US, Russian suits serve diverse EVA goals

U.S. astronauts and Russian cosmonauts both use space suits when performing extravehicular activity (EVA), but these have been developed independently due to the diverse goals of each country's space program. The current versions of the U.S. and Russian space suits were compared when the author tested both suits on the same day. The similarities and differences are noted, as well as the strengths and limitations of each. Determination of the compatibility of these suits is important as increased cooperation between the U.S. and Russia has occurred (for example, astronauts and cosmonauts are flying together on Shuttle/Mir missions) and as the international space station becomes reality.     

Risks of particle hits during space walks in low Earth orbit

The construction of the International Space Station (ISS) may involve several thousand hours of space walks or “extravehicular activities” (EVAs). Among the many risks involved in EVAs, we focus here on potential failures of the external maneuvering unit (EMU) caused by impacts of space particles (micro-meteoroids and orbital debris). We present a probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) model based on available data for the particle flux in low Earth orbit as well as test data obtained at Johnson Space Center about the capacity of the current EMU to absorb these loads. We computed the risk for a peak year of EVA activity, assumed by NASA to consist of 624 hours of EVA exposure. For that time period, we found that, the probability of a fatality is about 1.4*10^-3 without shielding and 1.1*10^-3 per 624 hours of EVA with shielding, This model can be used as support for a number of decisions regarding space suit design, astronaut shielding options, and overall number of EVA hours for space station construction and operation     

High-Definition Television System Onboard Lunar Explorer Kaguya (SELENE) and Imaging of the Moon and the Earth

The High-Definition television (HDTV) system onboard the Japanese lunar explorer Kaguya (SELENE) consists of a telephotographic camera and a wide-angle camera that each have 2.2 M-pixel IT-CCDs (interline transfer charge-coupled devices) and LSIs (large-scale integrated circuits) of the several-million-gates class. One minute-long motion pictures acquired by the HDTV system at 30 fps (frames per second) are recorded in a 1 GB semiconductor memory after compression, and then transmitted to a ground station. In the development of the space-going HDTV system, a commercial ground-model HDTV system was extensively modified and evaluated for its suitability to withstand the harsh environment of space through environmental tests. The HDTV acquired a total of 6.3 TB of movies and still images of the Earth and the Moon over the mission period that started on September 29, 2007, and ended on June 11, 2009. Footage of an “Earth-rise” and an “Earth-set” on the lunar horizon were captured for the first time by the HDTV system. During a lunar eclipse, images of the Earth’s “diamond ring” were acquired for the first time. The CCDs and the instruments used in the system remained in good working order throughout the mission period, despite the harsh space environment, which suggests a potential new approach to the development of instruments for use in space.     

Reaching for the red planet

The distant shores of Mars were reached by numerous U.S. and Russian spacecraft throughout the 1960s to mid 1970s. Nearly 20 years have passed since those successful missions which orbited and landed on the Martian surface. Two Soviet probes headed for the planet in July, 1988, but later failed. In August 1993, the U.S. Mars Observer suddenly went silent just three days before it was to enter orbit around the planet and was never heard from again. In late 1996, there will be renewed activity on the launch pads with three probes departing for the red planet: 1) The U.S. Mars Global Surveyor will be launched in November on a Delta II rocket and will orbit the planet for global mapping purposes; 2) Russia's Mars '96 mission, scheduled to fly in November on a Proton launcher, consists of an orbiter, two small stations which will land on the Martian surface, and two penetrators that will plow into the terrain; and finally, 3) a U.S. Discovery-class spacecraft, the Mars Pathfinder, has a December launch date atop a Delta II booster. The mission features a lander and a microrover that will travel short distances over Martian territory. These missions usher in a new phase of Mars exploration, setting the stage for an unprecedented volley of spacecraft that will orbit around, land on, drive across, and perhaps fly at low altitudes over the planet.     

面向突发任务的空间站任务重规划方法

针对空间站在轨运营出现突发任务的情况,提出一种基于启发式规则的任务重规划方法,满足了方案重规划的快速响应需求。根据任务执行的连续性特点和冲突状态,建立了空间站突发任务规划领域模型。考虑重规划过程中任务包含活动间复杂约束关系传播的影响,提出了时间回溯迭代冲突化解策略,同时依据任务执行时间间隔,提出针对间隔插空的时间冗余启发式规则。基于时间回溯迭代冲突化解策略和时间冗余启发式规则,对原任务执行计划进行实时重规划,实现了突发任务的快速响应。应用算例分析表明,提出的重规划方法可以成功地满足空间站突发任务规划需求,实现实时更新空间站在轨任务执行详单的目的。     

Near term approach to data relay for satellites under test

The increasing need for a continuous communications link with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) spacecraft during test missions in low Earth orbit (LEG) has resulted in greater interest in geosynchronous data relay services. This may be a more economical alternative to building additional remote tracking stations for the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN), and avoids tying up operational assets for a test mission. A low-cost near-term approach for such a space-based data relay system would utilize two existing Defense Satellite Communication System III spacecraft, two existing ground terminals, and a small, standardized terminal using autonomous antenna pointing for the space vehicle under test. Such a system design is presented     

基于HLA的航天飞行任务联合仿真系统设计

简要说明了HLA的基本特点,描述了一个已经实现的航天测控仿真系统,并将其结构思想与HLA进行了对照。在此基础上,提出了一个依据HLA标准,对航天员座舱仿真、火箭和飞船仿真、测控网仿真等进行集成的航天飞行任务联合仿真系统框架,分析了各个仿真联邦成员的功能需求和信息接口,并着重介绍了针对任务要求的时间管理、数据通信等关键RTI机制的设计和实现方法,以及参照FEDEP模型和借助商业成品软件工具的系统开发策略。     

大型低轨道载人航天器电位主动控制

采用高电压太阳电池阵供电系统的低轨道(LEO)大型航天器会收集周围空间环境电子电流,使其被充电到较高的负电位,从而对航天器交会对接和航天员出舱产生严重的危害,因此对这种航天器表面电位进行主动控制可有效降低航天器运行风险和保障航天员安全。采用地面模拟试验的方法,利用空心阴极等离子体接触器发射电子的手段,模拟太空环境下对带负电航天器表面电位进行有效控制。研究结果表明,最小工质流率大于4.0 sccm时空心阴极发射的电子电流可以抵消航天器吸收的电子电流,实现航天器电位的自适应控制,将航天器表面电位钳制在20 V之内;且随着氙气流率的增加,钳位电压会更小。这一方法将有效避免航天员出舱活动和航天器交会对接时的放电危险,对中国航天器带电效应防护具有很重要的意义。     

Conversations with Rep. Ken Calvert. Interview by Frank Sietzen Jr

Rep. Calvert, chair of the House aeronautics and space subcommittee of the Science Committee, answers questions related to priorities for space in the current congressional session: the Vision for Space Exploration, development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and other heavy-lift launch vehicles, entrepreneurial alliances in the space transportation industry, the U.S. aerospace industry, space tourism, entrepreneurs and NASA, U.S. aeronautics research, a service mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, and priority military space programs.     

Bumpy ride back to space

Plans for U.S. return to the International Space Station via STS-114 are described with emphasis on safety of flight hardware and safety of the space station and the space shuttle.     

航空与航天大气环境医学工程及其进展

[目的]阐明突破空间大气环境障碍的人机工程内容之一航空航天大气环境医学工程的作用,地位与相互关系及主要进展。 [方法]在运用苏俄和美国等有关资料以及我国预研资料的基础上,对航空航天大气环境医学工程进行较系统的阐述。 [内容]航空航天大气环境因素的危害、航空大气环境医学工程的作用、航天大气环境医学工程的作用、航空航天大气环境医学工程的相互关系。[结论]航空航天大气环境医学工程的基本作用是防护低压、缺氧、高低温和舱内污染等4大有害因素,它保证了飞行员和航天员的安全性并兼顾了航天员的适居性和工效学要求。航空航天大气环境医学工程的相互关系是 3个结合:航空医学与航天医学 (医医结合),航空工程与航天工程 (工工结合),航空航天医学与航空航天工程 (医工结合),而且尚待进一步加强。资料表明,航空航天大气环境医学工程展示了高新的发展前景。     

Near Optimal Ground Support in Multi-Spacecraft Missions: A GA Model and its Results

This study addresses the optimal allotment of ground station support time to low Earth orbit (LEO) spacecraft with clashing radio visibilities. LEOs now form a critical global infrastructure for natural resource management, rescue, crop yield estimation, flood control, communication, and space research and travel support. In the multi-spacecraft scenario, ground support becomes complex because of spacecraft-specific constraints, station configuration, spacecraft priorities and priorities of payload and special operations. A generalization of the classical product mix problem, spacecraft support is NP-complete and more complex than the former because of arbitrarily defined profitability profile. Genetic algorithms (GA) are used to near optimally resolve visibility clashes. It concludes with the illustration of real life spacecraft support optimization problems routinely faced by mission managers. A spin-off of this work is that it can enable the decision maker to also determine optimal ground station locations and support capability deployment in diverse planning scenarios.     

Mission Overview for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes Mission

Provided here is an overview of Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission design. The driving mission and science requirements are presented, and the unique engineering challenges of operating in Earth’s radiation belts are discussed in detail. The implementation of both the space and ground segments are presented, including a discussion of the challenges inherent with operating multiple observatories concurrently and working with a distributed network of science operation centers. An overview of the launch vehicle and the overall mission design will be presented, and the plan for space weather data broadcast will be introduced.     

我国空间站运行的测控通信工作模式初探

在分析我国载人空间站在轨运行的任务特点和对测控通信提出的新要求的基础上,对测控通信工作模式进行了探讨。针对任务中心,采用分布式模式进行任务的组织和实施,建立常态化工作体系;针对测控通信资源的使用,对资源进行简化、优化,发挥天、地基各自优势,并实现天地基资源统一调度;针对在轨故障诊断和应急处置,提出了“天地联合,以地为主”的载人航天故障诊断模式和实现途径;针对空间站遥操作需求,提出了一套工作模式和实施流程;针对测控通信长期执行任务的可靠性,提出了任务中心容灾备份工作模式和通信路由的备份模式。以期为后续任务工作模式设计提供参考。     

Astronaut-induced disturbances to the microgravity environment of the Mir Space Station

In preparation for the International Space Station, the Enhanced Dynamic Load Sensors Space Flight Experiment measured the forces and moments astronauts exerted on the Mir Space Station during their daily on-orbit activities to quantify the astronaut-induced disturbances to the microgravity environment during a long-duration space mission. An examination of video recordings of the astronauts moving in the modules and using the instrumented crew restraint and mobility load sensors led to the identification of several typical astronaut motions and the quantification of the associated forces and moments exerted on the spacecraft. For 2806 disturbances recorded by the foot restraints and hand-hold sensor, the highest force magnitude was 137 N. For about 96% of the time, the maximum force magnitude was below 60 N, and for about 99% of the time the maximum force magnitude was below 90 N. For 95% of the astronaut motions, the rms force level was below 9.0 N. It can be concluded that expected astronaut-induced loads from usual intravehicular activity are considerably less than previously thought and will not significantly disturb the microgravity environment.     

Logistics Transportation for Space Station Support

Logistics support of a long duration space station will dictate a high degree of space flight activity to rotate personnel and transport supplies and equipment. Systems characteristics and mission requirements for space station logistics have been analyzed within the context of a broad spectrum of space missions. Preliminary concepts for a space shuttle system (space transportation) have been developed. This system can support not only a space station program, but a wide variety of space missions for both NASA and the DOD.     

OSIRIS-REx Flight Dynamics and Navigation Design

OSIRIS-REx is the first NASA mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth. Navigation and flight dynamics for the mission to acquire and return a sample of asteroid 101955 Bennu establish many firsts for space exploration. These include relatively small orbital maneuvers that are precise to ～1 mm/s, close-up operations in a captured orbit about an asteroid that is small in size and mass, and planning and orbit phasing to revisit the same spot on Bennu in similar lighting conditions. After preliminary surveys and close approach flyovers of Bennu, the sample site will be scientifically characterized and selected. A robotic shock-absorbing arm with an attached sample collection head mounted on the main spacecraft bus acquires the sample, requiring navigation to Bennu’s surface. A touch-and-go sample acquisition maneuver will result in the retrieval of at least 60 grams of regolith, and up to several kilograms. The flight activity concludes with a return cruise to Earth and delivery of the sample return capsule (SRC) for landing and sample recovery at the Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR).     

The Global-Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) Mission

The Earth’s thermosphere and ionosphere constitute a dynamic system that varies daily in response to energy inputs from above and from below. This system can exhibit a significant response within an hour to changes in those inputs, as plasma and fluid processes compete to control its temperature, composition, and structure. Within this system, short wavelength solar radiation and charged particles from the magnetosphere deposit energy, and waves propagating from the lower atmosphere dissipate. Understanding the global-scale response of the thermosphere-ionosphere (T-I) system to these drivers is essential to advancing our physical understanding of coupling between the space environment and the Earth’s atmosphere. Previous missions have successfully determined how the “climate” of the T-I system responds. The Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission will determine how the “weather” of the T-I responds, taking the next step in understanding the coupling between the space environment and the Earth’s atmosphere. Operating in geostationary orbit, the GOLD imaging spectrograph will measure the Earth’s emissions from 132 to 162 nm. These measurements will be used image two critical variables—thermospheric temperature and composition, near 160 km—on the dayside disk at half-hour time scales. At night they will be used to image the evolution of the low latitude ionosphere in the same regions that were observed earlier during the day. Due to the geostationary orbit being used the mission observes the same hemisphere repeatedly, allowing the unambiguous separation of spatial and temporal variability over the Americas.     

Measuring the Earth’s Magnetic Field from Space: Concepts of Past, Present and Future Missions

Observations of the Earth’s magnetic field from low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites started very early on, more than 50 years ago. Continuous such observations, relying on more advanced technology and mission concepts, have however only been available since 1999. The unprecedented time-space coverage of this recent data set opened revolutionary new possibilities for monitoring, understanding and exploring the Earth’s magnetic field. In the near future, the three-satellite Swarm constellation concept to be launched by ESA, will not only ensure continuity of such measurements, but also provide enhanced possibilities to improve on our ability to characterize and understand the many sources that produce this field. In the present paper we review and discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the various LEO space magnetometry concepts that have been used so far, and report on the motivations that led to the latest Swarm constellation concept. We conclude with some considerations about future concepts that could possibly be implemented to ensure the much needed continuity of LEO space magnetometry, possibly with enhanced scientific return, by the time the Swarm mission ends.