Concept options for the aerial survey of Titan

Various aerial platforms intended for long endurance survey of the Titan surface are presented. A few novel concepts are introduced, including a heated methane balloon and a balloon with a tethered wind turbine. All the concept options are predicted to have lower scientific payload fractions than the Huygens probe. It is concluded that the selection of the best aerial platform option depends on more accurate mass estimates and a clear decision on whether, or not, in situ surface composition measurements are required in conjunction with aerial remote sensing.     

HELIO: The Heliophysics Integrated Observatory

Heliophysics is a new research field that explores the Sun–Solar System Connection; it requires the joint exploitation of solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric and ionospheric observations.     

Heterogeneous solid/gas chemistry of organic compounds related to comets,meteorites, Titan,and Mars: Laboratory and in lower Earth orbit experiments

To understand the evolution of organic molecules involved in extraterrestrial environments and with exobiological implications, many experimental programs in the laboratory are devoted to photochemical studies in the gaseous phase as well as in the solid state. The validity of such studies and their applications to extraterrestrial environments can be questioned as long as experiments conducted in space conditions, with the full solar spectrum, especially in the short wavelength domain, have not been implemented. The experiments that are described here will be carried out on a FOTON capsule, using the BIOPAN facility, and on the International Space Station, using the EXPOSE facility. Vented and sealed exposition cells will be used, which will allow us to study the chemical evolution in the gaseous phase as well as heterogeneous processes, such as the degradation of solid compounds and the release of gaseous fragments.     

The ESA scientific programme

The ESA scientific programme has, so far, provided several significant astrophysics experiments and further important missions are scheduled for execution during the next decade. These missions are briefly summarised together with several astrophysics investigations presently under study.     

直尺反转组合法测量直线度的理论分析

对直尺反转组合法的测量原理进行了较为深入的理论分析，指出测量的准确性受测头误差、采样点定位误差、直尺尺面斜率、直尺再定位误差、直尺各点直线度误差的变化率等五个方面共同作用。其中，采样点定位误差和直尺安装斜率影响直线度测量准确度这一结论，将适用于其他的直尺直线度测量方法，因而具有普遍的指导意义。     

一种提高螺栓联接强度的新方法

根据山本晃教授对螺栓，螺母，螺纹牙受力及其变形研究的成果，导出了该理论条件下受拉螺栓在等载荷受力状态下，当螺栓螺纹采用标准尺寸，螺母螺纹的螺旋线形状，并依据实用性，从螺母螺纹加工方便考虑，提出了近似等负荷螺纹。     

绳驱动并联机器人张力约束工作空间分析

绳驱动三自由度机器人可以实现空间的自由转动.由于绳索只可拉伸不可压缩的单向特性,研究驱动绳索张力对机器人的控制具有重要意义.运用几何和矩阵的方法可以分析绳索的张力分配情况;在存在张力约束的条件下,提出张力系数作为评价张力分配优劣状况的指标,通过计算可以得到张力系数分布图,从而对机器人工作空间有直观的认识,进而提出有效的张力优化算法;通过对最小预紧力影响因素及选取方法的讨论,可以得到动态最小预紧力实时计算公式,保证绳索时刻处于张紧状态;通过样机的力检测系统张力反馈的实验可以验证理论推导.通过对以上几部分的分析和研究,可以对四绳驱动三自由度机器人的张力问题有综合全面的认识.      

火卫二地形地貌探测综述

火卫二（Deimos）是火星自然卫星之一，研究人员利用火星探测器对其地形地貌开展了大量研究。首先对火卫二的基本参数及起源假说进行了介绍，进而全面梳理了与火卫二相关的航天探测活动，重点对地形地貌探测活动进行了详细介绍，并对围绕火卫二地形地貌的研究成果进行了归纳分析，结果表明火卫二表面分布有撞击坑、风化层、明亮的反射物质及块状物，并存在物质移动。最后针对火卫二探测不全面的情况，给出了中国关于火卫二探测的建议。     

测试有效性对软件可靠性验证测试量的影响

针对传统软件可靠性验证测试方法均不考虑软件测试性可能会对验证测试用例数量产生影响的现状,提出一种引入测试有效性对软件可靠性验证测试最小量进行改进的方法.分析了软件测试性的定义及其对软件可靠性测试集合的影响,提出软件测试有效性的概念.比较了考虑测试有效性前后软件可靠性验证测试集合在数量上的差异,证明经典统计方法和无先验知识的Bayesian统计推断方法确定的均为假定测试有效性为零情况下的保守估计.提出结合测试有效性的验证测试量的量化表示模型和验证测试方案的改进方法,基于统计故障注入的原理,提出测试有效性的定量评估方法,最后通过示例给出定量评估过程和方法.      

H2 and H∞ control options for the combined attitude and thermal control system (CATCS)

The combined attitude and thermal control system (CATCS) combines the conventional attitude control and thermal control subsystems. Its principle is based on circulating a heat conducting fluid inside a closed duct wielding the excess onboard heat in order to produce the attitude control torques. Previously only the proportional-integral (PI) controller has been tested for CATCS. In this paper two other control options for CATCS were designed based on the H₂ and H_∞ control methods to improve the attitude control performance of a small satellite. The control gain matrix with the minimum cost function is obtained by solving the Riccati equation and fed back to the system in order to achieve the system’s performance. The designed controllers can efficiently control the roll, pitch and yaw satellite attitudes. Simulations for the two techniques were carried out using Matlab and Simulink for ideal and non-ideal system models. Results show that the H₂ controller has a better attitude control performance over the H_∞ controller and PI controller itself.     

From Titan’s tholins to Titan’s aerosols: Isotopic study and chemical evolution at Titan’s surface

In the present work, we focused on the possible isotopic fractionation of carbon during the processes involved in the formation of Titan’s tholins. We present the first results obtained on the ¹²C/¹³C isotopic ratios measured on Titan’s tholins synthesized in laboratory with cold plasma discharges. Measurements of isotopic ratio ¹²C/¹³C, done both on tholins and on the initial gas mixture (N₂:CH₄ (98:2)) used to produce them, do not show any evident deficit or enrichment in ¹³C relatively to ¹²C in the synthesized tholins, compared to the initial gas mixture. This observation allows to go further in the analyses of the ACP experiment data, including part of the Cassini–Huygens mission.     

Hemisphere-coupled modeling of nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances

Nighttime medium-scale traveling ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs), which have tilted frontal structures in the midlatitude ionosphere, are investigated by the midlatitude ionosphere electrodynamics coupling (MIECO) model in this study. It has been proposed that the electrodynamic coupling between the E and F regions plays an important role in generating MSTIDs within a few hours. An intriguing aspect of MSTIDs is that they were simultaneously observed at magnetic conjugate locations in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In order to study the hemisphere-coupled electrodynamics, the MIECO model has been upgraded to consist of two simulation domains for both hemispheres in which the electrostatic potential is solved by considering electrodynamics in both hemispheres. The simultaneous occurrence of MSTIDs at the magnetic conjugate stations has clearly been reproduced when the F-region neutral wind satisfies the unstable condition in both hemispheres and a sporadic-E layer is given only at the Northern (summer) Hemisphere. Even if the unstable condition is satisfied in the summer hemisphere, an unfavorable F-region neutral wind in the winter hemisphere largely suppresses the growth of MSTIDs in both hemispheres.     

The postmitotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae after spaceflight showed higher viability

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been proposed as an ideal model organism for clarifying the biological effects caused by spaceflight conditions. The postmitotic S. cerevisiae cells onboard Practice eight recoverable satellite were subjected to spaceflight for 15 days. After recovery, the viability, the glycogen content, the activities of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes, the DNA content and the lipid peroxidation level in yeast cells were analyzed. The viability of the postmitotic yeast cells after spaceflight showed a three-fold increase as compared with that of the ground control cells. Compared to the ground control cells, the lipid peroxidation level in the spaceflight yeast cells markedly decreased. The spaceflight yeast cells also showed an increase in G2/M cell population and a decrease in Sub-G1 cell population. The glycogen content and the activities of hexokinase and succinate dehydrogenase significantly decreased in the yeast cells after spaceflight. In contrast, the activity of malate dehydrogenase showed an obvious increase after spaceflight. These results suggested that microgravity or spaceflight could promote the survival of postmitotic S. cerevisiae cells through regulating carbohydrate metabolism, ROS level and cell cycle progression.     

Signs of Müller cell gliotic response found in the retina of newts exposed to real and simulated microgravity

The effects of real and simulated microgravity on the eye tissue regeneration of newts were investigated. For the first time changes in Müller glial cells in the retina of eyes regenerating after retinal detachment were detected in newts exposed to clinorotation. The cells divided, were hypertrophied, and their processes were thickened. Such changes suggested reactive gliosis and were more significant in animals exposed to rotation when compared with desk-top controls. Later experiments onboard the Russian biosatellite Bion-11 showed similar changes in the retinas that were regenerating in a two-week spaceflight. In the Bion-11 animals, GFAP, the major structural protein of retinal macroglial cells, was found to be upregulated. In a more recent experiment onboard Foton-M3 (2007), GFAP expression in retinas of space-flown, ground control (kept at 1 g), and basal control (sacrificed on launch day) newts was quantified, using microscopy, immunohistochemistry, and digital image analysis. A low level of immunoreactivity was observed in basal controls. In contrast, retinas of space-flown animals showed greater GFAP immunoreactivity associated with both an increased cell number and a higher thickness of intermediate filaments. This, in turn, was accompanied by up-regulation of stress protein (HSP90) and growth factor (FGF2) expressions. It can be postulated that such a response of Müller cells was to mitigate the retinal stress in newts exposed to microgravity. Taken together, the data suggest that the retinal population of macroglial cells could be sensitive to gravity changes and that in space it can react by enhancing its neuroprotective function.     

基于等效动力学原理的垂向失重运动实现方法

针对航天器高精度地面微重力仿真试验实现难题,提出了一种基于等效动力学原理的垂向失重运动实现方法。通过对该实现方法的原理分析,指出了该方法实现高精度垂向失重运动模拟的等效动力学条件及其适用条件,并分析了基于该实现方法的模拟器构型要求。对模拟误差精度进行仿真分析,结果显示其失重运动模拟精度可达99%,满足高精度微重力仿真试验的要求。     

WAAS卫星播发电文一致性分析

星基增强系统(SBAS)是在传统GNSS的基础上为了进一步满足民航用户对卫星导航系统越来越高的精度、完好性、连续性和可用性需求而应运而生.目前全球已建立起了多个SBAS系统,其中提供服务时间最长的是美国的WAAS系统.WAAS系统包括38个参考站、3个主控站、6个上注站和3颗GEO卫星,每个参考站配备3套独立的监测接收...     

微型涡喷发动机结构设计研究

探讨了一种正在研制的推力为100 N,转速为105 r/min的微型涡喷发动机的结构设计特点.首先介绍了微型涡轮发动机的总体构造特点;其次,又对这台发动机独有的结构特点进行了分析;最后,对它的旋转部件进行了强度、振动分析.最终结果表明旋转部件的结构设计满足要求.这些设计经验对于发展高推重比微型涡喷发动机有参考价值.      

A deployable mast for solar sails in the range of 100–1000 m

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new deployable mast design that may provide a means to scale up solar sails to very large dimensions. The paper describes the basic analytical approach for truss beams, compares this new design with the state-of-art truss used in NASA’s solar sail development work, and provides analyses of novel applications enabled by the mast design.