Humans to Mars: a feasibility and cost-benefit analysis

Mars is a compelling astrobiological target, and a human mission would provide an opportunity to collect immense amounts of scientific data. Exploration alone, however, cannot justify the increased risk. Instead, three factors drive a human mission: economics, education, and exploration. A human mission has a unique potential to inspire the next generation of young people to enter critically needed science and engineering disciplines. A mission is economically feasible, and the research and development program put in place for a human mission would propel growth in related high-technology industries. The main hurdles are human physiological responses to 1–2 years of radiation and microgravity exposure. However, enabling technologies are sufficiently mature in these areas that they can be developed within a few decade timescale. Hence, the decision of whether or not to undertake a human mission to Mars is a political decision, and thus, educational and economic benefits are the crucial factors.     

实现给定传递函数的模拟电路中的静态问题

实现给定传递函数的模拟电路一般包含若干个运算放大器及电阻、电容等元器件。为了使电路正常工作,就要使运算放大器在输入信号的整个变化范围内,始终处于线性状态。本文从理论上对这一问题进行了分析,经实验证实是正确的,这一方法对于工程设计具有指导意义。     

面向试验任务的通信综合网络管理系统应用

分析了目前试验任务通信网络管理的现状,实现了一套基于现有通信网络传输方式、立足目前通信系统值勤模式、面向执行试验任务过程中通信保障的综合通信网络管理系统,举例说明了该套系统在试验任务中的应用情况,总结分析了该通信综合网管系统的特点,为通信综合网管系统的推广应用进行了有益的实践探索。     

A physics-based framework for online surface roughness assessment for high-pressure turbines

Surface roughness is a critical health parameter of a turbine blade due to its implications on blade surface heat transfer and structural integrity. This paper proposes a physics-based online framework for Gas Turbine Engines (GTE), in order to assess the blade surface roughness in a high-pressure turbine without engine shutdown. The framework consolidates Gas Path Analysis (GPA) based performance monitoring models and meanline turbomachinery analysis, using a novel GPA-meanline matching process. This extracts meaningful performance deviation trends from GPA, while addressing the uncertainties associated with the measurements and modelling. To relate efficiency loss to surface roughness severity, a meanline-based system-identification process has been developed to establish the meanline representation of the turbine stage, and to incorporate the empirical surface roughness loss correlations. The roughness loss correlations have been evaluated against recent transonic test data in the literature. A modification to the compressibility correction factor has been made according to the evaluation outcome, which improved loss predictions compared to the experimental measurements. The framework was tested on the three-year operational data of a cogeneration GTE, and the results verified the framework's potential for online surface roughness monitoring. The predicted surface roughness showed agreement in both trend and the magnitude-level with the measurements reported in the literature.     

基于三分图的非共面卫星分布式加注任务规划

分布式加注规划的目的在于规划加注过程的交会路径,使任务在满足约束的情况下整体燃料消耗最优。针对异面圆轨道卫星间的分布式加注策略,建立了分布式加注任务规划问题的数学模型,把该规划问题归结为非完全赋权三分图的匹配问题,并将整体最少燃料消耗作为规划目标。其次,进行了算法的流程设计,采用了Kuhn-Mundres图论算法和整数遗传算法相结合的LSGA算法加快了收敛的速度保证了全局最优。最后,选取了两个具有小角度轨道偏差的异面卫星星座对该问题进行分析。计算得到了优化后的双冲量机动下加注任务的服务关系与燃料代价,规划算法的有效性也得到了验证。     

Development of Operational Space Weather Prediction Models

In this report, we summarize the needs of space weather models, and recommend that developing operational prediction models, rather than transitioning from research to operation, is a more feasible and critical way for space weather services in the near future. Operational models for solar wind speed, geomagnetic indices, magnetopause, plasma sheet energetic electrons, inner boundary of ion plasma sheet, energetic electrons in outer radiation belt, and thermospheric density at low Earth orbit, have been developed and will be introduced briefly here. Their applications made a big progress in space weather services during the past two years in China.      

深空探测器约束简化与任务规划方法研究

针对深空探测器现有的任务规划方法在处理系统间复杂约束时存在的约束复杂度高、实时响应能力差、计算效率低等问题,提出一种新的约束简化方法和启发式连续任务规划方法。首先,在时间线规划模型中根据两两子系统间的实时状态关系定义启发式因子,并利用该因子在规划周期内的取值建立子系统间时间线临时从属关系,从而合理地降低规划过程中的约束复杂程度;然后,在规划算法中采用时间线状态扩展策略,根据时间线临时从属关系对各子系统间的状态进行横向和纵向扩展,从而实现对目标任务规划进行快速排序。仿真结果表明由启发式因子建立的时间线临时从属关系有效简化了任务规划过程中的时间约束和资源约束、提高了任务规划的效率和灵活性。     

FPGA-based operational concept and payload data processing for the Flying Laptop satellite

Flying Laptop is the first small satellite developed by the Institute of Space Systems at the Universität Stuttgart. It is a test bed for an on-board computer with a reconfigurable, redundant and self-controlling high computational ability based on the field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). This Technical Note presents the operational concept and the on-board payload data processing of the satellite. The designed operational concept of Flying Laptop enables the achievement of mission goals such as technical demonstration, scientific Earth observation, and the payload data processing methods. All these capabilities expand its scientific usage and enable new possibilities for real-time applications. Its hierarchical architecture of the operational modes of subsystems and modules are developed in a state-machine diagram and tested by means of MathWorks Simulink-/Stateflow Toolbox. Furthermore, the concept of the on-board payload data processing and its implementation and possible applications are described.     

Group dynamics in a long-term blind endeavor on Earth: An analog for space missions (Lewis & Clark Expedition group dynamic analysis)

In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson set fourth a military expedition led by Captains M. Lewis and W. Clark (Lewis and Clark Expedition) on an exploration that would become an everlasting part of US national history and pride. Looking back at the events of this exploration, there are many similarities to the experiences future human space explorers will face as we look to colonize the Moon and travel to Mars and beyond (NASA Vision for Space Exploration, 2004):

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The Lewis and Clark Expedition lasted almost three years and involved a crew of 43 men traveling up the Missouri River to explore the unknown lands and a possible water route to the Pacific Ocean;