欧空局明确重启2016火星任务

欧空局（ESA）5月26日给予了与NASA合作重新计划的火星探测项目强力支持,该项目将于2011年7月重启。新的日程安排为项目的发射日期留出了充足时间。ESA同意包括2016和2018年的发射任务在内的ESA—NASA共同研究计划概要。今年3月NASA曾表示可能不再为2018年任务出资建造与欧洲火星车一起发射的火星车时,     

载人月球探测深空站布局体系

针对载人月球探测,在我国现有深空测控资源的基础上,结合其他航天组织,如NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration,美国国家航空航天局)、ESA(European Space Agency,欧空局)等分布在全球的深空测控资源,提出了全球深空站布局体系.该体系包括我国深空站在内的8个地面站,大体形成“南四北四,均匀分布”的格局.并以美国“重返月球”计划深空站布局为参照,对比分析了布局体系的测控覆盖、三向测量和干涉测量共视弧段,讨论了布局干涉测量不同观测站三角的测角精度,可以为后续载人月球探测任务提供支持和参考.     

MSL测控特点以及自主火星探测测控关键技术

火星科学实验室任务测控通信与导航技术代表了目前该领域的最新方向。在结合火星科学实验室任务特点并对其对测控通信系统设计性能、导航性能进行分析的基础上,以未来的自主火星探测以及火星采样返回任务为潜在工程应用目标,结合我国月球和深空探测测控系统的现状,梳理了我国未来自主火星探测中火星中继网络、火星探测器精密定轨,以及火星大气进入、下降和着陆过程中的信号检测与估计等关键技术。该研究对后续的自主火星探测测控通信系统的设计具有一定的参考价值,对推进我国深空探测测控系统的发展具有重要意义。     

天基网互操作的研究

天基网工操作专家组(SNIP)的研究工作是三方联合研究项目,由美国NASA局联空间局(ESA)和日本宇宙事业开发团(NASDA)联合参与。SNIP正在研究三个空间局中继卫星系统的互操作问题。 该项研究可分成两个阶段:第一阶段研究S波段(2GHz)互操作,第二阶段研究Ka波段(20/30GHz)的互操作(除了S波段外)。 从1985年开始,SNIP在NASA、ESA和NASDA进行了一系列双边磋商。1987年,SNIP组建了一个工作组,规定和研究用于确保数据中继系统国际兼容性的操作方案和一系列技术问题。此后,举行了一系列专家组和工作组会议,继续进行研究。 由于互操作会带来一系列操作运行和经济上的好处,所以三个空间局都很感兴趣。最近取得的大进展使互操作越发接近现实。本文将介绍SNIP研究工作的历史和现状。     

火星探测的新起点——“奥德塞”成功进入火星轨道

美国NASA于去年成功发射了“奥德塞”火星探测器。该探测器此行的目的是探测火星表层上水的现状和其深度、火星表面地质构造等,以便帮助科学家们分析火星上是否有生命存在     

2012年度国外航空航天十大新闻

1"好奇号"成功登陆火星美国东部时间2012年8月6日1时30分,"好奇号"(Curiosity)探测器成功在火星着陆。这个美国国家航空航天局(NASA)耗资25亿美元的旗舰探测器,将在火星开始长达2年的探测任务。而此前,探测器火星表面着陆成功率仅为30%,多数火星探测器难逃坠毁、灼伤、失踪的命运。     

一种跨声速轴流压气机性能预测的数值方法

采用二维流线曲率法数学方法,考虑到不同因素对落后角和损失的影响,发展了一种适应于跨声速轴流压气机的落后角和损失模型.对轴流跨声速压气机NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration)Stage 37进行了数值计算,得到了设计点与非设计点的特性曲线,并与试验数据进行了...     

跟踪和数据中继卫星系统在欧洲的应用可能性

美国航空航天局(NASA)打算在1981年左右用两颗中继卫星组成的跟踪和数据中继卫星系统(TDRSS),取代美国用于跟踪低轨卫星并进行数据和指令传输的现有地面站网。除本国用户使用外,NASA还可将该系统提供给其它国家的用户使用。本文就美国采取了该措施后对欧洲产生何种影响进行了分析。根据欧洲在八十年代到九十年代间需要执行的任务,这里提出了两种可供选择的方案。在相同工作能力下,从费用以及其它方面,将欧洲中继卫星的两种方案与租用TDRS系统进行了比较。通过比较可看出,采用本文提出的欧洲中继卫星系统方案更有利一些。     

Space Debris Reentry Analysis Methods and Tools

The reentry of uncontrolled spacecraft may be broken into many pieces of debris at an altitude in the range of 75-85 km. The surviving fragments could pose great hazard and risk to ground and people. In recent years, methods and tools for predicting and analyzing debris reentry and ground risk assessment have been studied and developed in National Aeronautics and Space Ad-ministration (NASA), European Space Agency (ESA) and other organizations, including the group of the present authors. This paper reviews the current progress on this topic of debris reentry briefly. We outline the Monte Carlo method for uncertainty analysis, breakup prediction, and parameters affecting survivability of debris. The existing analysis tools can be classified into two categories, i.e. the object-oriented and the spacecraft-oriented methods, the latter being more accurate than the first one. The past object-oriented tools include objects of only simple shapes. For more realistic simulation, here we present an object-oriented tool debris reentry and ablation prediction system (DRAPS) developed by the present authors, which introduces new object shapes to 15 types, as well as 51 predefined motions and relevant aerodynamic and aerothermal models. The aerodynamic and aerothermal models in DRAPS are validated using direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method.     

NASA月球激光通信演示验证试验

为满足日益增长的大数据量、高数据速率传输要求,NASA(National Aeronautics and Space Administration,美国国家航空航天局)正开启采用激光技术进行空间通信的新时代,并于近年相继开展了多项自由空间激光通信技术研究项目。针对该情况,重点介绍LLCD(Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration,月球激光通信演示验证)项目的系统组成和工作状况:该项目由NASA实施,首次采用激光作为载波在绕月飞行器和地面接收机之间进行双向激光通信,通过飞行演示验证了下行速率为622 Mbit/s和上行速率为20 Mbit/s的月地双向空间激光通信,以及端到端DTN(Delay Tolerant Networking,容延迟网络)数据传输,并验证了作为激光通信链路副产品的高精度测距技术,试验成果超出预期。最后展望LLCD后续发展,供我国相关研究工作参考借鉴。     

太空环境下电子束原位制造技术

美国国家航空航天局（NASA）载人探索计划的提出给载人登月和载人火星等带来了机会和风险,NASA的工程师和科学家正在开展在月球或火星表面利用当地提炼的材料进行原位制造工艺技术的研究。首先,介绍了太空原位制造和修复（ISFR）技术的概念和特点,结合该技术的发展背景,介绍了电子束原位制造技术的概念、特点以及在太空环境下应用的优势和潜力。然后,根据所用原材料和成形工艺原理的不同,电子束原位制造技术又分为电子束熔融（EBM）和电子束自由成形制造（EBF³）技术两个分支,分别介绍了这两个分支技术的概念、原理、特点以及采用该技术研制出的零件的性能,结合硬件设备的情况介绍了在太空环境下应用的适用性,同时也详细介绍了NASA利用兰利研究中心的C-9抛物线飞行试验系统进行电子束原位制造微重力试验的研究成果、试验数据和未来的发展趋势。最后,结合中国未来空间事业发展的需要,提出了关于发展太空环境下电子束原位制造技术的设想与建议。     

James Webb Space Telescope: Project Overview

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) project at the NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is responsible for the development, launch, flight, and science operations for the telescope. The project is in phase B with its launch scheduled for no earlier than June 2013. The project is a partnership among NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The JWST mission team is fully in place, including major ESA and CSA subcontractors. This provides an overview of the planned JWST science, current architecture focusing on the instrumentation, and mission status, including technology developments, and risks.     

Life sciences

Space life sciences research activities are reviewed for 2003. Many life sciences experiments were lost with the tragic loss of STS-107. Life sciences experiments continue to fly as small payloads to the International Space Station (ISS) via the Russian Progress vehicle. Health-related studies continue with the Martian Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE) aboard the Odyssey spacecraft, collecting data on the radiation environment in Mars orbit. NASA Ames increased nanotechnology research in all areas, including fundamental biology, bioastronautics, life support systems, and homeland security. Plant research efforts continued at NASA Kennedy, testing candidate crops for ISS. Research included plant growth studies at different light intensities, varying carbon dioxide concentrations, and different growth media. Education and outreach efforts included development of a NASA/USDA program called Space Agriculture in the Classroom. Canada sponsored a project called Tomatosphere, with classrooms across North America exposing seeds to simulated Mars environment for growth studies. NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research released an updated strategic research plan.     

Space: where are we headed?

In a new column, the author reviews NASA space activities since the beginning of 2003 and looks at plans for the future. Topics include the Space Shuttle Columbia, what's in store for the International Space Station (ISS), the development of an orbital space plane, orbiter safety upgrades, and the future of space exploration and research beyond the ISS. He presents arguments for sending astronauts to asteroids, the Moon, and Mars.     

The European Large Area ISO Survey

The European Large Area ISO Survey (ELAIS) was the largest Open Time survey on the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). It was designed to explore obscured galaxies and hence quantify the recent star-formation history of the Universe. The final reanalysis of the data has been completed and a band-merged catalogue with associations across many wavelengths compiled and released the data to the global astronomical community (http://astro.imperial.ac.uk/Elais/). This paper summarises some of the key results. Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom), and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.     

CRV investment offers safe return

The development and testing of a new emergency Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) prototype is discussed. The new CRV is being developed by NASA and ESA and is designed for use on the International Space Station as a supplement to the Soyuz ships of the Russians, which accommodate only three passengers. The new vehicle will provide a shirt-sleeve environment for up to six astronauts and will allow for emergency medical treatment to be provided.     

载人火星探测进展及其EDL过程GNC关键技术

随着火星探测技术的不断发展和探测任务的不断推进，载人火星探测在未来将会成为火星探测的重要手段。首先，回顾了无人火星探测任务的发展历程，对比分析了部分无人火星探测器进入、下降与着陆（EDL）过程的参数。然后，结合无人火星探测、载人月球探测和载人航天再入过程，梳理了载人火星探测的特点及需求，系统地总结了前苏联/俄罗斯和美国的载人火星探测研究进展以及技术储备。接着，归纳了载人火星探测的体系构成、集结方式和主要的技术挑战。最后，概括了载人火星EDL过程面临的难题，重点阐述了EDL的导航、制导与控制（GNC）关键技术。     

SOHO operations and ground system

SOHO is a joint ESA/NASA mission to study the sun from its interior to, and including, the solar wind in interplanetary space. It is currently scheduled for launch in 1995. After launch SOHO with be operated from the Experiment Operations Facility (EOF) at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). The EOF will consist of facilities for instrument commanding, data reception, data reduction and data analysis. In this paper the operations concepts including instrument ground commanding from the EOF and communications capabilities between the EOF and ground observatories and the public networks in general will be described.     

2001 Mars Odyssey Mission Summary

The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft, now in orbit at Mars, will observe the Martian surface at infrared and visible wavelengths to determine surface mineralogy and morphology, acquire global gamma ray and neutron observations for a full Martian year, and study the Mars radiation environment from orbit. The science objectives of this mission are to: (1) globally map the elemental composition of the surface, (2) determine the abundance of hydrogen in the shallow subsurface, (3) acquire high spatial and spectral resolution images of the surface mineralogy, (4) provide information on the morphology of the surface, and (5) characterize the Martian near-space radiation environment as related to radiation-induced risk to human explorers. To accomplish these objectives, the 2001 Mars Odyssey science payload includes a Gamma Ray Spectrometer (GRS), a multi-spectral Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS), and a radiation detector, the Martian Radiation Environment Experiment (MARIE). THEMIS and MARIE are mounted on the spacecraft with THEMIS pointed at nadir. GRS is a suite of three instruments: a Gamma Subsystem (GSS), a Neutron Spectrometer (NS) and a High-Energy Neutron Detector (HEND). The HEND and NS instruments are mounted on the spacecraft body while the GSS is on a 6-m boom. Some science data were collected during the cruise and aerobraking phases of the mission before the prime mission started. THEMIS acquired infrared and visible images of the Earth-Moon system and of the southern hemisphere of Mars. MARIE monitored the radiation environment during cruise. The GRS collected calibration data during cruise and aerobraking. Early GRS observations in Mars orbit indicated a hydrogen-rich layer in the upper meter of the subsurface in the Southern Hemisphere. Also, atmospheric densities, scale heights, temperatures, and pressures were observed by spacecraft accelerometers during aerobraking as the spacecraft skimmed the upper portions of the Martian atmosphere. This provided the first in-situ evidence of winter polar warming in the Mars upper atmosphere. The prime mission for 2001 Mars Odyssey began in February 2002 and will continue until August 2004. During this prime mission, the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft will also provide radio relays for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European landers in early 2004. Science data from 2001 Mars Odyssey instruments will be provided to the science community via NASA’s Planetary Data System (PDS). The first PDS release of Odyssey data was in October 2002; subsequent releases occur every 3 months.