Air-LUSI: A robotic telescope design for lunar spectral measurements

This paper presents the mechanical design of a new robotic telescope that was designed and built to acquire lunar spectral measurements from the science pod of NASA's ER-2 aircraft while flying at an altitude of 70,000 feet (21.34 km). The robotic telescope used a double gimbal design that allowed for target tracking in azimuth and elevation. In addition to the challenging and restrictive geometry of the science pod, each component needed to be carefully selected to ensure that they could withstand the operating conditions at high altitude such as harsh temperatures extending as low as −54 °C and atmospheric pressure less than 1.05 psi (7.23 kPa). Due to the cold temperatures, low atmospheric pressure and the likely exposure to moisture, high strength industrial linear actuators were used to create an adjustable linkage system that controlled the pointing and tracking of the telescope. Although unconventional, this allowed for a robust design that outperformed the team's expectations by tracking the Moon for 40 min with an average tracking error under 0.05°. The results presented within this paper were acquired during a first set of engineering test flights, with further scientific missions to follow.     

The Cool Interstellar Medium

Infrared spectroscopy and photometry with ISO covering most of the emission range of the interstellar medium has led to important progress in the understanding of the physics and chemistry of the gas, the nature and evolution of the dust grains and also the coupling between the gas and the grains. We review here the ISO results on the cool and low-excitation regions of the interstellar medium, where T _gas≲ 500 K, n _H∼ 100–10⁵ cm⁻³ and the electron density is a few 10⁻⁴. JEL codes: D24, L60, 047 Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom), and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.     

Design and experimental performance verification of a thermal property test-bed for lunar drilling exploration

Chinese Chang'e lunar exploration project aims to collect and return subsurface lunar soil samples at a minimum penetration depth of 2 m in 2017. However, in contrast to those on the Earth, automated drilling and sampling missions on the Moon raise the risk of burning bits.Test-beds are required for testing the thermal properties of drill tools in a lunar environment. In this paper, a novel temperature measuring method based on thermocouples and a slip ring was proposed. Furthermore, a data acquisition system for a drilling process was designed. A vacuous,cryogenic, and anhydrous soil environment simulating the lunar surface was established. A drilling test-bed that can reach a depth of 2.2 m was developed. A control strategy based on online monitoring signals was proposed to improve the drilling performance. Vacuum and non-vacuum experiments were performed to test the temperature rising effect on drill tools. When compared with the non-vacuum experiment, the vacuum temperature rise resulted in a 12 °C increase. These experimental results provide significant support for Chinese lunar exploration missions.     

月球卫星的自主轨道确定

分别利用紫外三轴姿态敏感器测出的月心方向和测距仪测出的月心距作为观测量,采用推广卡尔曼滤波方法实时确定出月球卫星环月期间的轨道,考虑到月球卫星在环月期间太阳对月球光照条件的限制,提出分段虑波策略,并给出了仿真分析.     

用于月球软着陆最优轨迹跟踪制导过程的模糊神经网络控制方法

软着陆过程的制导控制已经成为月球探测中一个具有挑战性的问题。神经网络与模糊逻辑都是处理不确定性(受控对象缺乏精确的数学描述或具有非线性的复杂性)问题的有效手段。本文根据终端着陆条件和性能指标,以由Pontryagin’s极大值原理得出从近月点到月球表面的最优着陆轨迹为基础,给出一种基于模糊神经网络的非线性最优控制策略,使被控系统能够通过模糊神经网络的非线性映射能力实现某种最优的闭环制导控制。最后通过数学仿真验证了该控制策略的可行性与有效性。     

月球软着陆的二次型最优制导方法

为实现在月球表面指定区域的精确软着陆,研究了月球软着陆的线性二次型最优制导方法。利用简化的轨道动力学模型,给出了一种基于状态和能耗最优的软着陆二次型制导方法。由于制导律要求同时提供3个方向的时变推力,所以需要通过变推力发动机和姿态机动来实现。该制导方法虽能满足精确软着陆的需要,但对姿态变化的要求超出了着陆器姿态机动能力。因此,本文修正了二次型最优制导方法,取消了对轨道参数的过程约束,仅对其终端进行约束,通过求解着陆指定目标点的能耗最优两点边值问题,得到了发动机推力大小和方向的显式表达式。研究结果表明,利用一定的姿态机动能力,修正的制导方法能够满足精确软着陆的需要。     

登月飞行器软着陆的非线性最优控制

主要考虑登月飞行器软着陆控制的问题。制导律和控制器的设计分两步完成。首先，利用一个微分同胚变换和一个非线性输入补偿，可以将登月飞行器的非线性动态模型转换成一个线性系统。然后利用经典最优控制理论中的由拉方程，标准最优制导律的解析解既可给出。第二步，利用日。控制理论，我们设计了一个最优反馈控制器保证了实际系统可以鲁棒渐进追踪最优标准轨道。最后通过仿真，可以看出飞行器实现了软着陆控制，着月速度小于给定值，说明方法的可行性和有效性。     

月球探测器软着陆最优末制导策略

在制动火箭推力幅值满足连续可变的前提下,研究了月球探测器软着陆末端的垂直下落过程中的控制问题。基于线性系统跟踪控制理论,利用线性系统中的模型参考跟踪控制的方法设计了一种对指定轨迹进行跟踪的制动方案。同时为了满足耗燃最优性和安全性,根据最优化理论,对控制律中的参数进行优化,最终确定系统的控制律。仿真结果表明该设计方法是简单、有效的。     

Some qualitative manifestations of the physical libration of the Moon by observing stars from the lunar surface

Targets and problems of the future Japanese project ILOM (In situ Lunar Orientation Measurement), which is planned to be realized as one kind of observations of lunar rotation at the second stage of SELENE-2 mission, are briefly described in the article. Inverse problem of lunar physical libration is formulated and solved. Accuracy of libration angles depending on accuracy of measuring selenographic coordinates is estimated. It is shown that selenographic coordinates of polar stars are insensitive to longitudinal librations τ(t). Comparing coordinates calculated for two models of a rigid and deformable Moon is carried out and components sensitive to Love number k₂ and to anelastic time delay are revealed.     

An ISO View on Interstellar and Cometary Ice Chemistry

The ISO-SWS instrument offering a large wavelength coverage and a resolution well adapted to the solid phase has changed our knowledge of the physical-chemical properties of ices in space. The discovery of many new ice features was reported and the comparison with dedicated laboratory experiments allowed the determination of more accurate abundances of major ice components. The presence of CO₂ ice has recently been confirmed with the SWS (Short Wavelength Spectrometer) as a dominant ice component of interstellar grain mantles. The bending mode of CO₂ ice shows a particular triple-peak structure which provides first evidence for extensive ice segregation in the line-of-sight toward massive protostars. A comparison of interstellar and cometary ices using recent ISO data and ground-based measurements has revealed important similarities but also indicated that comets contain, beside pristine interstellar material, admixtures of processed material. The investigation of molecules in interstellar clouds is essential to reveal the link between dust in the interstellar medium and in the Solar System. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.