Galileo trajectory design

The Galileo spacecraft was launched by the Space Shuttle Atlantis on October 18, 1989. A two-stage Inertial Upper Stage propelled Galileo out of Earth parking orbit to begin its 6-year interplanetary transfer to Jupiter. Galileo has already received two gravity assists: from Venus on February 10, 1990 and from Earth on December 8, 1990. After a second gravity-assist flyby of Earth on December 8, 1992, Galileo will have achieved the energy necessary to reach Jupiter. Galileo's interplanetary trajectory includes a close flyby of asteroid 951-Gaspra on October 29, 1991, and, depending on propellant availability and other factors, there may be a second asteroid flyby of 243-Ida on August 28, 1993. Upon arrival at Jupiter on December 7, 1995, the Galileo Orbiter will relay data back to Earth from an atmospheric Probe which is released five months earlier. For about 75 min, data is transmitted to the Orbiter from the Probe as it descends on a parachute to a pressure depth of 20–30 bars in the Jovian atmosphere. Shortly after the end of Probe relay, the Orbiter ignites its rocket motor to insert into orbit about Jupiter. The orbital phase of the mission, referred to as the satellite tour, lasts nearly two years, during which time Galileo will complete 10 orbits about Jupiter. On each of these orbits, there will be a close encounter with one of the three outermost Galilean satellites (Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto). The gravity assist from each satellite is designed to target the spacecraft to the next encounter with minimal expenditure of propellant. The nominal mission is scheduled to end in October 1997 when the Orbiter enters Jupiter's magnetotail.List of Acronyms ASI Atmospheric Structure Instrument - EPI Energetic Particles Instrument - HGA High Gain Antenna - IUS Inertial Upper Stage - JOI Jupiter Orbit Insertion - JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory - LRD Lightning and Radio Emissions Detector - NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NEP Nephelometer - NIMS Near-Infrared Mapping Spectrometer - ODM Orbit Deflection Maneuver - OTM Orbit Trim Maneuver - PJR Perijove Raise Maneuver - PM Propellant Margin - PDT Pacific Daylight Time - PST Pacific Standard Time - RPM Retropropulsion Module - RRA Radio Relay Antenna - SSI Solid State Imaging - TCM Trajectory Correction Maneuver - UTC Universal Time Coordinated - UVS Ultraviolet Spectrometer - VEEGA Venus-Earth-Earth Gravity Assist     

Advanced detectors and instruments for small satellites

This paper presents some approaches to the development of advanced detectors and to miniaturized instrument design which are pursued in the Institute of Space Sensor Technology of DLR (the German Aerospace Research Establishment). The instrument design approach is demonstrated for a low-weight (3 kg) dual camera system with narrow-angle in-track stereo and wide-angle multispectral features. Each camera has its own signal processor and 0,5 G Bit mass memory. The activities for advanced detector development are concentrated on two different kinds of detectors and instrumentations: infrared detector arrays and instruments at wavelengths out to about 240 μm, and superheterodyne receivers in the submillimeter and far-infrared spectral ranges.     

Detecting tree-like multicellular life on extrasolar planets

Over the next two decades, NASA and ESA are planning a series of space-based observatories to find Earth-like planets and determine whether life exists on these planets. Previous studies have assessed the likelihood of detecting life through signs of biogenic gases in the atmosphere or a red edge. Biogenic gases and the red edge could be signs of either single-celled or multicellular life. In this study, we propose a technique with which to determine whether tree-like multicellular life exists on extrasolar planets. For multicellular photosynthetic organisms on Earth, competition for light and the need to transport water and nutrients has led to a tree-like body plan characterized by hierarchical branching networks. This design results in a distinct bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) that causes differing reflectance at different sun/view geometries. BRDF arises from the changing visibility of the shadows cast by objects, and the presence of tree-like structures is clearly distinguishable from flat ground with the same reflectance spectrum. We examined whether the BRDF could detect the existence of tree-like structures on an extrasolar planet by using changes in planetary albedo as a planet orbits its star. We used a semi-empirical BRDF model to simulate vegetation reflectance at different planetary phase angles and both simulated and real cloud cover to calculate disk and rotation-averaged planetary albedo for a vegetated and non-vegetated planet with abundant liquid water. We found that even if the entire planetary albedo were rendered to a single pixel, the rate of increase of albedo as a planet approaches full illumination would be comparatively greater on a vegetated planet than on a non-vegetated planet. Depending on how accurately planetary cloud cover can be resolved and the capabilities of the coronagraph to resolve exoplanets, this technique could theoretically detect tree-like multicellular life on exoplanets in 50 stellar systems.     

"SYMBIOSE" SYstem for Microgravity BIOregenerative Support of Experiments.

SYMBIOSE is an ESA supported research and development program which aims at establishing a first pilot model of a closed ecological system, compatible with operation in weightlessness conditions, and dedicated to scientific investigations in the microgravity environment. It integrates microalgal photosynthesis within an artificial ecosystem featuring a symbiotic strain of Chlorella (241 .80, Gottingen), which synthesizes and excretes substantial amounts of maltose, and is further looped on a consumer compartment. A technological concept has been developed. It is presently being integrated in order to gain knowledge on the system dynamics, and ultimately demonstrate the feasibility of such a biotechnology. Preliminary work on the photosynthetic metabolism of this microalga is being undertaken in order 1) to support later a mathematical formalisation of the dynamics of this artificial ecosystem, and, on this basis, 2) to compensate for its lack of stability with model-based external control. The most recent results are presented, along with a new design of the photobioreactor which integrates efficient light energy capture, microgravity compatible gas transfer and reduced shear stress.     

Global ena Image Simulations

The energetic neutral atom (ENA) images obtained by the ISEE and POLAR satellites pointed the way toward global imaging of the magnetospheric plasmas. The Imager for Magnetopause to Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) is the first mission to dedicate multiple neutral atom imagers: HENA, MENA and LENA, to monitor the ion distributions in high-, medium- and low-energy ranges, respectively. Since the start of science operation, HENA, MENA and LENA have been continuously sending down images of the ring current, ionospheric outflow, and magnetosheath enhancements from high pressure solar wind. To unfold multiple-dimensional (equal or greater than 3) plasma distributions from 2-dimensional images is not a trivial task. Comparison with simulated ENA images from a modeled ion distribution provides an important basis for interpretation of features in the observed images. Another approach is to develop image inversion methods to extract ion information from ENA images. Simulation studies have successfully reproduced and explained energetic ion drift dynamics, the transition from open to closed drift paths, and the magnetosheath response to extreme solar wind conditions. On the other hand, HENA has observed storm-time ion enhancement on the nightside toward dawn that differs from simple concepts but can be explained using more sophisticated models. LENA images from perigee passes reveal unexpected characteristics that now can be interpreted as evidence for a transient superthermal exospheric component that is gravitationally-influenced if not bound. In this paper, we will report ENA simulations performed during several IMAGE observed events. These simulations provide insight and explanations to the ENA features that were not readily understandable previously.     

Application of numerical Fourier transformation on measurements made on board rotating spacecrafts

Signals obtained on board rocket payloads or satellites are often “spin modulated”. The relevant information is then found within the envelope and the phase of the signal. The most efficient method of extracting this information is the numerical Fourier analysis.     

Finding the best set of K paths through a trellis withapplication to multitarget tracking

A solution is presented to the problem of finding the best set of K completely unmerged paths through a trellis with M _i⩾K states at depth i in the trellis, i=0, 1, 2, . . ., N. Here, `best set' means that the sum of the metrics of all K paths in the set is minimized, and `completely unmerged' means that no two paths pass through a common state. The solution involves using the Viterbi algorithm on an expanded trellis. This result is then used to separate the tracks of K targets optimally in a simplified model of a multitarget radar system. The model includes measurement errors and false alarms, but it does not include the effects of missing detections or merged measurements