月面数字地形构造方法研究

月面巡视探测器着陆区域的地形将对其产生重要的影响。文章对月面数字地形构造方法进行了研究。首先,对月面典型地形特征石块和撞击坑的分布规律和典型形状进行了分析。其次,说明了数字地形的生成流程。再次,先后利用两种方法确定石块和撞击坑的直径,在此基础上构建了数字地形。一种方法是根据巡视器的越障能力确定石块和撞击坑直径,该方法可在一定程度上满足巡视探测器移动性能试验需求;另一种方法是随机生成石块和撞击坑的直径,使生成的地形符合月面的实际情况,不仅可以应用于巡视探测器的移动性能试验,而且也可以应用于路径规划和着陆器着陆过程的模拟。     

国外空间环境试验与探测技术现状与发展趋势

文章分析了与航天器飞行有关的4类空间环境的特点;介绍了国外空间环境试验技术的现状与发展概况。文章还重点分析了未来空间环境探测的发展趋势:加强了对空间环境动态变化的探测;将星座探测摆在重要地位;以地球轨道卫星为发展的主流;利用卫星加大对空间环境探测的力度;加强国际合作。国外空间环境探测的经验表明,我国应重视发展地球轨道探测卫星,尽快提高卫星有效载荷的水平。     

载人小行星探测的任务特点与实施途径探讨

介绍了载人小行星探测的发展现状,对目前美国基于"猎户座"飞船的载人小行星探测的概要方案进行了描述,包括探测器系统组成、运载火箭和飞行方案等内容。从速度增量、目标星引力等方面,分析了载人小行星探测的任务特点,并与载人火星探测、载人月球探测以及无人小行星探测的任务特点进行了比较。给出了载人小行星探测的实施途径建议,包括目标星选择、载人飞船系统设计等。讨论了其所涉及的推进、星际飞行安全保障、小行星表面行走等关键技术。研究结果可为我国开展载人深空探测提供参考。     

Cooperation and dialogical modeling for designing a safe Human space exploration mission to Mars

This paper proposes an approach for a complex and innovative project requiring international contributions from different communities of knowledge and expertise. Designing a safe and reliable architecture for a manned mission to Mars or the Asteroids necessitates strong cooperation during the early stages of design to prevent and reduce risks for the astronauts at each step of the mission. The stake during design is to deal with the contradictions, antagonisms and paradoxes of the involved partners for the definition and modeling of a shared project of reference. As we see in our research which analyses the cognitive and social aspects of technological risks in major accidents, in such a project, the complexity of the global organization (during design and use) and the integration of a wide and varie d range of sciences and innovative technologies is likely to increase systemic risks as follows: human and cultural mistakes, potential defaults, failures and accidents. We identify as the main danger antiquated centralized models of organization and the operational limits of interdisciplinarity in the sciences. Beyond this, we can see that we need to take carefully into account human cooperation and the quality of relations between heterogeneous partners. Designing an open, self-learning and reliable exploration system able to self-adapt in dangerous and unforeseen situations implies a collective networked intelligence led by a safe process that organizes interaction between the actors and the aims of the project. Our work, supported by the CNES (French Space Agency), proposes an innovative approach to the coordination of a complex project.     

Introduction to Japanese exploration study to the moon

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) views the lunar lander SELENE-2 as the successor to the SELENE mission. In this presentation, the mission objectives of SELENE-2 are shown together with the present design status of the spacecraft. JAXA launched the Kaguya (SELENE) lunar orbiter in September 2007, and the spacecraft observed the Moon and a couple of small satellites using 15 instruments. As the next step in lunar exploration, the lunar lander SELENE-2 is being considered. SELENE-2 will land on the lunar surface and perform in-situ scientific observations, environmental investigations, and research for future lunar utilization including human activity. At the same time, it will demonstrate key technologies for lunar and planetary exploration such as precise and safe landing, surface mobility, and overnight survival. The lander will carry laser altimeters, image sensors, and landing radars for precise and safe landing. Landing legs and a precisely controlled propulsion system will also be developed. A rover is being designed to be able to travel over a wide area and observe featured terrain using scientific instruments. Since some of the instruments require long-term observation on the lunar surface, technology for night survival over more than 2 weeks needs to be considered. The SELENE-2 technologies are expected to be one of the stepping stones towards future Japanese human activities on the moon and to expand the possibilities for deep space science.     

一种刚、柔机械臂组合的月壤取样器动力学分析

针对月球表取任务,本文提出一种由三个刚性臂和一个柔性臂组合、结构新颖的月壤取样器。该取样器具有收缩体积小、工作空间大和重量轻的优点。重点描述了柔性臂的驱动机构设计。采用虚功原理建立了柔性臂的柔性动力学模型,并采用Wilson theta的数值计算方法分析了取样器的动力学特性。通过动力学响应确定了取样器的工作极限。最后通过仿真和实验验证了该柔性动力学分析的正确性。     

Redefining safety in commercial space: Understanding debates over the safety of private human spaceflight initiatives in the United States

In 2009 President Obama proposed a budget for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) that canceled the Constellation program and included the development of commercial crew transportation systems into low Earth orbit. This significant move to shift human spaceflight into the private sector sparked political debate, but much of the discourse has focused on impacts to “safety.” Although no one disputes the importance of keeping astronauts safe, strategies for defining safety reveal contrasting visions for the space program and opposing values regarding the privatization of U.S. space exploration. In other words, the debate over commercial control has largely become encoded in arguments over safety. Specifically, proponents of using commercial options for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) argue that commercial vehicles would be safe for astronauts, while proponents of NASA control argue that commercial vehicles would be unsafe, or at least not as safe as NASA vehicles. The cost of the spaceflight program, the technical requirements for designing a vehicle, the track record of the launch vehicle, and the experience of the launch provider are all incorporated into what defines safety in human spaceflight. This paper analyzes these contested criteria through conceptual lenses provided by fields of science and technology policy (STP) and science, technology, and society (STS). We ultimately contend that these differences in definition result not merely from ambiguous understandings of safety, but from intentional and strategic choices guided by normative positions on the commercialization of human spaceflight. The debate over safety is better considered a proxy debate for the partisan preferences embedded within the dispute over public or private spaceflight.     

Activities of the COSPAR Panel on Exploration supporting the Global Exploration Roadmap

The Global Exploration Roadmap (GER) is driven by several goals and objectives that include space science, the search for life as well as preparatory science activities to enable human space exploration. The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR), through its Commissions and Panels provides an international forum that supports and promotes space exploration worldwide. COSPAR's Panel on Exploration (PEX) investigates a stepwise approach of preparatory research on Earth and in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to facilitate a future global space exploration program. We summarize recent activities and workshops of PEX in support of the GER.     

Dynamic modeling and optimization for space logistics using time-expanded networks

This research develops a dynamic logistics network formulation for lifecycle optimization of mission sequences as a system-level integrated method to find an optimal combination of technologies to be used at each stage of the campaign. This formulation can find the optimal transportation architecture considering its technology trades over time. The proposed methodologies are inspired by the ground logistics analysis techniques based on linear programming network optimization. Particularly, the time-expanded network and its extension are developed for dynamic space logistics network optimization trading the quality of the solution with the computational load. In this paper, the methodologies are applied to a human Mars exploration architecture design problem. The results reveal multiple dynamic system-level trades over time and give recommendation of the optimal strategy for the human Mars exploration architecture. The considered trades include those between In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and propulsion technologies as well as the orbit and depot location selections over time. This research serves as a precursor for eventual permanent settlement and colonization of other planets by humans and us becoming a multi-planet species.     

一种燃料最省的火星精确着陆动力下降段快速轨迹优化方法

针对火星精确着陆问题,给出一种燃料最省的火星着陆动力下降段快速轨迹优化方法。首先以燃料最省为指标建立了着陆器动力下降段轨迹优化问题模型,然后利用极大值原理对该模型的推力大小、推力方向与协状态变量之间的关系进行分析,得出着陆器推力只能以最大或最小推力工作、推力方向和与速度对应的协状态矢量方向相同的结论。并以此为基础,将原问题的状态微分方程和协状态微分方程转换为有限个推力为常值的分段函数,推导每段内微分方程的解析表达式,给出了动力下降段轨迹优化方法的算法流程;最后通过数学仿真将所提出的方法与凸规划、多项式制导方法进行比较。结果表明该方法不仅避免了多项式方法没有考虑推力约束及燃料消耗的缺陷,而且在计算效率方面较凸规划方法有大幅度提高。