航天员微重力作业训练系统重力补偿控制策略

针对航天员微重力作业训练系统的重力场补偿控制这一关键技术,进行了理论和实验研究。分析了模拟微重力环境的机理,确定了微重力作业训练系统的总体结构方案,提出了一种基于电流反馈的重力补偿控制及多干扰力补偿控制策略。通过虚拟重力补偿控制实验,验证了在地面环境、动态作业过程中,模拟物体在不同空间重力加速度环境下的运动规律,实现了在重力方向模拟空间环境下物体移动的作业训练效果。研究成果为在地面实现三维作业训练系统的控制奠定了基础。     

Establishing and Evaluation of the Microgravity Level in the SJ-10 Recoverable Satellite

In order to fulfil the microgravity requirements for space experiments,improved technology for the microgravity environment is proposed,including that for raising the orbital altitude,optimizing the layout of the disturbance source,using 1 N-thrusters instead of 5 N-thrusters,etc.In addition,evaluation of the microgravity environment of the recoverable satellite was also conducted using on-orbit micro-vibration measurement,on-orbit experiment and data analysis technologies.The microgravity level of the SJ-10 recoverable satellite in China is compared with the spacecraft used for carrying out space science experiments internationally.This paper describes the microgravity environment of the SJ-10 recoverable satellite,and its importance for analysing space experimental results.     

载人航天器密封舱微生物防控技术体系框架研究概述

载人航天器密封舱内环境适宜航天员工作和生活,同时也给空间微生物提供了生长繁殖的有利条件。而空间微重力和电磁辐射等环境会加大空间微生物对材料的腐蚀能力。因此,必须对空间微生物防控技术进行体系化研究。文章从空间微生物菌种的采集和鉴定、空间环境下微生物对航天材料的腐蚀机理、载人航天材料抗菌涂层选择以及微生物控制技术等方面对微生物防控体系进行阐述,可以作为开展载人航天器空间微生物防控技术研究的参考。     

An endogenous growth pattern of roots is revealed in seedlings grown in microgravity

In plants, sensitive and selective mechanisms have evolved to perceive and respond to light and gravity. We investigated the effects of microgravity on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Landsberg) in a spaceflight experiment. These studies were performed with the Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) hardware system in the middeck region of the space shuttle during mission STS-131 in April 2010. Seedlings were grown on nutrient agar in Petri dishes in BRIC hardware under dark conditions and then fixed in flight with paraformaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, or RNAlater. Although the long-term objective was to study the role of the actin cytoskeleton in gravity perception, in this article we focus on the analysis of morphology of seedlings that developed in microgravity. While previous spaceflight studies noted deleterious morphological effects due to the accumulation of ethylene gas, no such effects were observed in seedlings grown with the BRIC system. Seed germination was 89% in the spaceflight experiment and 91% in the ground control, and seedlings grew equally well in both conditions. However, roots of space-grown seedlings exhibited a significant difference (compared to the ground controls) in overall growth patterns in that they skewed to one direction. In addition, a greater number of adventitious roots formed from the axis of the hypocotyls in the flight-grown plants. Our hypothesis is that an endogenous response in plants causes the roots to skew and that this default growth response is largely masked by the normal 1?g conditions on Earth.     

The O/OREOS mission: first science data from the Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) payload

We report the first telemetered spaceflight science results from the orbiting Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) experiment, executed by one of the two 10?cm cube-format payloads aboard the 5.5?kg Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) free-flying nanosatellite. The O/OREOS spacecraft was launched successfully to a 72° inclination, 650?km Earth orbit on 19 November 2010. This satellite provides access to the radiation environment of space in relatively weak regions of Earth's protective magnetosphere as it passes close to the north and south magnetic poles; the total dose rate is about 15 times that in the orbit of the International Space Station. The SESLO experiment measures the long-term survival, germination, and growth responses, including metabolic activity, of Bacillus subtilis spores exposed to the microgravity, ionizing radiation, and heavy-ion bombardment of its high-inclination orbit. Six microwells containing wild-type (168) and six more containing radiation-sensitive mutant (WN1087) strains of dried B. subtilis spores were rehydrated with nutrient medium after 14 days in space to allow the spores to germinate and grow. Similarly, the same distribution of organisms in a different set of microwells was rehydrated with nutrient medium after 97 days in space. The nutrient medium included the redox dye Alamar blue, which changes color in response to cellular metabolic activity. Three-color transmitted intensity measurements of all microwells were telemetered to Earth within days of each of the 48?h growth experiments. We report here on the evaluation and interpretation of these spaceflight data in comparison to delayed-synchronous laboratory ground control experiments.     

不同重力环境下空间机构电机驱动力差异

为了分析空间机构在不同重力环境中的驱动力差异，以单关节机械臂为研究对象，进行不同重力环境下直流电机驱动力差异分析。首先基于拉格朗日方程推导出单关节机械臂的动力学模型，为分析不同重力环境下，负载、摩擦和转速的变化对电机驱动力的影响，通过设计一套基于单关节驱动的机械臂试验装置，进行地面重力环境、地面模拟微重力环境和落塔微重力环境试验。然后基于试验数据详细分析了不同重力环境下空间机构电机驱动电流的差异，并基于试验数据对电机动力学方程中的摩擦参数进行辨识，从而获得基于试验数据修正的机械臂动力学仿真模型，为空间机构动力学设计与应用提供理论与试验依据。     

不同重力环境下空间机械臂神经自适应鲁棒控制

针对空间机械臂从地面装调到空间应用过程中重力项的变化问题,提出了一种神经网络自适应鲁棒补偿控制策略用于空间机械臂的末端控制,从而实现在地面重力环境下装调好的空间机械臂在空间微重力环境下实现在轨操控任务。通过神经网络在线建模来逼近系统模型中变化的重力项,逼近误差及系统的不确定性通过自适应鲁棒控制器来补偿。该控制策略不依赖于系统的模型,避免了回归矩阵的复杂计算及未知参数的估计,降低了计算量。基于李亚普诺夫理论证明了闭环系统的渐近稳定性。仿真结果表明该控制器对不同重力环境下空间机械臂的末端控制均能达到较高的控制精度,具有重要的理论研究和工程应用价值。     

The properties of alamethicin incorporated into planar lipid bilayers under the influence of microgravity.

During evolution, life on earth had adapted to the gravity of 1g. Due to space flight, in the last decades the question arose what happens to the brain under microgravity on the molecular level. Ion channels among others are the molecular basis of brain function. Therefore, the investigation of ion channel function under microgravity seems to be a promising approach to gather knowledge on brain function during space flight. In a first step, the ion channel forming peptide Alamethicin was used as a model channel in an artificial membrane. It is well suitable for this kind of investigation, since its properties are well described under standard gravity. For that reason, changes due to microgravity can be detected easily. All experiments were performed in the German drop tower at ZARM-FAB, Bremen. A special set-up was constructed based on the bilayer technique introduced by Mueller and Rudin. All functions of this set-up can be observed and controlled remotely. In the first set of experiments, a dramatic change of electrical properties of Alamethicin under microgravity could be observed. Mainly, the pore frequency is significantly reduced.     

深空探测重力模拟飞行器方案设想

为解决失重环境对航天员生理健康的影响,在调研国内外重力飞行器研究现状的基础上,结合重力模拟飞行器的原理及人造重力舒适度影响因素,提出了一种通过自旋产生人造重力的深空探测飞行器方案设想。最后给出了重力模拟飞行器建设的实施规划、总体方案、在轨组装流程及技术难点。深空探测重力模拟飞行器稳定运转可为空间工作生活的航天员提供与地面无异的重力环境,将为执行深空探测任务提供必要的环境保障。     

重力条件对喷雾冷却换热特性影响的研究

喷雾冷却是一种高效的高热流密度散热方式,在空间热控领域具有重要的应用前景。本文基于液膜动力学、气泡动力学和传热学的基本原理,建立了描述微重力条件下喷雾冷却传热特性的理论模型。利用模型模拟的方法,对以水作为工质的微重力条件下喷雾冷却系统的被冷却表面温度分布、冷却曲线等因素进行了分析,分析结果显示:在单相区,重力条件对喷雾冷却的换热特性和表面温度分布不均匀性的影响较小;在两相区,由于微重力条件下气泡难以脱离等因素的影响,使得喷雾冷却的换热能力明显弱于常重力条件下的换热能力,并且被冷却表面的温度不均匀性增大。     

Species and temperature exchange in the atmosphere of “BION-M” spacecraft

On going flights of Foton satellites allow to carry out research in the following domains: effect of space flight and outer space factors such as microgravity, artificial gravity and space radiation on physical processes and biological organisms. Experts from many Russian and foreign scientific institutions participated in the research. Over a period of time from 1973 to 1997 there were launched 11 BION satellites designed by the Central Specialized Design Bureau for carrying out fundamental and applied research in the field of space biology, medicine, radio physics and radiobiology with participation of specialists from the foreign countries.The goal of the present investigation was in developing a numerical simulator aimed at determining gas concentration and temperature fields established inside the scientific module of the spacecraft “Bion-M” and to perform optimization studies, which could meet strong requirements for air quality and temperature range allowable for operation of different biological experiments.     

Effect of liquid bridge form on oscillatory thermocapillary convection under 1 g and μg conditions

This study analyses the effect of temperature difference between hot and cool disk (ΔT), and non-dimensional liquid bridge volume (V/V_o) on the transition process from steady thermocapillary convection to periodic or chaotic thermocapillary convection in a liquid bridge modeled after the floating zone method under normal gravity and microgravity conditions. From normal gravity and drop shaft experiments, the difference of the regime of the steady state and the oscillatory state was clarified on the ΔT−V/V_o plane under 1 g and μg conditions. A gap or stability region was observed in the specific V/V_o range under 1 g conditions. In the gap or stable region, after the gravity changed from 1 g to μg conditions, the temperature signals showed oscillation. From these results, the critical temperature difference under the μg conditions appeared to be smaller than that under the 1 g conditions. Temperature signals were defined as 6 different types of states. The various temperature oscillatory state regimes were obtained on a ΔT−V/V_o plane under 1 g and μg conditions. Under μg conditions, in these experimental conditions, all temperature oscillatory states exhibited only the Periodic state.     

基于CAN总线的有效载荷温度测控系统

温度是有效载荷系统设计中的一个重要参数,针对空间粒子探测器阿尔法磁谱仪(AMS),介绍一种基于CAN总线的分布式有效载荷温度测控系统。系统采用数字式温度传感器DS18S20作为温度检测元件,以单总线实现远程数据采集模块的多点温度检测。基于探测器的地面测试系统,实验分析了数字式温度传感器空间应用的可靠性,并从软硬件角度提出了改善系统可靠性和测量精度的方法。     

航天器微低重力模拟及试验技术

针对国内外不同类型的微低重力模拟机理、应用方法及特点进行了介绍。综述了基于气悬浮技术的多自由度模拟器的关键技术以及组合应用方法；对各种复杂航天器(包括大型空间机械臂)在微低重力模拟环境下进行的展开、编队、抓捕对接、分离以及在轨服务等典型试验应用进行了系统介绍，同时总结了针对宇航员模拟训练的微低重力环境的实现手段及其特点。最后，展望了微低重力模拟及试验技术的发展前景，并提出了多项亟待突破的关键技术。     

航天器公用空间搭载试验平台设计

我国航天器搭载试验包括空间材料实验、航天医学实验和航天新技术验证试验,具有数据量大、需要实时传输、工作模式多样等特点。文章根据试验项目的需求,设计了应用于低轨道航天器的支持各类空间搭载试验项目的公用试验平台。地面测试验证和在轨运行情况表明,该平台在不影响飞行器平台安全的同时,满足了对试验项目的工作控制、遥测监视及试验数据传输管理的任务要求。     

A status report on the characterization of the microgravity environment of the International Space Station

A primary objective of the International Space Station is to provide a long-term quiescent environment for the conduct of scientific research for a variety of microgravity science disciplines. Since continuous human presence on the space station began in November 2000 through the end of Increment-6, over 1260 hours of crew time have been allocated to research. However, far more research time has been accumulated by experiments controlled on the ground. By the end of the time period covered by this paper (end of Increment-6), the total experiment hours performed on the station are well over 100,000 hours (Expedition 6 Press Kit: Station Begins Third Year of Human Occupation, Boeing/USA/NASA, October 25, 2002). This paper presents the results of the on-going effort by the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services project, at NASA Glenn Research Center, in Cleveland, Ohio, to characterize the microgravity environment of the International Space Station in order to keep the microgravity scientific community apprised of the reduced gravity environment provided by the station for the performance of space experiments. This paper focuses on the station microgravity environment for Increments 5 and 6. During that period over 580 Gbytes of acceleration data were collected, out of which over 34,790 hours were analyzed. The results presented in this paper are divided into two sections: quasi-steady and vibratory. For the quasi-steady analysis, over 7794 hours of acceleration data were analyzed, while over 27,000 hours were analyzed for the vibratory analysis. The results of the data analysis are presented in this paper in the form of a grand summary for the period under consideration. For the quasi-steady acceleration response, results are presented in the form of a 95% confidence interval for the station during "normal microgravity mode operations" for the following three attitudes: local vertical local horizontal, X-axis perpendicular to the orbit plane and the Russian torque equilibrium attitude. The same analysis was performed for the station during "non-microgravity mode operations" to assess the station quasi-steady acceleration environment over a long period of time. The same type of analysis was performed for the vibratory, but a 95th percentile benchmark was used, which shows the overall acceleration magnitude during Increments 5 and 6. The results, for both quasi-steady and vibratory acceleration response, show that the station is not yet meeting the microgravity requirements during the microgravity mode operations. However, it should be stressed that the requirements apply only at assembly complete, whereas the results presented below apply up to the station's configuration at the end of Increment-6.     

Thyrotropin receptor and membrane interactions in FRTL-5 thyroid cell strain in microgravity

The aim of this work was to analyze the possible alteration of thyrotropin (TSH) receptors in microgravity, which could explain the absence of thyroid cell proliferation in the space environment. Several forms of the TSH receptor are localized on the plasma membrane associated with caveolae and lipid rafts. The TSH regulates the fluidity of the cell membrane and the presence of its receptors in microdomains that are rich in sphingomyelin and cholesterol. TSH also stimulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation and cell proliferation. Reported here are the results of an experiment in which the FRTL-5 thyroid cell line was exposed to microgravity during the Texus-44 mission (launched February 7, 2008, from Kiruna, Sweden). When the parabolic flight brought the sounding rocket to an altitude of 264?km, the culture media were injected with or without TSH in the different samples, and weightlessness prevailed on board for 6 minutes and 19 seconds. Control experiments were performed, in parallel, in an onboard 1g centrifuge and on the ground in Kiruna laboratory. Cell morphology and function were analyzed. Results show that in microgravity conditions the cells do not respond to TSH treatment and present an irregular shape with condensed chromatin, a modification of the cell membrane with shedding of the TSH receptor in the culture medium, and an increase of sphingomyelin-synthase and Bax proteins. It is possible that real microgravity induces a rearrangement of specific sections of the cell membrane, which act as platforms for molecular receptors, thus influencing thyroid cell function in astronauts during space missions.     

On the influence of altered gravity on the growth of fish inner ear otoliths

Inner ear stones (otoliths) of developing cichlid fish (Oreochromis mossambicus) were marked with the calcium tracer alizarin-complexone (AC) at 1g-earth gravity before and after a long-term (20 days) stay of the animals at moderate hypergravity conditions (3g; centrifuge). AC deposition at the otoliths resulted in two fluorescence bands, which enclosed the area grown during exposure to altered gravity. This area was measured with regard to size and asymmetry (size difference between the left and the right stones).

Both utricular and saccular otoliths (lapilli and sagittae, respectively) were significantly smaller after hyper-g exposure as compared to parallely raised 1g-control specimens. The asymmetry concerning the lapilli was pronouncedly decreased in comparison to the 1g-controls. These findings suggest, that the growth and the development of bilateral asymmetry of otoliths is guided by the environmental gravity vector.

Some of the hyper-g animals revealed a kinetotic behaviour at the transfer from hyper-g to normal 1g-earth gravity conditions, which was qualitatively similar to the behaviour observed in previous experiments at the transfer from 1g to microgravity in the course of parabolic aircraft flights. The lapillar asymmetry of kinetotic samples was found to be significantly higher than that of normally behaving experimental specimens. This result supports an earlier theoretical concept, according to which human static space sickness might be based on asymmetric utricular otoliths.     

ELITE-S2: the multifactorial movement analysis facility for the International Space Station

Experimental observations of adaptation processes of the motor control system to altered gravity conditions can provide useful elements to the investigations on the mechanisms underlying motor control of human subject. The microgravity environment obtained on orbital flights represents a unique experimental condition for the monitoring of motor adaptation. The research in motor control exploits the changes caused by microgravity on the overall sensorimotor process, due to the impairment of the sensory systems whose function depends upon the presence of the gravity vector. Motor control in microgravity has been investigated during parabolic flights and short-term space missions, in particular for analysis of movement-posture co-ordination when equilibrium is no longer a constraint. Analysis of long-term adaptation would also be very interesting, calling for long-term body motion observations during the process of complete motor adaptation to the weightlessness environment. ELITE-S2 is an innovative facility for quantitative human movement analysis in weightless conditions onboard the International Space Station (ISS). ELITE-S2 is being developed by the Italian Space Agency, ASI is to be delivering the flight models to NASA to be included in an expressed rack in US Lab Module in February 2004. First mission is currently planned for summer 2004 (increment 10 ULF 2 ISS).