Ultraviolet emissions from the upper atmospheres of the planets

A large number of atoms and molecules have strong emission lines in the vacuum ultraviolet. As a result, this spectral region is particularly suited to studying the upper atmospheres of the planets. The observed emissions not only identify the constituents, but also provide information on the solar and magnetospheric excitation processes. Long term monitoring of these emissions, particularly with modest spatial resolution, can elucidate the effects of variations in the solar input as well as changes in magnetospheric conditions. Also, earth orbiting telescopes generally provide better spectral resolution than is available on flyby vehicles. A modest beginning in planetary upper atmospheric studies from earth orbit has been made using orbiting observatories designed primarily for stellar astronomy. As examples of the power of this technique, some recent results will be reviewed with an emphasis on Jupiter and the Io torus. The unusual scheduling requirements and the effects of scattered intense long wavelength radiation put demands on orbiting planetary observatories which are somewhat different from those of stellar astronomy. The implications of these demands for continued advances in this area are discussed.     

Surface shape control of integrated paraboloid space reflector consisting of sub-reflectors exploiting modulated solar pressure

Reflectors are very critical space elements and can be used not only as solar collectors/reflectors, telecommunication radio antennas and telescopes but also for dual-usage such as solar sails and solar concentrators to probe and sublimate materials from asteroids when actively controlling the surface shape. In this paper, the surface shape of a slack reflector with negligible elastic deformations will be controlled to be a paraboloid by actively modulating the solar radiation pressure (SRP) force using reflectivity control devices (RCDs) across the reflector. Nonlinear static equilibrium equations for an arbitrary infinitesimal within the reflector along the radial, circumferential and transverse directions are established considering the external modulated SRP force and internal tensions respectively. The coupled radial stress differential governing equation and reflectivity algebraic equation are obtained for the paraboloid reflector by the help of the formulation of an inverse problem based on equilibrium equations previously established. Some analytical and numerical analysis for reflectors with ideal and non-perfect SRP force models are performed respectively. The conclusions concerning about how to control the reflector’s surface shape successfully using allowed reflectivity, resulting in reasonable stress range, moreover, how to get the feasible solutions influenced by the reflector’s size parameters, are all based on the presented analytical and numerical analysis.     

太阳电池电路深空探测服役环境与关键技术分析

针对月球、火星、木星等不同的深空探测任务,本文通过在轨服役环境分析,说明了火星探测火星表面光谱计算方法、火星光谱太阳电池设计思路、火星表面除尘技术路线及木星探测低温低光强技术风险。结合工程技术经验,给出了特殊任务应用条件下单片太阳电池推算整板输出功率的计算方法,解决了我国尚无特殊条件的瞬态大太阳模拟器作为整板输出功率测试地面模拟光源的工程难题,为相关科研人员提供参考。     

The radiation impedance of electrodynamic tethers in a polar Jovian orbit

Juno, the second mission in the NASA New Frontiers Program, will both be a polar Jovian orbiter, and use solar arrays for power, moving away from previous use of radioisotope power systems (RPSs) in spite of the weak solar light reaching Jupiter. The power generation at Jupiter is critical, and a conductive tether could be an alternative source of power. A current-carrying tether orbiting in a magnetized ionosphere/plasmasphere will radiate waves. A magnitude of interest for both power generation and signal emission is the wave impedance. Jupiter has the strongest magnetic field in the Solar Planetary System and its plasma density is low everywhere. This leads to an electron plasma frequency smaller than the electron cyclotron frequency, and a high Alfven velocity. Unlike the low Earth orbit (LEO) case, the electron skin depth and the characteristic size of plasma contactors affect the Alfven impedance.     

Space Weather Service for Chinese Space Science Satellites

Strategic Priority Research Program on Space Science has gained remarkable achievements. Space Environment Prediction Center (SEPC) affiliated with the National Space Science Center (NSSC) has been providing space weather services and helps secure space missions. Presently, SEPC is capable to offer a variety of space weather services covering many phases of space science missions including planning, design, launch, and orbital operation. The service packages consist of space weather forecasts, warnings, and effect analysis that can be utilized to avoid potential space weather hazard or reduce the damage caused by space storms, space radiation exposure for example. Extensive solar storms that occurred over Chinese Ghost Festival (CGF) in September 2017 led to a large enhancement of the solar energetic particle flux at 1 AU, which affected the near Earth radiation environment and brought great threat to orbiting satellites. Based on the space weather service by SEPC, satellite ground support groups collaborating with the space Tracking, Telemetering and Command system (TT&C) team were able to take immediate measures to react to the CGF solar storm event.      

Remote sensing of clouds

The extraction of information on cloud cover from present-day multispectral satellite images poses a challenge to the remote sensing specialist. When approached one pixel at a time, the derived cloud cover parameters are inherently nonunique. More information is needed than is available in the radiances from each channel of an isolated pixel. The required additional information can be obtained for each scene, however, by analyzing the distribution of pixels in the multi-dimensional space of channel radiances. The cluster patterns in this space yield statistical information that points to the most likely solution for that scene. The geostationary and polar orbiting meteorological satellites all have, at a minimum, a solar reflection channel in the visible spectrum and a thermal infrared channel in the 8–12 micron window. With the information from the cluster patterns and application of the equations of radiative transfer, the measurements in those channels will yield cloud cover fraction, optical thickness, and cloud-top temperature for an assumed microphysical model of the cloud layer. Additional channels, such as the 3.7 micron channel on the AVHRR of the polar orbiting meteorological satellites, will will yield information on the microphysical model—e.g., distinguishing small liquid liquid droplets (typical of low level clouds) from large ice particles (typical of cirrus and the tops of cumulonimbus). New channels to be included in future satellite missions will provide information on cloud height, independent of temperature, and on a particle size and thermodynamic phase, independently of each other. A proposed STS mission using lidar will pave the way for the use of active sensors that will provide more precise information on cloud height and probe the structure of thin cirrus and the top layer of of the thicker cloud.     

LISA: Heliocentric formation design for the laser interferometer space antenna mission

The LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission has been selected by the European Space Agency’s Science Programme Committee as the third large-class mission of the Cosmic Vision Programme, addressing the science theme of the Gravitational Universe. With a planned launch date in 2034, LISA will be the first ever space-borne Gravitational Wave observatory, relying on laser interferometry between three spacecraft orbiting the Sun in a triangular formation. Airbus is currently leading an industrial Phase A system study on behalf of the European Space Agency. The paper will address the astrodynamics challenges associated with the LISA constellation design, driven by tight requirements on the geometric quality metrics of the near equilateral formation.     

On-orbit verification of fuel-free attitude control system for spinning solar sail utilizing solar radiation pressure

This paper introduces a new attitude control system for a solar sail, which leverages solar radiation pressure. This novel system achieves completely fuel-free and oscillation-free attitude control of a flexible spinning solar sail. This system consists of thin-film-type devices that electrically control their optical parameters such as reflectivity to generate an imbalance in the solar radiation pressure applied to the edge of the sail. By using these devices, minute and continuous control torque can be applied to the sail to realize very stable and fuel-free attitude control of the large and flexible membrane. The control system was implemented as an optional attitude control system for small solar power sail demonstrator named IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun). In-orbit attitude control experiments were conducted, and the performance of the controller was successfully verified in comparison with the ground-based analytical performance estimation.     

Impact effects from small size meteoroids and space debris

When the impact risk from meteoroids and orbital debris is assessed the main concern is usually structural damage. With their high impact velocities of typically 10–20 km/s millimeter or centimeter sized objects can puncture pressure vessels and other walls or lead to destruction of complete subsystems or even whole spacecraft. Fortunately chances of collisions with such larger objects are small (at least at present). However, particles in the size range 1–100 μm are far more abundant than larger objects and every orbiting spacecraft will encounter them with certainty. Every solar cell (8 cm² area) of the Hubble Space Telescope encountered on average 12 impacts during its 8.25 years of space exposure. Most were from micron sized particles.     

低轨道航天器高电压太阳电池阵电流泄漏效应分析计算

在一种简化的太阳电池阵结构模型基础上, 利用太阳电池阵电流收集经验模式,基于电流平衡, 建立了一种计算低轨道航天器高电压太阳电池阵在等离子体环境中电流泄漏的方法. 利用该方法, 对高电压太阳电池阵电流泄漏效应与低轨道等离子体环境、电池阵电压、电池阵裸露金属面积的关系进行了分析计算.结果表明, 随着轨道高度增加, 电流泄漏引起的电池阵功率损失迅速下降, 影响最严重的区域为电离层等离子体密度最高的300～400 km高度的轨道区域; 电流泄漏引起的功率损失与太阳电池阵电压呈指数关系, 电压越高功率损失越大; 200 V以下的电池阵功率损耗较小, 远低于电源系统总功率的1%;电流泄漏与太阳电池阵裸露金属导体的表面积呈正比关系, 因此, 通过减少太阳电池阵裸露面积, 可以降低电流泄漏的影响.      

我国首次火星探测任务

我国首次火星探测任务于2016年立项实施。综合介绍了国际火星探测的历史和现状,我国首次火星探测任务的工程目标和科学目标、总体技术方案、关键技术难点、预期创新成果。我国首次火星探测任务将通过一次发射,实现火星环绕和着陆巡视,对火星开展全球性普查和局部的精细探测,推进火星地形地貌与地质构造、土壤特征与水冰分布、表明物质组成、大气电离层和气候环境、物理场与内部构造等方面的研究。实现火星探测任务目标,针对火星探测面临的各种特殊环境,需突破长期自主管理与控制等8类关键技术,取得的一系列创新成果,将为我国建立独立自主的深空探测基础工程体系,掌握深空探测基础共性技术,形成开展深空探测的基础工程能力。     

太阳帆航天器行星际轨道转移优化算法

研究基于遗传算法的太阳帆行星际转移轨道的全局优化问题.通过极小值原理推导了太阳帆全局优化控制律,并以太阳帆飞行时间最短为优化目标函数,运用遗传算法对发射时间、到达时间和协态变量初值进行参数优化设计.为了解决轨道转移这一多约束优化问题,在遗传算法中加入动态罚函数.在此理论基础上作了从地球同步轨道出发到火星同步轨道转移和从地球出发与火星交会两个算例,仿真结果表明了该方法在太阳帆转移轨道全局优化中的有效性.     

Detection of solar neutrons on a long duration balloon flight

The observation of large solar flares on high altitude balloons requires long duration balloon flights because large flares are infrequent and cannot be predicted with enough reliability and lead time to allow a conventional balloon to be launched and reach altitude before the flare occurs. With the many weeks at float altitude expected for a long duration flight, the probability of “catching” a large flare during solar maximum becomes reasonably high and the study of phenomena which heretofore have required a satellite become accessible to a balloon platform. One example of this type of experiment is the observation of neutrons produced by the interaction of flare accelerated nucleons with the solar atmosphere. Because the neutrons are produced immediately by the flare accelerated particles and are unaffected by their transmission through the upper solar atmosphere and the intervening magnetic fields, their observation at 1 A.U. will provide direct information on the flare acceleration process. Specifically, a measurement of the neutron energy and time spectra will yield the energy spectrum of the charged nucleons in the interval 50 to 500 MeV/amu, the charged particle anisotropy, the height of the acceleration region for limb flares, and information on the two-stage acceleration process. Because the γ-ray spectrum is also sensitive to these factors, a combined neutron and γ-ray measurement will provide a much more stringent test of flare models than either done separately. CWRU and the University of Melbourne have designed the EOSCOR (Extended Observation of Solar and Cosmic Radiation) detector to have the necessary sensitivity to detect neutrons from a flare 0.1 the size of the 4 Aug. 1972 event and to be compatible with the constraints of the long duration balloon system. The detector has been test flown on short duration balloon flights and calibrated at E_n = 38, 58, and 118 MeV. It is planned to launch it on a long duration balloon flight from Australia in December 1982 when simultaneous γ-ray observations will be possible with the SMM and/or HINTORI satellites.     

采用SMA驱动的小型空间磁悬浮飞轮锁紧机构

磁悬浮飞轮锁紧机构在卫星发射时锁紧飞轮,减小其振动和冲击载荷;在发射后解锁,保证飞轮正常工作.目前已有的以火工品或步进电机驱动的锁紧机构具有冲击大、体积较大、不可重复使用等缺点.提出了一种采用形状记忆合金(SMA, Shape Memory Alloy)驱动的空间磁悬浮飞轮锁紧机构的设计方案,并在Liang本构模型的基础上发展了机构驱动单元的设计方法.之后,完成了锁紧机构的样机研制和调试,并开展了地面的性能测试、振动试验和高温环境试验.研究结果表明:SMA锁紧机构安装体积小,在星载28 V电压下能在6 s内完全锁紧,在1 s内完全解锁,并能够通过振动和环境实验.SMA驱动的磁悬浮飞轮锁紧机构具有锁紧力大、同步性好、可重复使用、低冲击、无污染等优势,有很大的工程应用潜力.      

火星尘埃对太阳电池阵的影响与电帘除尘研究

火星表面大量尘埃在太阳电池阵表面的累积将会导致其输出功率下降,甚至使太阳电池阵功能失效。近年来,电帘除尘方法被认为是在火星着陆任务中进行尘埃防护最有效的手段之一。本文开展了火星尘埃累积对三结砷化镓太阳电池性能影响的实验研究,得到了火星尘埃累积量与太阳电池电压、电流和相对输出功率数值模型;通过除尘技术分析,确定电帘除尘装置构型;依据制备得到的除尘电帘,对不同火星尘埃累积下电帘的除尘效率进行了研究,为火星着陆太阳电池阵遥测数据分析和开发自适应除尘太阳电池阵提供有力的技术支持。     

Estimating low resolution gravity fields at short time intervals to reduce temporal aliasing errors

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission has been estimating temporal changes in the Earth’s gravitational field since its launch in 2002. While it is not yet fully resolved what the limiting source of error is for GRACE, studies on future missions have shown that temporal aliasing errors due to undersampling signals of interest (such as hydrological variations) and errors in atmospheric, ocean, and tide models will be a limiting source of error for missions taking advantage of improved technologies (flying drag-free with a laser interferometer). This paper explores the option of reducing the effects of temporal aliasing errors by directly estimating low degree and order gravity fields at short time intervals, ultimately resulting in data products with improved spatial resolution. Three potential architectures are considered: a single pair of polar orbiting satellites, two pairs of polar orbiting satellites, and a polar orbiting pair of satellites coupled with a lower inclined pair of satellites. Results show that improvements in spatial resolution are obtained when one estimates a low resolution gravity field every two days for the case of a single pair of satellites, and every day for the case of two polar pairs of satellites. However, the spatial resolution for these cases is still lower than that provided by simply destriping and smoothing the solutions via standard GRACE post-processing techniques. Alternately, estimating daily gravity fields for the case of a polar pair of satellites coupled with a lower inclined pair results in solutions with superior spatial resolution than that offered by simply destriping and smoothing the solutions.     

Solar cycle variation of the low-altitude trapped proton flux

Under NASA's Space Environment Effects (SEE) program, we are developing new models for the low-altitude (250–1000 km, L < 1.5) trapped radiation environment based on data from the TIROS/NOAA polar orbiting spacecraft. The unique features of this data base and model include the long time series (more than one complete solar cycle) obtained from the TIROS/NOAA data and the use of a coordinate system more applicable to the low-altitude environment. The data show a strong variation (as much as a factor of 10) over the solar cycle and a hysteresis effect between the rising and falling portions of the solar cycle. Both the solar cycle variation and the hysteresis are functions of L. In addition to the hysteresis effect, the flux during a given cycle appears to be a function of the previous cycle. Superimposed on the gradual variation over the solar cycle, transient effects, correlated with solar particle events (SPEs), can be clearly seen. Comparison with the AP8 models shows that the measured flux is a factor of 2–3 higher than the model. These data have important implications for the development and use of trapped radiation models, and will also contribute to our knowledge of the source and loss mechanisms at work in the inner zone.     

Dynamics of solar cosmic ray events: Processes at large heliocentric distances (⪢1 AU)

Observations of solar cosmic ray events far from the sun (?1 AU) became possible after the launch of Pioneer 10 in 1972. Four spacecraft have now travelled beyond the orbit of Jupiter - Pioneer 10/11 and Voyager 1/2 — and are producing a growing body of distant observations of solar cosmic ray events. Initial studies using Pioneer 10/11 data out to ～6 AU interpreted flare particle observations in terms of a diffusion model, including the effects of convection and adiabatic energy loss. This model enjoyed general success in explaining the time-intensity profiles in cases where the spacecraft connection longitude at the sun did not change significantly with time. The results implied that the radial diffusion coefficient (K_r) increased slowly with distance over that radial range. More recent results at larger distances imply that K_r may begin to decrease beyond ～5 AU. It is not yet clear whether the standard diffusion model will be adequate to explain solar events well beyond 5 AU. The fact that large events at very large distances can last up to two solar rotations implies that solar wind stream structure will also play a role in the event dynamics. In general, however, observations at large distances offer perhaps the best hope of separating interplanetary propagation effects from coronal storage and propagation effects which frequently dominate observed event profiles at 1 AU.     

深远空连续推进动力与施图林格解的解析

针对太阳系远深距离的探测将是人类下一阶段深空探测活动的主要目标。这一目标的实现依赖于探测器连续推进动力技术的突破。从描述连续常值推力下太空飞行的施图林格解出发,对其中反映的深远空飞行任务有效载荷比、任务时间、飞行距离等关键参数与发动机性能之间的关系进行了深入分析。给出了在特定任务时长、特定飞行距离要求下发动机比冲、功率需要满足的条件及其对有效载荷比、最终飞行速度等指标的影响。此外,基于二体轨道动力学对太阳系行星探测的大椭圆转移轨道和转移能量进行了推导,并对连续推力的太阳帆任务方案涉及的关键技术指标做了理论性的计算。这些结论是对深空探测连续推力方案基础理论的归纳,可以为我国未来开展深远空探测活动提供重要的启发和指导。     

Study of the optical and mechanical properties of regolith with the ICAPS facility

Regoliths are a most important component of solar system bodies. The study of their formation and evolution depends upon measurements from orbiting spacecraft or Earth-based observations, and by the development of models addressing formation and evolution scenarios, physical properties and composition of the constituent materials. For asteroids and comets, recent measurements tend to confirm the idea of extremely low bulk densities. The porosity of the outermost regolith layers should thus reach very high values. Regolith formation and growth partly depends upon gravity and mechanical properties of its constituent particles, which are very poorly documented. Gravitational effects play an important role in the shaping processes of large bodies, while material strength properties are more important for smaller bodies. The understanding of both, aggregation processes of, and of light scattering from, such media, would strongly benefit from experiments led under microgravity, and provide insight into regolith formation processes: much lower collision and aggregation velocities can be achieved in a microgravity environment, leading to the formation of much fluffier aggregates than possible on Earth. ICAPS is a multi-year scientific programme to simulate cosmic and atmospheric particle systems on board the International Space Station. The ICAPS facility will allow to build simulated regolith and thus enable the study of their mechanical and optical properties. Measurements such as tensile strength, electrical and thermal conductivities, compressibility and porosity, will be made, as well as monitoring of collisions into such simulated regolith. The article discusses the ICAPS research plan for regolith studies and the facility current status.