Frontier days in space: are they over?

The concept of space as a frontier to be conquered remains extremely powerful, especially for the USA. This viewpoint argues that it is outmoded and in urgent need of replacement. In particular, the pursuit of profit, responsible for colonization and damaging exploitation in the past, and which has resulted in the trend for highly expensive space infrastructure projects, some of which may never fly, must be tempered. Space exploration should concentrate rather on promoting learning and intellectual growth.     

Results and Prospects of Studying the Gravitationally Sensitive Systems of Plants under Conditions of Space Flight

Based on systematic studies of the impact of space flight factors on higher plants, carried out for many years both aboard orbital research stations and in the ground laboratories, we have formulated the means of solving the problem of the interaction of mankind with the plant life. The principal feasibility of the growth and development of higher plants (arabidopsis, peas, and wheat) under conditions of space flight is established, including the generative stage (arabidopsis). It is proved that the factors of space flight destabilize the macro- and microstructures of higher plants and their cellular organelles, which is an unambiguous response of cells to the changing conditions of their existence.     

Prospects of autotrophic link functioning in biological life-support systems based on cell biology studies

On the basis of using of modern methods of cytological analysis the cell growth peculiarities, reproduction and structure of plant cells of different level organisation (unicellular algae, mosses, angiosperms, cell cultures of higher factors--weightlessness, hypogravity, magnetic fields of various intensity, vibration and acceleration were cleared. It is shown that many discovered biological effects of space flight are connected with the degree of complexity of the object organisation and intensified with the increasing duration of influence.     

微振动对高分辨率空间相机成像影响的集成分析

文章应用集成建模思想对某型高分辨率空间相机进行了微振动影响的结构-光学集成分析。首先分别建立了该空间相机的微振动载荷模型、结构有限元模型和光学系统模型。然后对微振动载荷作用下的结构有限元模型进行动力学分析,获得空间相机各光学元件的响应位移,并输入到Code V光学模型中做光学系统仿真分析,得出MTF下降和像移情况。通过结果数据的对比分析表明,空间相机对沿坐标轴平动和转动的6种微振动载荷具有不同的响应敏感性,为改进设计、隔振抑振提供了参考。     

Understanding strategic decision making in the context of international space activities

This paper argues that a better understanding of strategic decision making processes in different space agencies is relevant to the successful carrying out of international cooperative undertakings in space and that this kind of information should be taken into account when decisions are to be made on engaging in a new partnership. In this context, the paper provides a general framework for the study of strategic decision making in space organisations, with particular emphasis on the influence of culture. Additionally, it offers practical examples of how differences in policy priorities, decision making environments and practices amongst space organisations can affect international cooperative endeavours. A particular concern is with the role of national and corporate cultures in creating and reflecting differences between space agencies. In order to gather information on strategic decision making processes in the space sector, a series of 30 interviews was conducted with top decision makers from NASA, ESA and the space organisations of Brazil, France, Canada, Russia, The Netherlands and the UK.     

The effect of climber transit on the space elevator dynamics

The space elevator offers an alternate and efficient method for space travel. It will have two main components. The first component is the tether (or the ribbon), which extends from the Earth to an equatorial satellite at an altitude beyond the geostationary orbit, and is fixed to a base on the surface of the Earth at its lower end. The second component is the climber, which scales the ribbon, transporting payloads to space. An important issue for effective operation of the space elevator will be to understand its dynamics. This paper attempts to develop a realistic and yet simple planar model for this purpose. The basic response of the ribbon to climber transit is determined. Both analytical and numerical results are presented. Specific climbing procedures are devised based on these results so as to minimize the adverse effects of climber transit on the ribbon.     

Vector容器内存增长机制研究

当在内存中存储数据时,常常需要在运行时调整内存的大小,vector提供了一个安全、简易并且自动化的内存分配技术。基于时间效率、空间利用率方面的考虑,提出了几种修改内存增长机制的方法,并在此基础上,结合实际应用进行分析,从时间效率和空间利用率两方面对不同内存增长机制进行了比较,得出在实际应用中根据实际情况调整内存增长机制...     

Vector容器内存增长机制研究

当在内存中存储数据时,常常需要在运行时调整内存的大小,vector提供了一个安全、简易并且自动化的内存分配技术。基于时间效率、空间利用率方面的考虑,提出了几种修改内存增长机制的方法,并在此基础上,结合实际应用进行分析,从时间效率和空间利用率两方面对不同内存增长机制进行了比较,得出在实际应用中根据实际情况调整内存增长机制的方法。     

基于改进扩展分形特征的SAR图像目标检测方法

提出了一种新的纹理特征-改进扩展分形特征用于SAR图像目标检测.改进扩展分形特征通过度量SAR图像中物体表面四个方向的结构函数在双尺度上的增量水平,确定目标与杂波在特征空间的不同响应特性,实现目标的检测.采用模拟目标脉冲模型分析了改进扩展分形特征在不同信噪比条件下对不同尺寸目标的响应特性,分析结果表明改进扩展分形特征具有目标尺寸敏感性.利用SAR实测数据验证了改进扩展分形特征在强杂波和多目标环境下的优良检测性能与空间分辨率特性.     

Setting a standard: the limulus amebocyte lysate assay and the assessment of microbial contamination on spacecraft surfaces

Historically, colony-forming units as determined by plate cultures have been the standard unit for microbiological analysis of environmental samples, medical diagnostics, and products for human use. However, the time and materials required make plate cultures expensive and potentially hazardous in the closed environments of future NASA missions aboard the International Space Station and missions to other Solar System targets. The Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) assay is an established method for ensuring the sterility and cleanliness of samples in the meat-packing and pharmaceutical industries. Each of these industries has verified numerical requirements for the correct interpretation of results from this assay. The LAL assay is a rapid, point-of-use, verified assay that has already been approved by NASA Planetary Protection as an alternate, molecular method for the examination of outbound spacecraft. We hypothesize that standards for molecular techniques, similar to those used by the pharmaceutical and meat-packing industries, need to be set by space agencies to ensure accurate data interpretation and subsequent decision making. In support of this idea, we present research that has been conducted to relate the LAL assay to plate cultures, and we recommend values obtained from these investigations that could assist in interpretation and analysis of data obtained from the LAL assay.     

The integrated applications promotion: A new field of action for the European Space Agency

Since ESA's establishment the context in which it operates has evolved greatly, from one of development of technologies and general competence to one of responding to the needs of an increasingly wide range of users, many of whose requirements straddle several applications categories. The IAP programme is ESA's response to this challenge, aimed at fostering the growth of a downstream industry, creating a market for the space industry and serving economic growth overall. The programme's structure and the platforms themselves are described and the programme's achievements and prospects presented. Its success testifies to ESA's continuing ability to adapt to changing environments and operate effectively in new sectors.     

Human development and the conquest of space

Space age ethics are to be distinguished as a separate set of ethical concepts for several reasons: outer space constitutes a unifying element for mankind; the unique space environment has an international statute; and the impact of space science and the utilization of space technology will always have both positive and negative international consequences and repercussions. Its main objective is an immaterial output-related activity and much of its waste is equally immaterial. Space technology carries another hazard with it - the danger of domination by extrovert cultures. Proper development of space technology requires international cooperation, scientific creativity and technological innovation combined with sociopolitical, economic and cultural aims and objectives and ethical values. Norms and objectives have to take into account religious concepts, humanistic viewpoints and sociocultural criteria. The ethics of the conquest of space have to consider the benefit of all mankind and that of each single individual, group and society as complementary and of equal importance.     

空间目标态势行为与事件本体设计与构建

针对空间目标态势威胁响应和预警研究不完善的问题，为实现空间目标行为和事件的智能推理、实时响应和主动预警，保障航天活动和空间利益，提出面向行为与事件的空间目标态势本体模型(BEO-SO2)。基于基本形式本体(BFO)，构建空间目标态势行为与事件本体模型。在统一时空框架下建立空间目标关系模型，实现空间目标行为执行和事件发生过程的动态推演。以空间目标碰撞威胁为背景，设计对象实体等级体系和碰撞威胁行为与事件要素，建立碰撞威胁推理规则，基于空间目标态势行为与事件本体进行实现、验证与展示。结果表明,空间目标态势行为与事件本体能够实现空间目标碰撞威胁的等级推理与预警，并指导进一步的空间活动，为航天任务与空间活动提供有效保障。     

SRAM型FPGA的单粒子效应及TMR设计加固

宇宙空间中存在多种高能粒子,其辐射效应会严重威胁航天器中现场可编程门阵列（FieldProgrammable Gate Array,FPGA）器件工作的可靠性。文章研究了静态随机存储器型（Static Random AccessMemory,SRAM）FPGA中的单粒子翻转效应。理论计算表明,采用三模冗余（Triple Module Redundancy,TMR）设计方法可以有效缓解FPGA中的单粒子翻转问题。针对传统TMR设计方法的不足,提出了一种改进的TMR设计架构,并将该架构应用于某星载关键控制电路的设计中。文中的研究成果对SRAM型FPGA的空间应用有一定参考作用。     

The UK parliamentary space committee: The emergence of a space lobby?

In the past few years the UK has become increasingly active as the financial conscience of the European Space Agency. This is not because the UK government has a wish to spend more on its national space effort; it is because it remains unconvinced of the benefits of certain European space activities, notably manned endeavours. In the absence of an effective UK space lobby, the government's policies have remained largely unchallenged. This article traces the growth of the Parliamentary Space Committee in the context of developments in recent European space policy and highlights the need for an active UK space lobby.     

The O/OREOS mission: first science data from the Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) payload

We report the first telemetered spaceflight science results from the orbiting Space Environment Survivability of Living Organisms (SESLO) experiment, executed by one of the two 10?cm cube-format payloads aboard the 5.5?kg Organism/Organic Exposure to Orbital Stresses (O/OREOS) free-flying nanosatellite. The O/OREOS spacecraft was launched successfully to a 72° inclination, 650?km Earth orbit on 19 November 2010. This satellite provides access to the radiation environment of space in relatively weak regions of Earth's protective magnetosphere as it passes close to the north and south magnetic poles; the total dose rate is about 15 times that in the orbit of the International Space Station. The SESLO experiment measures the long-term survival, germination, and growth responses, including metabolic activity, of Bacillus subtilis spores exposed to the microgravity, ionizing radiation, and heavy-ion bombardment of its high-inclination orbit. Six microwells containing wild-type (168) and six more containing radiation-sensitive mutant (WN1087) strains of dried B. subtilis spores were rehydrated with nutrient medium after 14 days in space to allow the spores to germinate and grow. Similarly, the same distribution of organisms in a different set of microwells was rehydrated with nutrient medium after 97 days in space. The nutrient medium included the redox dye Alamar blue, which changes color in response to cellular metabolic activity. Three-color transmitted intensity measurements of all microwells were telemetered to Earth within days of each of the 48?h growth experiments. We report here on the evaluation and interpretation of these spaceflight data in comparison to delayed-synchronous laboratory ground control experiments.     

Overview of physiological principles to support thermal balance and comfort of astronauts in open space and on planetary surfaces

Although specialists have attempted to improve the space suit to provide better protection in open space or on planetary surfaces, there has been a relative lack of attention to features of human thermoregulatory processes that influence comfort and therefore have an impact on the effectiveness of protective equipment. Our findings showed that different body tissues transfer heat in/out of the body in a different manner. There are also individual differences in thermal transfer through body areas with different proportions of tissues; therefore, data on the thermal profile of each astronaut needs to be used to estimate the optimal body areas for heat/cold transfer in and out of the body in an individually tailored cooling/warming garment. Principles for supporting thermal comfort in space were formulated based on a series of studies to evaluate the human body's response to uniform/nonuniform thermal conditions on the body surface. We conclude that future space suit design and comfort support of astronauts can be easier and more effective if these principles are incorporated.     

CROCODILE: an automated apparatus for organic crystal growth from solution

CROCODILE (CROissance de Cristaux Organiques par DIffusion Liquide dans l'Espace) is a space instrument dedicated to crystal growth from solution. The selected material N (4 nitrophenyl) (L) prolinol (NPP) is the result of studies on organic crystal in the frame of an extended program initiated by CNES for many years. The apparatus was flown aboard PHOTON, an automatic satellite, in April 1990, for a flight duration of more than 15 days. This paper describes the instrument design, with emphasis on specific and original technology well adapted to crystal growth from solution, and extendable to any space experiment on fluids. Preliminary details of the flight campaign will also be discussed.     

基于无源光网络的高速光纤总线技术研究

随着航天遥感类载荷性能的提高,其数据量大幅增加,对高速数据传输提出了更高要求.针对航天环境的高可靠性要求,提出了一种基于命令响应式协议的新型高速光纤总线结构,即把无源光网络技术与FC-AE-1553协议相结合,采用高生存性的逆向双环的冗余拓扑结构搭建了地面演示验证系统.实验表明,新的光纤总线系统通信速率可达2.5Gbps,容易隔离失效节点,所用设备简单,可靠性高,满足航天工程应用需求,具有较强的实用价值.