A lunar L2-Farside exploration and science mission concept with the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and a teleoperated lander/rover

A novel concept is presented in this paper for a human mission to the lunar L2 (Lagrange) point that would be a proving ground for future exploration missions to deep space while also overseeing scientifically important investigations. In an L2 halo orbit above the lunar farside, the astronauts aboard the Orion Crew Vehicle would travel 15% farther from Earth than did the Apollo astronauts and spend almost three times longer in deep space. Such a mission would serve as a first step beyond low Earth orbit and prove out operational spaceflight capabilities such as life support, communication, high speed re-entry, and radiation protection prior to more difficult human exploration missions. On this proposed mission, the crew would teleoperate landers/rovers on the unexplored lunar farside, which would obtain samples from the geologically interesting farside and deploy a low radio frequency telescope. Sampling the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the oldest impact basins in the solar system, is a key science objective of the 2011 Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Observations at low radio frequencies to track the effects of the Universe’s first stars/galaxies on the intergalactic medium are a priority of the 2010 Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey. Such telerobotic oversight would also demonstrate capability for human and robotic cooperation on future, more complex deep space missions such as exploring Mars.     

Imaging with the ASTROSAT scanning sky monitor

The Scanning Sky Monitor aboard the Indian Multiwavelength Astronomy Satellite ASTROSAT will employ coded mask X-ray cameras, rotating continuously to scan the sky. This paper discusses a method of image reconstruction for such continuously moving coded mask cameras.     

VHE Gamma-ray supernova remnants

Increasing observational evidence gathered especially in X-rays and γ-rays during the course of the last few years support the notion that Supernova remnants (SNRs) are Galactic particle accelerators up to energies close to the “knee” in the energy spectrum of Cosmic rays. This review summarises the current status of γ-ray observations of SNRs. Shell-type as well as plerionic type SNRs are addressed and prospect for observations of these two source classes with the upcoming GLAST satellite in the energy regime above 100 MeV are given.     

Crystalline Silicates

One of the big surprises of the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) has been discovery of crystalline silicates outside our own Solar system. It was generally assumed before that all cosmic silicates in space were of amorphous structure. Thanks to ISO we know now that crystalline silicates are ubiquitous in the Galaxy (except for the diffuse ISM) and sometimes even in very large quantities (> 50% of the small dust particles). The evolution of the crystalline silicates is still not completely clarified, but the combination of theoretical modeling and observations have already shed light on their life-cycle. The absence of crystalline silicates in the diffuse ISM provides us with information about the dust amorphization rate in the ISM.     

天籁射电阵的空间碎片探测性能分析

提出以曲靖非相干散射雷达作为一种可能的发射源与天籁射电阵组成一套双基地雷达空间碎片探测系统，对该系统的空间碎片探测性能进行计算与仿真分析，包括可探测目标雷达散射截面积(RCS)、天籁射电阵对空间目标与碎片探测时间、探测效率等。分析表明，该系统具有探测直径10 cm以下级空间小碎片的潜力，并在最后提出了一种基于该系统的交叉波束的确定方法及对空间碎片定位的方法。     

深空组合导航中天文测速观测研究

深空天文测速导航方法以空间中的某颗恒星为目标,利用航天器自身携带的光谱仪测量相对于恒星的移动速度来实时调整自行速度和路线。太阳是主要的测速导航源之一,利用目前运行的空间卫星的光谱观测资料,分析和研究了太阳相对于卫星的视线速度和速度误差变化情况,为本项目中自主导航光谱提供实测证据。选取了太阳表面5个位置的光谱观测,持续时间在一个小时左右,通过高斯谱线轮廓拟合观测数据,得到了太阳表面5个位置的亮度变化、谱线宽度和速度,其中主要参数速度平均值大约在10 km/s,和速度变化在3 km/s。这是由太阳表面存在大量的微观尺度上的物质运动所导致的。     

A balloon-borne very long baseline interferometry experiment in the stratosphere: Systems design and developments

The balloon-borne very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiment is a technical feasibility study for performing radio interferometry in the stratosphere. The flight model has been developed. A balloon-borne VLBI station will be launched to establish interferometric fringes with ground-based VLBI stations distributed over the Japanese islands at an observing frequency of approximately 20?GHz as the first step. This paper describes the system design and development of a series of observing instruments and bus systems. In addition to the advantages of avoiding the atmospheric effects of absorption and fluctuation in high frequency radio observation, the mobility of a station can improve the sampling coverage (“uv-coverage”) by increasing the number of baselines by the number of ground-based counterparts for each observation day. This benefit cannot be obtained with conventional arrays that solely comprise ground-based stations. The balloon-borne VLBI can contribute to a future progress of research fields such as black holes by direct imaging.     

Relativistic astrophysics explorer

The great success of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) has shown that X-ray timing is an excellent tool for the study of strong gravitational fields and the measurement of fundamental physical properties of black holes and neutron stars. Here, we describe a next-generation X-ray timing mission, the Relativistic Astrophysics Explorer (RAE), designed to fit within the envelope of a medium-sized mission. The instruments will be a narrow-field X-ray detector array with an area of 6 m² equal to 10 times that of RXTE and a wide-field X-ray monitor. We describe the science made possible with this mission, the design of the instruments, and results on prototype large-area X-ray detectors.     

A new window on the cosmos: The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is a joint US/German Project to develop and operate a gyrostabilized 2.5-m telescope in a Boeing 747-SP. This observatory will allow astronomical observations from 0.3 μm to sub-millimeter wavelengths at stratospheric altitudes as high as 45,000 ft where the atmosphere is not only cloud-free, but largely transparent at infrared wavelengths. The dynamics and chemistry of interstellar matter, and the details of embedded star formation will be key science goals. In addition, SOFIA’s unique portability will enable large-telescope observations at sites required to observe transient phenomena and location specific events. SOFIA will offer the convenient accessibility of a ground-based telescope for servicing, maintenance, and regular technology upgrades, yet will also have many of the performance advantages of a space-based telescope. Initially, SOFIA will fly with nine first-generation focal plane instruments that include broad-band imagers, moderate resolution spectrographs that will resolve broad features from dust and large molecules, and high resolution spectrometers capable of studying the chemistry and detailed kinematics of molecular and atomic gas. First science flights will begin in 2010, leading to a full operations schedule of about 120 8–10 h flights per year by 2014. The next call for instrument development that can respond to scientifically exciting new technologies will be issued in 2010. We describe the SOFIA facility and outline the opportunities for observations by the general scientific community with cutting edge focal plane technology. We summarize the operational characteristics of the first-generation instruments and give specific examples of the types of fundamental scientific studies these instruments are expected to make.     

Space very long baseline interferometry in China

Space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) has unique applications in high-resolution imaging of the fine structure of astronomical objects and high-precision astrometry due to the key long space–Earth or space–space baselines beyond the Earth’s diameter. China has been actively involved in the development of space VLBI in recent years. This review briefly summarizes China’s research progress in space VLBI and the future development plan.