未来10年全球商业卫星发射市场预测分析

2013年6月,隶属于美国联邦航空管理委员会（FAA）的商业航天运输管理协会（AST）和美国商业航天运输咨询委员会（COMSTAC）联合发布了《2013年商业航天运输预测》报告,对未来10年（2013－2022年）地球静止轨道（GSO）和非地球静止轨道（NGSO）商业卫星及发射需求进行了分析预测。     

短消息

正近日,在湖北武汉市第四届中国(国际)商业航天高峰论坛上,中国航天科技集团有限公司宇航部部长尚志表示,未来三年,中国航天科技集团将在发射服务以及通信、导航、遥感卫星等优势领域陆续开展商业实践探索,重点推动商业发射服务和以全球低轨卫星移动通信与空间互联网系统、高景一号商业遥感卫星星座等为代表的卫星应用产业,促进集团公司商业航天全面、深度发展。     

国际商业发射市场的黑马-美国太空探索技术公司

2016年4月,美国太空探索技术公司（SpaceX）成功实现其猎鹰－9（Falcon－9）火箭一级的海上平台回收试验,验证了可重复使用运载火箭关键技术,在探索大幅降低航天发射成本的道路上迈出了重要一步。2013年以来,该公司以0.56亿～0.62亿美元的低地球轨道（LEO）载荷单次发射价格进入国际商业发射市场,远低于传统发射服务商1亿～2亿美元的价格,打破了原有由欧洲阿里安空间公司（Arianespace）、俄罗斯国际发射服务公司（ILS）形成的垄断局面,成为国际商业航天发射市场的一匹强劲黑马。据该公司CEO伊隆·马斯克预测,猎鹰－9实现火箭一级的海上平台回收并重复使用后,其发射成本将成数量级下降,有望彻底颠覆商业发射市场传统发展模式。     

美国载人航天商业化研究（下）

随着近地轨道实现大规模设施的建造部署,人类长期驻留等技术的日臻成熟,以及可重复使用技术的快速发展,商业化、产业化逐步具备条件,太空旅游、近地轨道商业运输和空间应用成为未来发展热点。以美国为主的航天国家积极推进载人航天商业化,近地轨道载人航天私营机构能力建设已初见成效,太空探索技术公司、轨道科学公司（现更名为轨道-阿连特技术系统公司,简称轨道-ATK公司）实现近地轨道货物运输常态化;波音公司、太空探索技术公司有望于2017年实现近地轨道商业乘员运输;XCOR宇航公司、维珍银河公司等多家商业公司即将提供太空旅游产品和服务。此外,美国提出商业空间站计划,并积极拓展月球以远的商业探索模式。载人航天领域的商业化是随着美国商业航天市场规模不断扩大、体系不断完善衍生出来的,也是美国载人航天降低成本、鼓励创新、提升竞争力的一个重要途径。     

美国载人航天商业化研究（中）

随着近地轨道实现大规模设施的建造部署,人类长期驻留等技术的日臻成熟,以及可重复使用技术的快速发展,商业化、产业化逐步具备条件,太空旅游、近地轨道商业运输和空间应用成为未来发展热点。以美国为主的航天国家积极推进载人航天商业化,近地轨道载人航天私营机构能力建设已初见成效,太空探索技术公司、轨道科学公司（现更名为轨道-阿连特技术系统公司,简称轨道-ATK公司）实现近地轨道货物运输常态化;波音公司、太空探索技术公司有望于2017年实现近地轨道商业乘员运输;XCOR宇航公司、维珍银河公司等多家商业公司即将提供太空旅游产品和服务。此外,美国提出商业空间站计划,并积极拓展月球以远的商业探索模式。载人航天领域的商业化是随着美国商业航天市场规模不断扩大、体系不断完善衍生出来的,也是美国载人航天降低成本、鼓励创新、提升竞争力的一个重要途径。     

美工业界对小卫星尚存疑虑

技术进步促进了小型卫星潜在的商业应用。美国航宇局(NASA)作为全美国民用航天活动的抓总和协调机构,近年来,竭力鼓吹发展小型、轻量、廉价卫星。作为承担航天研制任务主力军的美国工业界,特别是空间公司的领导们对于发展小卫星的看法又如何呢? 缩小卫星尺寸和降低轨道高度,不仅可以减少生产与发射成本,而且可以使星载有效载荷离地球近,从而使通信、遥感等有效载荷对电源的要求也可大大放宽。仙童空间公司轨道科学子公司项目经理B.Lyndberg如是说:“与静止卫星相比,低轨道上的小卫星具有完成任务的有利位置。双向通信的路程缩短了很多倍,从卫星     

国外新型商业小型运载火箭成本控制措施简析

正一个健全的行业不仅仅能够得到发展或获得创新,同时还能发现市场发展的机会并巧妙利用。在小卫星蓬勃发展的同时,国际上掀起一股商业小型运载火箭的热潮。日前,国外多家小型卫星发射公司就很好地证明了这点。商业航天发射小卫星的需求牵引着小型运载的研制和生产,"快速、机动、灵活、廉价"正成为商业小型运载火箭新的发展趋势,诸如萤火虫空间系统公司(FSS)、英国维珍银河公司(Virgin Galactic)、美国火箭实验室公司(Rocket Lab)等私人航天公司,正是凭借其低成本、快速响应的商业运作模式获得了小卫星发射市场的青睐。     

商业航天电源系统发展现状和展望

<正>自国务院发布《2016中国的航天》白皮书以后，我国商业航天领域开始呈现蓬勃发展的态势，以商业遥感卫星星座、商业微小SAR卫星星座、低轨互联网卫星、商业运载火箭等为代表的商业航天各领域迅速发展，推动我国航天产业呈现新的发展态势。在航天技术进步的驱动下，商业航天规模化生产成为可能，发展商业航天产业，提升航天技术水平，对支撑我国成为航天强国具有重要意义。商业卫星产业是现代航天产业发展的时代所需，引领了一种全新的卫星研制生产和运营模式：(1)卫星研制周期短；(2)多星组网运行，快速部署，需求量大；(3)成本可控。电源系统是航天器的主要系统之一，为航天器的工作提供能量，是航天器的“心脏”，随着商业卫星有效载荷能力不断提升，电源分系统技术发展和生产更要适应新模式[1-3]。     

全球商业航天发展新趋势及思考

正近年来,国际商业航天产业迅速发展,关键技术不断突破,诞生多项里程碑式节点,火箭复用次数屡创新高,多个大型星座快速启动,空基发射液体运载火箭实现突破,太空亚轨道旅游迈入实际载人飞行阶段,推动全球航天事业进入跨越式发展的新阶段。商业航天领域已日益成为大国科技竞争的重要前沿阵地。2021年5月,猎鹰-9 (Falcon-9)火箭首次实现"一箭十发",迈过火箭重复利用常态化的关键一步,给全球航天发射市场带来巨大冲击。而"星链"(Starlink)卫星的密集发射,在人类历史上首次实现千颗以上规模卫星的快速部署。     

中国航天简讯

中美签署商业发射协议备忘录 3月13日,中国国家航天局局长刘纪原和美国贸易代表宋基·坎特分别代表中美两国政府在北京正式签署了新的《关于商业发射服务国防贸易问题协议备忘录》。备忘录确定在今后7年内,我国将为国际市场发射11颗高轨道卫星和相当数量的低轨道卫星。     

The C.E.B.A.S.-Minimodule: behaviour of an artificial aquatic ecological system during spaceflight.

The C.E.B.A.S.-Minimodule, a closed aquatic ecosystem integrated into a middeck locker and consisting of a Zoological (animal tanks), a Botanical (plant bioreactor), a Microbial (bacteria filter) and an Electronic Component (data acquisition/control system) was flown on the STS-89 spaceshuttle mission in January 1998 for 9 days. Preflight the plant bioreactor was loaded with 53 g of Ceratophyllum demersum (coontail) and the animal tanks with 4 adult pregnant females of the fish, Xiphophorus helleri (sword-tails), 200 juveniles of the same species less than 1 week of age, 38 large and 30 juvenile Biomphalaria glabrata water snails. The filter compartment was filled with 200 g of lava grain inoculated with laboratory strains of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. A ground reference was undertaken with the same biological setup with a delay of 4 d. After an adaptation period of 5 d the system was closed and integrated into the spaceshuttle one day before launch. Video recordings of the animals were automatically taken for 10 minutes in 2-hour periods; the tapes were changed daily by the astronauts. The chemical and physical data for the aquatic system were within the expected range and were closely comparable in comparison to the ground reference. After 9 d under space conditions, the plant biomass increased to 117 g. The plants were all found in very good condition. All 4 adult female fish were retrieved in a good physiological condition. The juvenile fishes had a survival rate of about 33%. Almost 97% of the snails had survived and produced more than 250 neonates and 40 spawning packs. All samples were distributed according to a defined schedule and satisfied all scientific needs of the involved 12 principal investigators. This was the first successful spaceflight of an artificial aquatic ecosystem containing vertebrates, invertebrates, higher plants and microorganisms self-sustained by its inhabitants only. C.E.B.A.S. in a modified form and biological setup is a promising candidate for the early space station utilization as a first midterm experiment.     

C.E.B.A.S. MINI MODULE: test results of an artificial (man-made) aquatic ecosystem.

The original Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) is a long-term multi-generation research facility for experiments with aquatic animals and plants in a space station the development of which is surrounded by a large international scientific program. In addition, a miniaturized laboratory prototype, the C.E.B.A.S. MINI MODULE, with a total volume of about 10-12 liters for a Spacelab middeck locker was developed and a first version was tested successfully for two weeks with a population of fishes (Xiphophorus helleri) in the animal tank and a Ceratophyllum spec. in the illuminated higher plant growth chamber. The water recycling system consisted of a bacteria filter and a mechanical filter and the silastic tubing gas exchanger was separated by valves for the utilization in emergency cases only. Data were collected with the acquisition module of the original C.E.B.A.S. process control system. In addition, an optimized version was tested for 7 weeks with fishes and plants and thereafter with fish and with plants only for 2 and 1 weeks, resp.. The paper presents the relevant water parameters (e.g., pH, pressure, temperature, oxygen saturation, flow rate, ion concentrations) during the test period as well as morphological and physiological data of the enclosed animals and plants. On the basis of the given results the possible role of the C.E.B.A.S. system as a scientific tool in artificial ecosystem research and for the development of a combined animal-plant intensive aquaculture system and its utilization in bioregenerative life support is discussed.     

V.L.A. observations of flare build-up in coronal loops

Very Large Array (V.L.A.) measurements at 20 cm wavelength map emission from coronal loops with second-of-arc angular resolution at time intervals as short as 3.3 seconds. The total intensity of the 20 cm emission describes the evolution and structure of the hot plasma that is detected by satellite X-ray observations of coronal loops. The circular polarization of the 20 cm emission describes the evolution, strength and structure of the coronal magnetic field. Preburst heating and magnetic changes that precede burst emission on time scales of between 1 and 30 minutes are discussed. Simultaneous 20 cm and soft X-ray observations indicate an electron temperature $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\textcolor{red}{}\text{2.5 × 10}{}^7\text{K}$ and electron density $\text{N}{}_{\mathrm{e}}\textcolor{red}{}\text{10}{}^{10}\text{cm}{}^{\mathrm{?3}}$ during preburst heating in a coronal loop that was also associated with twisting of the entire loop in space. We also discuss the successive triggering of bursts from adjacent coronal loops; highly polarized emission from the legs of loops with large intensity changes over a 32 MHz change in observing frequency; and apparent motions of hot plasma within coronal loops at velocities V > 2,000 kilometerspersecond.     

2005年全球反恐特警队赛记

2005年3月30日到4月2日为期4天，在美国拉斯维加斯举行的全球特警挑战赛（Original World SWAT Challenge,OWSC）中，总计有18支队伍参赛。[编者按]     

Aquatic modules for bioregenerative life support systems: developmental aspects based on the space flight results of the C.E.B.A.S. MIN-MODULE.

The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) is an artificial aquatic ecosystem which contains teleost fishes, water snails, ammonia oxidizing bacteria and edible non-gravitropic water plants. It serves as a model for aquatic food production modules which are not seriously affected by microgravity and other space conditions. Its space flight version, the so-called C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE was already successfully tested in the STS-89 and STS-90 (NEUROLAB) missions. It will be flown a third time in space with the STS-107 mission in January 2003. All results obtained so far in space indicate that the basic concept of the system is more than suitable to drive forward its development. The C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE is located within a middeck locker with limited space for additional components. These technical limitations allow only some modifications which lead to a maximum experiment time span of 120 days which is not long enough for scientifically essential multi-generation-experiments. The first necessary step is the development of "harvesting devices" for the different organisms. In the limited space of the plant bioreactor a high biomass production leads to self-shadowing effects which results in an uncontrolled degradation and increased oxygen consumption by microorganisms which will endanger the fishes and snails. It was shown already that the latter reproduce excellently in space and that the reproductive functions of the fish species are not affected. Although the parent-offspring-cannibalism of the ovoviviparous fish species (Xiphophorus helleri) serves as a regulating factor in population dynamics an uncontrolled snail reproduction will also induce an increased oxygen consumption per se and a high ammonia concentration in the water. If harvesting locks can be handled by astronauts in, e. g., 4-week intervals their construction is not very difficult and basic technical solutions are already developed. The second problem is the feeding of the animals. Although C.E.B.A.S.-based aquaculture modules are designed to be closed food loop systems (edible herbivorous fish species and edible water plants) which are already verified on Earth this will not be possible in space without devices in which the animals are fed from a food storage. This has to be done at least once daily which would waste too much crew time when done by astronauts. So, the development of a reliable automated food dispenser has highest priority. Also in this case basic technical solutions are already elaborated. The paper gives a comprehensive overview of the proposed further C.E.B.A.S.-based development of longer-term duration aquatic food production modules.     

Summary of radiation dosimetry results on U.S. and Soviet manned spacecraft.

Measurements of the radiation environment aboard U.S. and Soviet manned spacecraft are reviewed and summarized. Data obtained mostly from passive and some active radiation detectors now exist for the case of low Earth-orbit missions. Major uncertainties still exist for space exposure in high altitude, high inclination, geostationary orbits, in connection with solar effects and that of shielding. Data from active detectors flown in Spacelabs 1 and 2 suggest that a variety of phenomena must be understood before the effects of long-term exposure at the space-station type of orbit and shielding can be properly assessed.     

I.U.E. high resolution observations of hot stars emitting coronal x-rays

The far UV resonance lines of a sample of 21 early-type stars, which were observed in the soft X-Ray band with the $\text{Einstein}$ satellite, are examined using I.U.E. high resolution spectra to search for possible correlation between the X-Ray coronal emission and far UV spectral properties. In particular, those quantities that can give information on the structure of the outer envelope (such as wind terminal velocities, emission-absorption ratios) are measured and compared with the observed X-Ray flux.     

Indirect search for Dark Matter with H.E.S.S.

Observations of the Galactic center region with the H.E.S.S. telescopes have established the existence of a steady, extended source of gamma-ray emission coinciding with the position of the super massive black hole Sgr A^*. This is a remarkable finding given the expected presence of dense self-annihilating Dark Matter in the Galactic center region. The self-annihilation process is giving rise to gamma-ray production through hadronization including the production of neutral pions which decay into gamma-rays but also through (loop-suppressed) annihilation into final states of almost mono-energetic photons. We study the observed gamma-ray signal (spectrum and shape) from the Galactic center in the context of Dark Matter annihilation and indicate the prospects for further indirect Dark Matter searches with H.E.S.S.     

Pigment composition and concentrations within the plant (Ceratophyllum demersum L.) component of the STS-89 C.E.B.A.S. Mini-Module spaceflight experiment.

The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) Mini-Module, a Space Shuttle middeck locker payload which supports a variety of aquatic inhabitants (fish, snails, plants and bacteria) in an enclosed 8.6 L chamber, was tested for its biological stability in microgravity. The aquatic plant, Ceratophyllum demersum L., was critical for the vitality and functioning of this artificial mini-ecosystem. Its photosynthetic pigment concentrations were of interest due to their light harvesting and protective functions. "Post-flight" chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations within Ceratophyllum apical segments were directly related to the quantities of light received in the experiments, with microgravity exposure (STS-89) failing to account for any significant deviation from ground control studies.     

The Comet Halley flyby I.R. sounder “I.K.S.”

An infrared sounder is being developed in France to observe in 1986 Comet Halley from the Soviet “VEGA” flyby probes. The instrument, called “I.K.S.”, has three measuring channels. Two of these channels will provide the spectrum of the comet emission in the spectral intervals 2.5–5.0 μ and 6–12 μ, at a constant resolution λ/Δλ = 50.The third channel analyzes the comet I.R. image at a spatial frequency of about 1 arc minute^?1; two I.R. colours are used in this channel: 7–10 μ and 10–14 μ. From the results expected, it is hoped that (1) most primary simple molecules emitted by the nucleus will be identified; (2) the chemical composition and perhaps crystalline structure of the dust grains and ices released by the comet will be derived; and (3) the diameter of the nucleus and its brightness temperatures will be measured.