SJ-10 Recoverable Satellite for Space Microgravity Experiments

SJ-10 is a recoverable scientific experiment satellite specially for the space experiments of microgravity physics science and space life science. This mission was officially started on 31 December 2012, and the satellite was launched on 6 April 2016. This paper introduces briefly the SJ-10 mission, the progress of SJ-10 engineering and the project constitution of sciences experiments onboard SJ-10. The purpose of this mission is to discover the law of matter movement and the rule of life activity that cannot be discovered on the ground due to the existence of gravity, and to know the acting mechanism on organisms by the complex radiation of space that cannot be simulated on the ground.      

空间站微重力流体实验设备需求分析

对国际空间站和中国科学实验卫星及载人飞行器上开展的微重力流体实验情况进行论述和分析,重点分析了国际空间站（ISS）微重力流体科学实验设备情况.根据中国空间微重力流体物理科学发展需求,结合国际空间站微重力流体科学实验对设备的需求,提出了未来在中国空间站开展微重力流体实验时空间实验设备需要重点考虑和解决的问题,同时提出相关设计建议.      

Science Research of Microgravity Satellite SJ-10

The program SJ-10, one of the scientific satellite programs in the Strategic Priority Research Program on Space Science, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was launched on April 6, 2016. There are totally 19 scientific payloads, a multi-function furnace for 8 material researches and three-dimensional cell cultures for the neural stem cell and the hematopoietic stem cell respectively. The recoverable satellite consists mainly of two capsules:a recoverable capsule was recovered on 18 April 2016, with all payloads of life science, the multi-function furnace and the payload for measurement of Soret Coefficients of Crude Oil (SCCO); and an un-recoverable capsule continued to work in additional 3 days with all other physics payloads. The experiments were operated via teleoperations, and all experimental data were received by the ground station in real time. The data and recoverable samples are analyzed by the experiment teams of the program.      

空间科学实验通用地面检测系统研制

分析了地面检测设备在空间有效载荷研制过程中的作用,提出一种用于对多种空间微重力科学实验设备（载荷）进行地面测试的通用地面检测设备设计方法.通过载荷特性分析,对载荷中的控制对象进行分类.针对不同控制对象使用不同的操作进行控制.将载荷实验过程分解为一系列固定时刻执行的操作,通过配置静态配置表、动作配置表和动态配置表,实现对载荷实验过程的控制.地面检测设备由计算机、电源和RS422通信接口构成.针对不同载荷,使用规格一致的电缆和通信接口,保证地面监测设备的通用性.地面检测设备配合多功能炉、骨髓培养箱、辐射基因箱、煤燃烧箱、蒸发对流箱、导线特性箱及胶体材料箱7台载荷开展研制工作,在各载荷试验参数确定、空间试验流程确定、设备性能测试、环境模拟实验、电磁兼容实验、地面匹配实验以及载荷设备验收等过程中发挥了重要作用.      

The Space Sciences and Application Projects in Space Laboratory

Space sciences and application projects arranged in Tiangong-2 space laboratory and Tianzhou-1 cargo ship have been described in detail, covering research areas of the fundamental physics, space astronomy, microgravity fluid physics and materials science, space life science, and earth science. These experiments and researches will hopefully produce great scientific results and social benefits in several fields, including:universe evolution, quantum communication, material development, global climate change and earth environment, etc.      

The ASTROCULTURE(TM) flight experiment series, validating technologies for growing plants in space.

A flight experiment, ASTROCULTURE(TM)-1 (ASC-1), to evaluate the operational characteristics and hardware performance of a porous tube nutrient delivery system (PTNDS) was flown on STS-50 as part of the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory-1 mission, 25 June to 9 July, 1992. This experiment is the first in a series of planned ASTROCULTURE(TM) flights to validate the performance of subsystems required to grow plants in microgravity environments. Results indicated that the PTNDS was capable of supplying water and nutrients to plants in microgravity and that its performance was similar in microgravity to that in 1g on Earth. The data demonstrated that water transfer rates through a rooting matrix are a function of pore size of the tubes, the degree of negative pressure on the 'supply' fluid, and the pressure differential between the 'supply' and 'recovery' fluid loops. A slightly greater transfer rate was seen in microgravity than in 1g, but differences were likely related to the presence of hydrostatic pressure effects at 1g. Thus, this system can be used to support plant growth in microgravity or in partial gravity as on a lunar or Mars base. Additional subsystems to be evaluated in the ASTROCULTURE(TM) flight series of experiments include lighting, humidity control and condensate recovery, temperature control, nutrient composition control, CO2 and O2 control, and gaseous contaminant control.     

Space Research Plan of China's Space Station

China's manned spaceflight missions have been introduced briefly,and the research planning of space sciences for China's Space Station(CSS) has been presented with the topics in the research areas,including:life science and biotechnology,microgravity fluid physics and combustion science,space material science,fundamental physics,space astronomy and astrophysics,earth sciences and application,space physics and space environment,experiments of new space technology.The research facilities,experiment racks,and supporting system planned in CSS have been described,including:multifunctional optical facility,research facility of quantum and optic transmission,and a dozen of research racks for space sciences in pressurized module,etc.In the next decade,significant breakthroughs in space science and utilization will hopefully be achieved,and great contributions will be made to satisfy the need of the social development and people's daily life.     

Science Research and Utilization Planning of China's Space Station in Operation Period 2022-2032

The core module of China's Space Station (CSS) is scheduled to be launched around the end of 2020, and the experimental module I and II will be launched in the next two years. After on-orbit constructions, CSS will be transferred into an operation period over 10 years (2022-2032 and beyond) to continuously implement space science missions. At present, based on the project selection and research work in the ground development period of CSS, China is systematically making a utilization mission planning for the operation period, which focuses on the fields of aerospace medicine and human research, space life science and biotechnology, microgravity fluid physics, combustion science, materials science, fundamental physics, space astronomy and astrophysics, Earth science, space physics and space environment, space application technology, etc. In combination with the latest development trend of space science and technology, China will continue to update planning for science research and technology development, carry out project cultivation, payload R&D, and upgrade onboard and ground experiment supporting systems to achieve greater comprehensive benefits in science, technology, economy, and society.      

Science objectives of the magnetic field experiment onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft

The Aditya-L1 is first Indian solar mission scheduled to be placed in a halo orbit around the first Lagrangian point (L1) of Sun-Earth system in the year 2018–19. The approved scientific payloads onboard Aditya-L1 spacecraft includes a Fluxgate Digital Magnetometer (FGM) to measure the local magnetic field which is necessary to supplement the outcome of other scientific experiments onboard. The in-situ vector magnetic field data at L1 is essential for better understanding of the data provided by the particle and plasma analysis experiments, onboard Aditya-L1 mission. Also, the dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) can be better understood with the help of in-situ magnetic field data at the L1 point region. This data will also serve as crucial input for the short lead-time space weather forecasting models.The proposed FGM is a dual range magnetic sensor on a 6?m long boom mounted on the Sun viewing panel deck and configured to deploy along the negative roll direction of the spacecraft. Two sets of sensors (tri-axial each) are proposed to be mounted, one at the tip of boom (6?m from the spacecraft) and other, midway (3?m from the spacecraft). The main science objective of this experiment is to measure the magnitude and nature of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) locally and to study the disturbed magnetic conditions and extreme solar events by detecting the CME from Sun as a transient event. The proposed secondary science objectives are to study the impact of interplanetary structures and shock solar wind interaction on geo-space environment and to detect low frequency plasma waves emanating from the solar corona at L1 point. This will provide a better understanding on how the Sun affects interplanetary space.In this paper, we shall give the main scientific objectives of the magnetic field experiment and brief technical details of the FGM onboard Aditya-1 spacecraft.     

空间微重力磁悬浮平台激励器研究

为满足空间实验室的科学实验载荷对微重力环境水平的要求,需要保证空间微重力实验载荷平台的振动隔离性能,即需要平台激励器能在控制系统的作用下适时地产生抑制平台扰动的激励力.本文提出了平台激励器的初步指标,从磁悬浮基本原理出发设计出多种结构形式,在此结构基础上完成有限元磁路仿真和激励器的线圈设计,并对各种结构形式进行比较,根据比较结果总结出各结构形式的优缺点,为激励器的具体设计提供了依据.      

Alkylating agent (MNU)-induced mutation in space environment.

In recent years, some contradictory data about the effects of microgravity on radiation-induced biological responses in space experiments have been reported. We prepared a damaged template DNA produced with an alkylating agent (N-methyl-N-nitroso urea; MNU) to measure incorrect base-incorporation during DNA replication in microgravity. We examined whether mutation frequency is affected by microgravity during DNA replication for a DNA template damaged by an alkylating agent. Using an in vitro enzymatic reaction system, DNA synthesis by Taq polymerase or polymerase III was done during a US space shuttle mission (Discovery, STS-91). After the flight, DNA replication and mutation frequencies were measured. We found that there was almost no effect of microgravity on DNA replication and mutation frequency. It is suggested that microgravity might not affect at the stage of substrate incorporation in induced-mutation frequency.     

空间站燃烧科学实验系统设计

建立空间站燃烧实验系统，可满足未来空间微重力燃烧实验系统需求.通过空间站微重力燃烧实验研究，可拓展空间燃烧学研究.根据所要实现的功能及燃烧实验需求，对中国空间站燃烧柜的燃烧科学实验系统进行了设计和分析.燃烧科学实验系统由8个子系统组成，是一个适合开展气、液、固多种燃料燃烧实验的综合性实验系统.考虑到强度设计要求，在完成方案设计后，对系统进行了有限元分析，并在研制的结构件上进行了力学环境实验.实验与分析结果表明，本文设计的实验系统能够满足环模实验的要求，结构合理可行.      

空间小鼠实验有效载荷研究进展

啮齿动物是空间研究中常见的模型对象，已开展的空间生物实验中，小鼠表现出对飞行条件的有效适应.通过空间培养，研究者可对失重环境下小鼠的生理行为、骨骼和神经系统变化做进一步研究分析.本文对空间小鼠实验有效载荷的研究进展及其空间飞行实验进行了概述，为中国空间站上的小鼠培养箱设计提供参考.概述了地面小鼠培养技术和装置，为空间小鼠实验有效载荷设计提供地面对照；从实验研究内容和硬件系统设计两方面介绍了国际上已开展的空间小鼠实验，为中国空间生命科学研究和工程研制提供参考；对于中国发展空间小鼠实验有效载荷提出了建议.      

Space Research Plan of China's Space Stationormalsize

China's manned spaceflight missions have been introduced briefly, and the research planning of space sciences for China's Space Station (CSS) has been presented with the topics in the research areas, including:life science and biotechnology, microgravity fluid physics and combustion science, space material science, fundamental physics, space astronomy and astrophysics, earth sciences and application, space physics and space environment, experiments of new space technology. The research facilities, experiment racks, and supporting system planned in CSS have been described, including:multifunctional optical facility, research facility of quantum and optic transmission, and a dozen of research racks for space sciences in pressurized module, etc. In the next decade, significant breakthroughs in space science and utilization will hopefully be achieved, and great contributions will be made to satisfy the need of the social development and people's daily life.      

Scientific Progress in China's Lunar Exploration Program

Chang'E-1, the first lunar mission in China, was successfully launched on October 24,2007, which opened the prelude of China's Lunar Exploration Program. Later on, the Chang'E-2 and Chang'E-3 satellites were successfully launched in 2010 and 2013, respectively. In order to achieve the science objectives, various payloads boarded the spacecraft. The scientific data from these instruments were received by Beijing and Kunming ground stations simultaneously. Up to now, about 5.628 Terabytes of raw data were received totally. A series of research results has been achieved. This paper presents a brief introduction to the main scientific results and latest progress from Chang'E-3 mission.     

Advances of Microgravity Sciences

Advances of microgravity sciences in China are introduced. The research works include ground-based study and space experiments. In the recent years, the main means still are theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, ground-based experiment, and short-time microgravity experiments of drop tower. Besides, many space experiment projects are arranged. SJ-10 recoverable satellite will carry out 19 scientific experiment projects. Nine of them are for microgravity Sciences. The other ways for space microgravity experiment are with the help of Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft, Chinese Tiangong space laboratory, and Chinese space station in the near future. The Chinese space station will become main platform of Chinese microgravity sciences experiment in space.      

Development Progress of China's First Mars Exploration Mission: Its Scientific Objectives and Payloads

China's first Mars exploration mission is scheduled to be launched in 2020. It aims not only to conduct global and comprehensive exploration of Mars by use of an orbiter but also to carry out in situ observation of key sites on Mars with a rover. This mission focuses on the following studies:topography, geomorphology, geological structure, soil characteristics, water-ice distribution, material composition, atmosphere and ionosphere, surface climate, environmental characteristics, Mars internal structure, and Martian magnetic field. It is comprised of an orbiter, a lander, and a rover equipped with 13 scientific payloads. This article will give an introduction to the mission including mission plan, scientific objectives, scientific payloads, and its recent development progress.      

First flight of the ASTROCULTURE (TM) experiment as a part of the U.S. Shuttle/MIR program.

A number of space-based experiments have been conducted to assess the impact of microgravity on plant growth and development. In general, these experiments did not identify any profound impact of microgravity on plant growth and development, though investigations to study seed development have indicated difficulty in plants completing their reproductive cycle. However, it was not clear whether the lack of seed production was due to gravity effects or some other environmental condition prevailing in the unit used for conducting the experiment. The ASTROCULTURE (TM) flight unit contains a totally enclosed plant chamber in which all the critically important environmental conditions are controlled. Normal wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and development in the ASTROCULTURE (TM) flight unit was observed during a ground experiment conducted prior to the space experiment. Subsequent to the ground experiment, the flight unit was transported to MIR by STS-89, as part of the U.S. Shuttle/MIR program, in an attempt to determine if super dwarf wheat plants that were germinated in microgravity would grow normally and produce seeds. The experiment was initiated on-orbit after the flight unit was transferred from the Space Shuttle to MIR. The ASTROCULTURE (TM) flight unit performed nominally for the first 24 hours after the flight unit was activated, and then the unit stopped functioning abruptly. Since it was not possible to return the unit to nominal operation it was decided to terminate the experiment. On return of the flight unit, it was confirmed that the control computer of the ASTROCULTURE (TM) flight unit sustained a radiation hit that affected the control software embedded in the computer. This experience points out that at high orbital inclinations, such as that of MIR and that projected for the International Space Station, the danger of encountering harmful radiation effects are likely unless the electronic components of the flight hardware are resistant to such impacts.