiet, quiet, and quasi-stable solar activity periods during the years 1974–1991. As many as 118 spectra were approximated by two power laws: the left-hand and galactic branches of the spectrum were fitted by the AE ^– function and a dependence of the CE type, respectively, the sum J(E) = AE ^– + CE providing the total spectrum. It is shown that the spectra vary within a solar cycle with a shift of the minimum energy (E _min) to higher energies with increasing solar activity. It follows from the relations between the spectrum parameters thus obtained that, in particular periods of time, an increase (decrease) of the particle flux in the low-energy branch of the spectrum and an intensification (depression) of the GCR particle flux modulation take place simultaneously. This is manifested in a shift of the spectrum parallel to the energy axis. The study of the spectra in the most quiet time during three successive solar minima have shown that low-energy (0.3–10 MeV) protons, as well as GCR, are subject to the 22-year variation in the solar magnetic cycle.     

Catalog of large-scale solar wind phenomena during 1976–2000

The main goal of this paper is to compile a catalog of large-scale phenomena in the solar wind over the observation period of 1976–2000 using the measurement data presented in the OMNI database. This work included several stages. At first the original OMNI database was supplemented by certain key parameters of the solar wind that determine the type of the solar wind stream. The following parameters belong to this group: the plasma ratio β, thermal (NkT) and kinetic (mNV ²) pressures of the solar wind, the ratio T/T _exp of measured and expected temperatures, gradients of the plasma velocity and density, and the magnetic field gradient. The results of visualization of basic plasma parameters that determine the character of the solar wind stream are presented on the website of the Space Research Institute, Moscow. Preliminary identification of basic types of the solar wind stream (FAST and SLOW streams, Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS), Corotating Interaction Region (CIR), EJECTA (or Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections), Magnetic Cloud (MC), SHEATH (compression region before EJECTA/MC), rarified region RARE, and interplanetary shock wave IS) had been made with the help of a preliminary identification program using the preset threshold criteria for plasma and interplanetary magnetic field parameters. Final identification was done by comparison with the results of visual analysis of the solar wind data. In conclusion, histograms of distributions and statistical characteristics are presented for some parameters of various large-scale types of the solar wind.     

Geosynchronous magnetopause crossings on October 29–31, 2003

During the period October 29–31, 2003, geosynchronous magnetopause crossings (GMC) have been identified based on the magnetic data of the GOES series spacecraft and plasma data of the LANL series spacecraft. It is shown that most of the time the size of the dayside magnetosphere was highly decreased under the effect of very high pressure associated with high velocities and densities of the solar wind plasma, as well as high negative values of the B_z component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). For tens of hours the subsolar magnetopause was deep inside the geosynchronous orbit. During the main phase and at the maximum of the strong geomagnetic storms that occurred in the period under consideration, the dayside magnetosphere was characterized by a strong dawn-dusk asymmetry, so that its size in the postnoon sector considerably exceeded the size in the pre-noon sector. The geomagnetic disturbances in the morning on October 30 and 31, 2003 were accompanied by global magnetospheric pulsations with periods of 5–10 min and high amplitude (up to 0.8 R_E).Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 42, No. 6, 2004, pp. 574–584.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Dmitriev, Suvorova.     

Space and maritime security–strategies for countering the pirates

Following previous work on space and internal security as part of the European Space Policy Institute's (ESPI) Space and Security programme, ESPI initiated a workshop dealing with an issue of high political as well as public concern – using space as an instrument in the broader strategic context of maritime security – together with the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), which has special expertise in security matters related to Europe. Over 50 high-ranking professionals took part in the 30 November 2009 event, “Space and Maritime Security - Strategies and Capabilities to Counter Piracy”, held at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) in Vienna. The use of space assets for maritime security has moved up the political agenda as a result of the reliance of the EU ATALANTA NAVFOR mission on services and data provided by the European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC). The workshop therefore addressed technological capabilities as well as industrial approaches in the context of the political framework conditions. It provided a dialogue between space and non-space security communities.     

Space law and policy 2010: The IISL–IAA symposium

The first of a new series of annual symposia organized by the IISL and the IAA, in partnership with others, was held in Washington, DC in May 2010. It examined the effect of space law on international civil, commercial and governmental space activities, with the emphasis on US activities in particular. The importance of developing appropriate legal mechanisms to assure the sustainability of space was highlighted, as was the need for the legal profession to explain the differences between various legal tools for space governance. With the growing involvement of new states in space, the current legal regime may need to be amended.     

一种硬件友好型自适应K–均值学习算法

文章提出了一种适合于嵌入式平台实现的自适应K–均值学习算法,用于解决标准K–均值算法中存在的无法自主确定类属数量、难以确定合理的初始化种子集和运算时间过长的问题。算法通过引入变异比准则(VRC)对聚类结果进行定量评估,并通过迭代运算寻找VRC最大值的方法有效解决了类属数量的自主确定问题;提出了一种分布式最大–最小初始化种子选择方法,利用渐进寻找类内距离最大样本的方法解决了K值递增时初始化种子集的确定问题;并给出了利用FPGA实现该算法的有效途径。仿真实验结果表明,该算法针对各种类型的样本向量均能够准确高效的完成聚类处理任务,VRC评估结果与理论预期一致,初始化种子集选择正确。为进一步实现目标分类、图像分割等智能图像处理任务奠定了基础。     

降落伞强度空投试验模型的气动–动力学特性仿真

降落伞强度空投试验模型的气动-动力学特性仿真研究对空投试验方案设计和降落伞减速系统性能的考核至关重要。文章运用数值模拟手段分析了空投试验模型的气动特性和气动稳定性,探讨了降落伞开伞前空投试验模型的弹道轨迹和运动姿态的变化,并针对不同飞行攻角下空速管动压测试值与实际开伞动压存在相对偏差所造成的影响进行了分析。结果表明:空投试验模型的轴向力系数在攻角大于4°时有所下降。法向力系数和俯仰力矩系数随着飞行攻角增加以近似线性的方式增大,压心位置后移,气动稳定性良好。在模型投放后至降落伞开伞前的过程中,随着高度下降空投试验模型的速度以近似线性的形式增大,且俯仰角和攻角均存在周期摆动现象。由于飞行攻角的影响,空速管测得的动压值与开伞实际动压存在相对偏差,但相对偏差范围不会超过14%。研究结果可以为降落伞强度空投试验的方案设计提供参考。     

ISU GOES ONLINE THIS SUMMER WITH THE INTERACTIVE SPACE PROGRAM–ISP

正The ISU Interactive Space Program(ISP) is an online professional development experience that will prepare you for the challenges of working as international, intercultural and interdisciplinary teams across the distributed domains of Earth, orbit, Moon, Mars and interplanetary space.     

Forging a closer Europe–Japan strategic partnership: The space dimension

This viewpoint explores how a strengthening of Europe–Japan cooperation in four categories of space-related activities (exploration and access to space; Earth observation and related applications; industry-to-industry cooperation; and space security) can contribute to the EU–Japan strategic partnership more broadly. It is argued that integrating key space portfolios into existing venues and agendas for bilateral consultations and decision-making has the potential to bolster the overarching objective of deepening further political, economic, commercial, societal and cultural relations.     

Radial gradient of low-energy (∼0.5–2 MeV) protons at 20–80 AU in the solar activity minima of the 22nd and 23rd cycles

The value of the radial gradient of low-energy (0.5–2 MeV) protons in the heliosphere at distances of 20–80 AU in the periods of solar activity minima in 1985–1987 and 1994–1997 was estimated using the data of the Voyager-1 and Voyager-2 spacecraft (s/c). Preliminary results on the dependence of the radial gradient on the distance were obtained for protons of these energies. The value of the radial gradient varies from –3% (AU)^–1 to –1% (AU)^–1 at distances from the Sun of 20–60 AU, reaching +0.7% (AU)^–1 at maximum considered distances (80 AU). The sign reversal of the proton radial gradient at a distance of 60–70 AU is interpreted as the appearance of a new component: up to the point of inversion there are mainly particles of the solar origin and/or accelerated in the inner heliosphere, while after the reversal of the gradients sign the fluxes of particles prevail whose source is located far from the Sun (maybe in the vicinity of the heliosphere boundary in the region of existence of the termination shock).Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2005, pp. 3–8.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Logachev, Zeldovich, Surova.     

Influence of simulated high-G on the weld size of aL–lI alloy

Whether welding processes are used on earth or in space, they have the same objective: to obtain defect-free welds. To fully understand the effect of gravity on the weld pool geometry and solidification one should perform experiments within a broad range of gravitational acceleration. High-gravity arc welding experiments were done on Al–Li alloy using the centrifuge called Multi-Gravity Research Welding System (MGRWS). At a high “g” level, buoyancy-driven flow is the dominant force in the weld pool over the Marangoni and the electromagnetic forces. Preliminary results show that the average grain size in the fusion zone at 1g is smaller that at 5g.