Analysis of tape tether survival in LEO against orbital debris

The low earth orbit (LEO) environment contains a large number of artificial debris, of which a significant portion is due to dead satellites and fragments of satellites resulted from explosions and in-orbit collisions. Deorbiting defunct satellites at the end of their life can be achieved by a successful operation of an Electrodynamic Tether (EDT) system. The effectiveness of an EDT greatly depends on the survivability of the tether, which can become debris itself if cut by debris particles; a tether can be completely cut by debris having some minimal diameter. The objective of this paper is to develop an accurate model using power laws for debris-size ranges, in both ORDEM2000 and MASTER2009 debris flux models, to calculate tape tether survivability. The analytical model, which depends on tape dimensions (width, thickness) and orbital parameters (inclinations, altitudes) is then verified with fully numerical results to compare for different orbit inclinations, altitudes and tape width for both ORDEM2000 and MASTER2009 flux data.     

Monitoring spatio-temporal variations in aerosols and aerosol–cloud interactions over Pakistan using MODIS data

Clouds are important elements in climatic processes and interactions between aerosols and clouds are therefore a hot topic for scientific research. Aerosols show both spatial and temporal variations, which can lead to variations in the microphysics of clouds. In this research, we have examined the spatial and temporal variations in aerosol particles over Pakistan and the impact of these variations on various optical properties of clouds, using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data from the Terra satellite. We used the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model for trajectory analysis to reveal the origins of air masses, with the aim of understanding these spatial and temporal variabilities in aerosol concentrations. We also documented seasonal variations in patterns of aerosol optical depth (AOD) over Pakistan, for which the highest values occur during the monsoon season (June–August). We then analyzed the relationships between AOD and four other cloud parameters, namely water vapour (WV), cloud fraction (CF), cloud top temperature (CTT) and cloud top pressure (CTP). Regional correlation maps and time series plots for aerosol (AOD) and cloud parameters were produced to provide a better understanding of aerosol–cloud interaction. The analyses showed strong positive correlations between AOD and WV for all of the eight cities investigated. The correlation between AOD and CF was positive for those cities where the air masses were predominantly humid, but negative for those cities where the air masses were relatively dry and carried a low aerosol abundance. These correlations were clearly dependent on the meteorological conditions for all of the eight cities investigated. Because of the observed AOD–CF relationship, the co-variation of AOD with CTP and CTT may be attributable to large-scale meteorological variations: AOD showed a positive correlation with CTP and CTT in northern regions of Pakistan and a negative correlation in southern regions.     

InSight Mars Lander Robotics Instrument Deployment System

The InSight Mars Lander is equipped with an Instrument Deployment System (IDS) and science payload with accompanying auxiliary peripherals mounted on the Lander. The InSight science payload includes a seismometer (SEIS) and Wind and Thermal Shield (WTS), heat flow probe (Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package, HP³) and a precision tracking system (RISE) to measure the size and state of the core, mantle and crust of Mars. The InSight flight system is a close copy of the Mars Phoenix Lander and comprises a Lander, cruise stage, heatshield and backshell. The IDS comprises an Instrument Deployment Arm (IDA), scoop, five finger “claw” grapple, motor controller, arm-mounted Instrument Deployment Camera (IDC), lander-mounted Instrument Context Camera (ICC), and control software. IDS is responsible for the first precision robotic instrument placement and release of SEIS and HP³ on a planetary surface that will enable scientists to perform the first comprehensive surface-based geophysical investigation of Mars’ interior structure. This paper describes the design and operations of the Instrument Deployment Systems (IDS), a critical subsystem of the InSight Mars Lander necessary to achieve the primary scientific goals of the mission including robotic arm geology and physical properties (soil mechanics) investigations at the Landing site. In addition, we present test results of flight IDS Verification and Validation activities including thermal characterization and InSight 2017 Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations (ATLO), Deployment Scenario Test at Lockheed Martin, Denver, where all the flight payloads were successfully deployed with a balloon gravity offload fixture to compensate for Mars to Earth gravity.     

Synthesis and analysis of inductor-isolated switched-mode converter

A procedure is developed for the synthesis and analysis of complete classes of inductor-isolated PWM (pulse width-modulated) converters. The procedure is useful in the identification of converters in which the isolation inductors can be integrated with the rest of the inductors on the same magnetic structures. The information obtained from the procedure is useful in the selection of the converter most suitable for a given application and in the design of this converter with minimum component stresses, high power density, and low cost     

On the Detectability and Use of Normal Modes for Determining Interior Structure of Mars

The InSight mission to Mars is well underway and will be the first mission to acquire seismic data from a planet other than Earth. In order to maximise the science return of the InSight data, a multifaceted approach will be needed that seeks to investigate the seismic data from a series of different frequency windows, including body waves, surface waves, and normal modes. Here, we present a methodology based on globally-averaged models that employs the long-period information encoded in the seismic data by looking for fundamental-mode spheroidal oscillations. From a preliminary analysis of the expected signal-to-noise ratio, we find that normal modes should be detectable during nighttime in the frequency range 5–15 mHz. For improved picking of (fundamental) normal modes, we show first that those are equally spaced between 5–15 mHz and then show how this spectral spacing, obtained through autocorrelation of the Fourier-transformed time series can be further employed to select normal mode peaks more consistently. Based on this set of normal-mode spectral frequencies, we proceed to show how this data set can be inverted for globally-averaged models of interior structure (to a depth of \(\sim 250~\mbox{km}\)), while simultaneously using the resultant synthetically-approximated normal mode peaks to verify the initial peak selection. This procedure can be applied iteratively to produce a “cleaned-up” set of spectral peaks that are ultimately inverted for a “final” interior-structure model. To investigate the effect of three-dimensional (3D) structure on normal mode spectra, we constructed a 3D model of Mars that includes variations in surface and Moho topography and lateral variations in mantle structure and employed this model to compute full 3D waveforms. The resultant time series are converted to spectra and the inter-station variation hereof is compared to the variation in spectra computed using different 1D models. The comparison shows that 3D effects are less significant than the variation incurred by the difference in radial models, which suggests that our 1D approach represents an adequate approximation of the global average structure of Mars.     

Simulations of Seismic Wave Propagation on Mars

Space Science Reviews - We present global and regional synthetic seismograms computed for 1D and 3D Mars models based on the spectral-element method. For global simulations, we implemented a...     

Radiation efects on MHD stagnation point flow of nano fluid towards a stretching surface with convective boundary condition

The aim of the present paper is to study the numerical solutions of the steady MHD two dimensional stagnation point flow of an incompressible nano fluid towards a stretching cylinder.The effects of radiation and convective boundary condition are also taken into account.The model used for the nanofluid incorporates the effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis.The resulting nonlinear momentum,energy and nano particle equations are simplifed using similarity transformations.Numerical solutions have been obtained for the velocity,temperature and nanoparticle fraction profles.The influence of physical parameters on the velocity,temperature,nanoparticle fraction,rates of heat transfer and nanoparticle fraction are shown graphically.     

Application of the Conjugate Gradient Method to a Problem on Minimum Time Orbit Transfer

This correspondence considers the problem of optimally controlling the thrust steering angle of an ion-propelled spaceship so as to effect a minimum time coplanar orbit transfer from the mean orbital distance of Earth to mean Martian and Venusian orbital distances. This problem has been modelled as a free terminal time-optimal control problem with unbounded control variable and with state variable equality constraints at the final time. The problem has been solved by the penalty function approach, using the conjugate gradient algorithm. In general, the optimal solution shows a significant departure from earlier work. In particular, the optimal control in the case of Earth-Mars orbit transfer, during the initial phase of the spaceship's flight, is found to be negative, resulting in the motion of the spaceship within the Earth's orbit for a significant fraction of the total optimized orbit transfer time. Such a feature exhibited by the optimal solution has not been reported at all by earlier investigators of this problem.     

SiC颗粒增强Al基复合材料焊接工艺研究

通过SiC颗粒增强Al基复合材料与Al合金的焊接工艺试验研究，重点分析了材料组合，保湿工艺，连接时间等工艺参数对连接接头性能的影响以及连接接头的微观组织及成分分布，研究表明，TLP扩散连接是一种适用于复合材料连接的重要方法，在相同工艺条件下，LF6／SiCp-6061Al的接头性能明显优于LF6／SiCp-2024Al，连接时间过短或过长，都将影响到接头性能，并且连接时间对不同材料组合的影响也不同，采用二次保温工艺可以较大幅度地提高接头性能。