到太空去举行婚礼

有一篇科幻小说中有这样一个情节:一场热闹的婚礼正在进行,牧师问男主角:"你愿意娶这个女人为妻吗?"男主角慌忙回答"谁有跳伞用的太空服?"这是逃婚男人故事的太空版.现在,这样的故事很可能就会真实地发生了.日本一家公司从2008年7月1日起开始接受太空婚礼的预定,新人首次上太空的时间定在2011年.     

“梦之舟”团队:为飞船打造超强“大脑”——记中国航天科技集团公司五院502所飞船工程组

<正>人人都有太空梦,而作为我国11艘神舟飞船、1艘货运飞船GNC(制导、导航与控制)系统的缔造者,他们的太空梦更加强烈。在一张白纸上,他们用23年的智慧编织梦想,从成千上万的信息流和代码中"抽丝剥茧",先后参与攻克了返回控制技术、自主故障诊断和应急救生技术、交会对接控制技术等,让太空漫步、太空之吻变成事实。而当面对成功时,班组长刘宗玉谦逊地说:"能承担这样一份神圣使命,     

美军太空对地打击技术的发展

在美国空军提出的各项军事航天任务中,最具军事转型特点的是太空对地打击。太空对地打击是一种关系到国家安全的战略任务。美国从20世纪90年代中期就进行了"太空作战飞行器"(SOV)系统的任务分析和概念研究,研究结果确认太空对地打击是"太空作战飞行器"系统最重要的作战任务。后来,太空对地打击成为美军快速全球打击计划的重要组成部分。在这方面,从美国大陆投送和应用兵力(FALCON)计划及X-37B计划已取得了较大进展,并带动一批能"改变战场游戏规划"的技术。     

21世纪:战云聚集外层空间

面对21世纪的浩瀚太空,一位军事专家指出,“地面战争的结局将取决于太空战争的结果”。美国著名战略家布热津斯基在其《运筹帷幄》一书中讲到,“哪个国家控制了太空,哪个国家就可以既控制陆地,又控制海洋。控制太空的斗争是控制海洋斗争的继续。”的确,考虑到从太空向地球目标发射核武器所具有的巨大破坏力,对太空的最终霸权可能比以往的海上霸权具有更重大的意义。从本质上说,对太空的争夺不同于陆地战争     

地球上的太空之旅

宇航员在太空的凌波微步让人羡慕不已,但是可望而不可即。不过现在有办法了,只要你花上几千美元乘坐失重飞机,在大西洋上空就能亲身体验太空遨游的感觉。大西洋上空"跳水"日前,美国克利夫兰的中学老师迈克·希基和其他38名老师乘坐一架特别改良的喷气式飞机在大西洋上空"跳水"(上下飞     

航天员的习惯与更改

正太空环境与地球环境大不相同,仅仅"失重"这一个问题,就会给航天员带来不少麻烦,影响着航天员的思维和活动,如方位上下颠倒、入睡困难、游动费劲等。甚至航天员刚刚从太空回到地球来的一段时间里,还经常用太空环境下的条件来控制自己的行动,导致一些物品损失,或闹出笑话。低头看月球,抬头看地球月球表面有平原、高原和山地等,这与地表景观有一定相似之处。航天员在登月之前进行的模拟训练也常选在与月表环境相似的沙漠中进行。     

美国未来太空政策的 "颠覆"与"维持"之斗

1 唐纳德·特朗普——颠覆现有太空政策 唐纳德·特朗普曾一度表达对现有太空政策的不满,认为"就像是第三世界国家".他提出美国"需要一个全新的太空政策",需要将公共任务、商业手段,以及快速及时地解决现实威胁和把握现实机会三者结合起来.唐纳德·特朗普要求其竞选政策顾问罗伯特·沃克,为竞选活动提出一个"有远见的、颠覆性的、合作性的、具有弹性的"、"具有实质性改变的"太空政策.     

美天军“太空篱笆”雷达站宣布启用

正经过5年建设,美国天军称为"太空篱笆"的空间监视雷达场站已可投入使用。位于马绍尔群岛共和国夸贾林环礁、耗资15亿美元的"太空篱笆"是一个地基雷达系统,主要用于跟踪低地轨道上的卫星和空间碎片。"太空篱笆"的主承包商是洛·马公司,能跟踪弹珠大小的细小物体,并具备对更高轨道上的物体进行搜索的能力,所获数     

美军太空作战条令发展演变分析

正随着太空资产在美军战场上发挥的作用越来越明显,美国空军(USAF)相继推出了《太空作战》条令和《太空对抗作战》条令并持续完善。美国参谋长联席会议(JCS,简称"参联会")以之为基础,陆续推出《太空作战》联合条令并引导其他兵种制定专属的太空作战条令。美军的系列太空作战条令原理性、实时性、传承性强,对训练和作战起到很好的指导作用。研究美军太空作战条令的发展演变,对了解美军实施太空作战的作战规划、指挥控制和作战执行等有重要的参考价值。     

航天部队与现代战争的革命

太空战是21世纪信息化战争的制高点，谁拥有制天权，谁就拥有制空权制海权和制信息权，美丽的天堂将成为航天大国争夺的焦点。一场争夺太空，利用太空，抢占制高点的战争将有可能发生。技术的突飞猛进可从根本上改变现代战争的进程。在信息收集、处理和传递为主的技术推动下，这场革命对军事行动产生的影响之大，决不亚于本世纪初飞机或坦克的投入使用。因此．航天部队在正进行的革命中正扮演着主角，具有收集、处理和传递信息的独特能力。     

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]     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Mechanisms underlying cellular radiosensitivity and R.B.E.: introductory remarks.

A general outline of the symposium titled "Mechanisms underlying cellular radiosensitivity and R.B.E." will be given in the introduction. The essential topics of molecular radiation biology are described with respect to the damage, repair and mutagenesis caused by high-LET irradiation to cellular DNA. The importance of clustered DNA lesions (locally multiply damaged sites) formed in vivo is discussed. This symposium is devoted to the mechanisms of the biological effects of radiation with high LET, especially with regard to the effects of heavy ions and neutrons which may cause possible risks in space flight, (e.g. carcinogenesis and mutagenesis). Detailed understanding of these risks, however, demands knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the biological effects of high-LET radiations. Thus, it was the organizers' idea to hold a symposium dealing with primary physical and chemical events caused in cellular deoxyribonucleoproteins by densely-ionizing radiations and to relate them to track structures and energy transfer processes. The mechanisms of DNA damage were regarded from different points of view including those considering DNA repair and mutagenesis. Problems associated with cell survival and radiation protection were discussed as well. Our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of high-LET radiation actions, however, is limited compared to what we know about low-LET radiation effects (e.g. from gamma-rays or X-rays). To emphasize this statement, I would like to summarize briefly the open questions in molecular radiation biology, what we know already about low-LET effects and what is lacking describing the effect of high-LET radiation.     

The "C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE": a self-sustaining closed aquatic ecosystem for spaceflight experimentation.

The C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE is the miniaturized space flight version of the Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.). It fits into a large middeck locker tray and is scheduled to be flown in the STS 85 and in the NEUROLAB missions. Its volume is about 9 liters and it consists of two animal tanks, a plant cultivator, and a bacteria filter in a monolithic design. An external sensor unit is connected to a data acquisition/control unit. The system integrates its own biological life support. The CO2 exhaled by the consumers (fishes, snails, microorganisms) is assimilated by water plants (Ceratophyllum demersum) which provide them with oxygen. The products of biomass degradation and excretion (mainly ammonia ions) are converted by bacteria into nitrite and nitrate. The latter is taken up by the plants as a nitrogen source together with other ions like phosphate. The plants convert light energy into chemical energy and their illumination is regulated via the oxygen concentration in the water by the control unit. In ground laboratory tests the system exhibited biological stability up to three month. The buffer capacity of the biological filter system is high enough to eliminate the degradation products of about one half of the dead animal biomass as shown in a "crash test". A test series using the laboratory model of the flight hardware demonstrated the biological stability and technical reliability with mission-identical loading and test duration. A comprehensive biological research program is established for the C.E.B.A.S. MINI-MODULE in which five German and three U.S.-American universities as well as the Russian Academy of Sciences are involved.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

美国的战斧巡航导弹

3月19日,美英法三国开始对利比亚实行军事打击。在当天进行的空袭行动中,部署在地中海的美军和英军军舰与潜艇就向利比亚首都的黎波里郊区和东部城市米苏拉塔等地发射了110多枚战斧巡航导弹,袭击了20多处防空设施和民事目标。在随后的几天里,每天又都发射了一批这种导弹。截止到4月1日,美军共发射了221枚、英军共发射了7枚战斧巡航导弹。那么,战斧巡航导弹究竞