Surface characteristics of spacecraft components affect the aggregation of microorganisms and may lead to different survival rates of bacteria on Mars landers

Layers of dormant endospores of Bacillus subtilis HA101 were applied to eight different spacecraft materials and exposed to martian conditions of low pressure (8.5 mbar), low temperature (-10 degrees C), and high CO(2) gas composition and irradiated with a Mars-normal ultraviolet (UV-visible- near-infrared spectrum. Bacterial layers were exposed to either 1 min or 1 h of Mars-normal UV irradiation, which simulated clear-sky conditions on equatorial Mars (0.1 tau). When exposed to 1 min of Mars UV irradiation, the numbers of viable endospores of B. subtilis were reduced three to four orders of magnitude for two brands of aluminum (Al), stainless steel, chemfilm-treated Al, clear-anodized Al, and black-anodized Al coupons. In contrast, bacterial survival was reduced only one to two orders of magnitude for endospores on the non-metal materials astroquartz and graphite composite when bacterial endospores were exposed to 1 min of Mars UV irradiation. When bacterial monolayers were exposed to 1 h of Mars UV irradiation, no viable bacteria were recovered from the six metal coupons listed above. In contrast, bacterial survival was reduced only two to three orders of magnitude for spore layers on astroquartz and graphite composite exposed to 1 h of Mars UV irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy images of the bacterial monolayers on all eight spacecraft materials revealed that endospores of B. subtilis formed large aggregates of multilayered spores on astroquartz and graphite composite, but not on the other six spacecraft materials. It is likely that the formation of multilayered aggregates of endospores on astroquartz and graphite composite is responsible for the enhanced survival of bacterial cells on these materials.     

Large aerial bursts: an important class of terrestrial accretionary events

Large aerial bursts similar to the 1908 Tunguska bolide but much larger in magnitude have surely been responsible for many catastrophic events in the history of the Earth. Because aerial bursts produce shallow (or even negligible) craters, their existence is difficult to document in the geological record. Even aerial bursts as small as Tunguska deposit enough energy to melt approximately 1mm of dry soil. Silica-rich glass formed in such melts has the potential to survive in the soil for many Ma, thus a potential indicator of large aerial bursts is glass that was formed as thick regions within silicate melt sheets. The layered tektites from Southeast Asia and the Libyan desert glass may have formed by a combination of sedimentation and downslope flow of silicate melt heated by radiation from large aerial bursts. The alternative, formation of layered tektites as crater ejecta, cannot account for observations such as uniformly high 10Be contents, the orientation of the magnetic remanence field, and the absence of splash-form (e.g., teardrop or dumbbell) tektites in regions where layered tektites are common. The largest asteroids or comets make craters no matter what their strength. Recent reviews suggest that, for events in the energy range up to 10(19)-10(20) J (about two orders of magnitude larger than the Meteor Crater impact), aerial bursts are more likely than cratering events, and the layered tektites of Southeast Asia imply the existence of aerial bursts one to two orders of magnitude larger still.     

美国空军卫星控制网和国防部其它地面支持系统

在设计卫星系统时,一个基本的但经常被忽视的领域是地面支持系统。地面支持系统的及早规划,可以和其它计划共用卫星支持能力,资源共享,从而节省计划开支。要达到这一目标,首先要了解其它地面支持系统的结构和能力。本文是关于地面支持系统的系列文章中的第一篇综述性文章,主要介绍美国军方地面支持系统,重点则是空军卫星控制网(AFSCN)。 空军卫星控制网是一个全球性的遥控、跟踪和通信系统,它为国防部的航天任务提供地面支持。本文介绍了该控制网的历史,描述了目前的情况,并说明了其支持不同卫星计划的途经。本文还介绍了该网的将来和正在考虑的几种系统结构。另外还谈到了海军和陆军的地面支持系统。     

为机动车辆提供定位和移动通信服务的系统

美国数家公司正在继续开发并演示利用卫星为汽车提供定位和移动通信服务的新产品,试图打开这一新市场。 NYNEX是一家为美国东北部提供区域电话服务的公司,最近也加入这一竞争。该公司目前正和斯坦福电信公司合作开发和试验一种依靠全球定位系统为汽车提供精确位置的装置。该工程被称为北极星工程。该公司认为在汽车上装上GPS接收机和蜂窝电话可以为用户驾驶     

Hydrogen in rocks: an energy source for deep microbial communities

To survive in deep subsurface environments, lithotrophic microbial communities require a sustainable energy source such as hydrogen. Though H2 can be produced when water reacts with fresh mineral surfaces and oxidizes ferrous iron, this reaction is unreliable since it depends upon the exposure of fresh rock surfaces via the episodic opening of cracks and fissures. A more reliable and potentially more voluminous H2 source exists in nominally anhydrous minerals of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Our experimental results indicate that H2 molecules can be derived from small amounts of H2O dissolved in minerals in the form of hydroxyl, OH- or O3Si-OH, whenever such minerals crystallized in an H2O-laden environment. Two types of experiments were conducted. Single crystal fracture experiments indicated that hydroxyl pairs undergo an in situ redox conversion to H2 molecules plus peroxy links, O3Si/OO\SiO3. While the peroxy links become part of the mineral structure, the H2 molecules diffused out of the freshly fractured mineral surfaces. If such a mechanism occurred in natural settings, the entire rock column would become a volume source of H2. Crushing experiments to facilitate the outdiffusion of H2 were conducted with common crustal igneous rocks such as granite, andesite, and labradorite. At least 70 nmol of H2/g diffused out of coarsely crushed andesite, equivalent at standard pressure and temperature to 5,000 cm3 of H2/m3 of rock. In the water-saturated, biologically relevant upper portion of the rock column, the diffusion of H2 out of the minerals will be buffered by H2 saturation of the intergranular water film.     

A new preoxygenation procedure for extravehicular activity (EVA)

A 10.2 psi staged-decompression schedule or a 4-hour preoxygenation at 14.7 psi is required prior to extravehicular activity (EVA) to reduce decompression sickness (DCS) risk. Results of recent research at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) showed that a 1-hour resting preoxygenation followed by a 4-hour, 4.3 psi exposure resulted in 77% DCS risk (N=26), while the same profile beginning with 10 min of exercise at 75% of VO2peak during preoxygenation reduced the DCS risk to 42% (P<.03; N=26). A 4-hour preoxygenation without exercise followed by the 4.3 psi exposure resulted in 47% DCS risk (N=30). The 1-hour preoxygenation with exercise and the 4-hour preoxygenation without exercise results were not significantly different. Elimination of either 3 hours of preoxygenation or 12 hours of staged-decompression are compelling reasons to consider incorporation of exercise-enhanced preoxygenation.     

欧空局深空网的现状和发展趋势

随着深空任务的发展 ,欧空局 (ESA)正在建设自己的全球深空网。该网主要由欧洲航天操作中心和三个深空地面站组成 ,其中位于澳大利亚珀斯附近的新诺舍 35m深空站已投入使用 ,位于西班牙马德里附近的塞布里洛斯深空站将于 2 0 0 5年初建成。欧空局正为在经度相隔 12 0°左右的地方建设第三个深空地面站选点。三个站的性能指标基本相同。本文介绍了欧洲航天操作中心和新诺舍 35m深空站的组成、功能及技术指标