Why rover preparatory programmes? The example of the French programme “VAP”

The very first activities concerning planetary rovers began in 1964 in the Soviet Union and in the United States for lunar missions. Nowadays, with the increase of new mission needs and technical possibilities, several space agencies have engaged in some preliminary programmes in that area with the following objectives:

• —to prepare their involvement in future international rover missions

• —to ease contacts/discussions between scientists and engineers

• —to study and develop a new generation of in situ experiments

• —to perform system/mission analysis in conjunction with the definition of the mission objectives

• —to analyze robotic problematics and implement robotic concepts in the rover architectures.

To perform these activities, several organizations have been set up in Russia, the United States, Japan, Italy and France, according to the relative weight of space engineering over robotic research.

In the case of the French programme (‘VAP—Automatic Planetary Rover’), the organization is based on a partnership between the CNES, a scientific committee, four national research laboratories and industries in order to optimize scientific and technical work, with an optimal use of past robotic research studies, as well as to generate spin-offs for Earth applications. Indeed, as a preliminary result, we now have a co-operative agreement with Russia to procure cameras and associated software for the autonomous navigation of the Marsokhod 96 and 2 projects for terrestrial applications of robotic concepts defined within the framework of the VAP programme.     

A new facility for fluid sciences: The liquid structure facility

The Liquid Structure Facility (LSF) is presently under development under ESA contract. It will be able to perform a wide range of fluid science experiments taking use of the determination of the velocity, temperature, concentration fields and the interface shape deformation. This facility will be activated by telecommands and/or manually by the crew. The key points of the LSF are the different diagnostic configuration capabilities, the modularity of the facility, and the accuracy of the control at the boundary conditions (and thus of the stimuli). The LSF is structured around four different modules:

• —the cell module which is exchangeable and is dedicated to an experiment or to a group of experiments, it allows to achieve a high accuracy level for the boundary conditions

• —the temperature control module using a liquid cooling loop which can impose a good thermal stability to the cell module

• —the diagnostic module

• —the electronic and data handling module.

The capabilities of the facility are described in terms of stimuli and diagnostic performances.     

Potential evolution of an international moon base programme

The Moon is a major target in expanding human activity in Space. President Bush has called for a Space Exploration Initiative. European participation may depend on achieving an affordable programme and identifying distinct elements for non-U.S. participation. Affordability requires that all participants can influence the “cost to user” of Base operations. If lunar activity is to evolve towards resource exploitation, there will need to be a progressive reduction in operating costs. European interest would prefer participation that allowed longer-term independent interests. The paper addresses how non-U.S. agencies could contribute valuable elements to an International Moon Base while meeting three criteria:

• — Keep a core infrastructure under U.S. control.

• — Avoid a total reliance by the partner on U.S. services.

• — Allow the partner to evolve towards an eventual, semi-autonomous or autonomous capability.

The paper illustrates possible implications of meeting these constraints through “mini infrastructures” combining several elements to form a working architecture. It is concluded that any European participation in an International Moon Base Programme should contain both Space transport and surface elements.     

LOCSS and its implementation on the basis of a small satellite cluster

A problem of providing users with the necessary remote sensing data in the visible and near IR spectral bands has been considered. The solution of the problem plans increase of spatial and spectral resolution for imaging from space, high periodicity of surveying the same sites on the Earth's surface and spaceborne data delivery to users in real time.

This problem solution proposed is to use a cluster of small satellites and to implement the Local Space Service (LOCSS) program. The main aspects of this concept are as follows:

• • optimization of remote sensing instrumentation parameters;

• • image data compression onboard a small spacecraft;

• • compressed data downlinking via the low rate radio channel;

• • direct reception of the image data by users at small cheap receiving stations; and

• • image data decompression and processing using personal computers and special processors.

     

Using Spacelab as a precursor of science operations for the Space Station

For more than 15 years, Spacelab, has provided a laboratory in space for an international array of experiments, facilities, and experimenters. In addition to continuing this important work, Spacelab is now serving as a crucial stepping-stone to the improved science, improved operations, and rapid access to space that will characterize International Space Station. In the Space Station era, science operations will depend primarily on distributed/remote operations that will allow investigators to direct science activities from their universities, facilities, or home bases. Spacelab missions are a crucial part of preparing for these activities, having been used to test, prove, and refine remote operations over several missions. The knowledge gained from preparing these Missions is also playing a crucial role in reducing the time required to put an experiment into orbit, from revolutionizing the processes involved to testing the hardware needed for these more advanced operations. This paper discusses the role of the Spacelab program and the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center- (MSFC-) managed missions in developing and refining remote operations, new hardware and facilities for use on Space Station, and procedures that dramatically reduce preparation time for flight.     

Some problems of selection and evaluation of the Martian suit enclosure concept

One of the most important tasks for preparation of a future manned mission to Mars is to create a space suit, which ensures efficient and safe operation of the man on the planet surface.

The concept of space suit (SS) utilisation on the Mars surface will be determined mainly by the Mars mission scenario. Currently the preference is given to utilisation of robotics with the crew driving a Mars rover vehicle, whereby the suit will be used solely as an additional safety means.

However, one cannot exclude the necessity of a durable self-contained stay of the man outside a pressurised compartment, to pick up, for instance, soil samples or do certain repair work in case of an emergency.

The requirements to the Mars suit and especially to the personal self-contained life support system (LSS) will depend in many respects on the Mars environmental conditions, the space vehicle system concept and performance characteristics, the airlock and its interface design, the availability of expendable elements for the LSS, etc.

The paper reviews principal problems, which have to be solved during development of the Martian suit. A special attention is paid to the issue of suited man mobility during traversing on the planet surface.

The paper also reviews the arguments for application of a suit semi-rigid design concept and evaluates potentialities of using certain elements of the existing “Orlan” type suit.

The paper presents results of a number of studies on selection of the planetary SS enclosure concept and on experimental evaluation of mobility of the lower torso and leg enclosures in conjunction with a specially designed prototype model (tentative model) of the SS enclosure.     

弹载遥测系统总体关键技术的研究与应用

弹载遥测系统主要用于导弹飞行试验过程中,完成导弹飞行试验数据的采编、调制、传输,与地面遥测设备配合完成试验数据远距离获取,即遥测任务。遥测数据为导弹及分系统设计验证、故障分析、试验结论评判等提供数据依据,是导弹研制过程中极其重要、必不可少的测量系统。结合导弹遥测系统技术发展趋势及笔者近年来创新性工程设计经验,详细阐述了包括弹载遥测系统架构设计、可编程式采编技术、优化供电技术及射频综合化技术等总体关键性技术,为弹载遥测系统提供总体设计新思路。     

Innovations for competitiveness: European views on “better-faster-cheaper”

The paper elaborates on “ lessons learned” from two recent ESA workshops, one focussing on the role of Innovation in the competitiveness of the space sector and the second on technology and engineering aspects conducive to better, faster and cheaper space programmes. The paper focuses primarily on four major aspects, namely:

1. a) the adaptations of industrial and public organisations to the global market needs;

2. b) the understanding of the bottleneck factors limiting competitiveness;

3. c) the trends toward new system architectures and new engineering and production methods;

4. d) the understanding of the role of new technology in the future applications.

Under the pressure of market forces and the influence of many global and regional players, applications of space systems and technology are becoming more and more competitive. It is well recognised that without major effort for innovation in industrial practices, organisations, R&D, marketing and financial approaches the European space sector will stagnate and loose its competence as well as its competitiveness. It is also recognised that a programme run according to the “better, faster, cheaper” philosophy relies on much closer integration of system design, development and verification, and draws heavily on a robust and comprehensive programme of technology development, which must run in parallel and off-line with respect to flight programmes.

A company's innovation capabilities will determine its future competitive advantage (in time, cost, performance or value) and overall growth potential. Innovation must be a process that can be counted on to provide repetitive, sustainable, long-term performance improvements. As such, it needs not depend on great breakthroughs in technology and concepts (which are accidental and rare). Rather, it could be based on bold evolution through the establishment of know-how, application of best practices, process effectiveness and high standards, performance measurement, and attention to customers and professional marketing. Having a technological lead allows industry to gain a competitive advantage in performance, cost and opportunities. Instrumental to better competitiveness is an R&D effort based on the adaptation of high technology products, capable of capturing new users, increasing production, decreasing the cost and delivery time and integrating high level of intelligence, information and autonomy. New systems will have to take in to account from the start what types of technologies are being developed or are already available in other areas outside space, and design their system accordingly. The future challenge for “faster, better, cheaper” appears to concern primarily “cost-effective”, performant autonomous spacecraft, “cost-effective”, reliable launching means and intelligent data fusion technologies and robust software serving mass- market real time services, distributed via EHF bands and Internet.

In conclusion, it can be noticed that in the past few years new approaches have considerably enlarged the ways in which space missions can be implemented. They are supported by true innovations in mission concepts, system architecture, development and technologies, in particular for the development of initiatives based on multi-mission mini-satellites platforms for communication and Earth observation missions. There are also definite limits to cost cutting (such as lowering heads counts and increasing efficiency), and therefore the strategic perspective must be shifted from the present emphasis on cost-driven enhancement to revenue-driven improvements for growth. And since the product life-cycle is continuously shortening, competitiveness is linked very strongly with the capability to generate new technology products which enhance cost/benefit performance.     

The cost benefits of the Spacelab system to scientific investigations and space applications

In the past, one of the major problems in performing scientific investigations in space has been the high cost of developing, integrating, and transporting scientific experiments into space. The limited resources of unmanned spacecraft, coupled with the requirements for completely automated operations, was another factor contributing to the high costs of scientific research in space. In previous space missions after developing, integrating and transporting costly experiments into space and obtaining successful data, the experiment facility and spacecraft have been lost forever, because they could not be returned to earth. The objective of this paper is to present how the utilization of the Spacelab System will result in cost benefits to the scientific community, and significantly reduce the cost of space operations from previous space programs.The following approach was used to quantify the cost benefits of using the Spacelab System to greatly reduce the operational costs of scientific research in space. An analysis was made of the series of activities required to combine individual scientific experiments into an integrated payload that is compatible with the Space Transportation System (STS). These activities, including Shuttle and Spacelab integration, communications and data processing, launch support requirements, and flight operations were analyzed to indicate how this new space system, when compared with previous space systems, will reduce the cost of space research. It will be shown that utilization of the Spacelab modular design, standard payload interfaces, optional Mission Dependent Equipment (MDE), and standard services, such as the Experiment Computer Operating System (ECOS), allow the user many more services than previous programs, at significantly lower costs. In addition, the missions will also be analyzed to relate their cost benefit contributions to space scientific research.The analytical tools that are being developed at MSFC in the form of computer programs that can rapidly analyze experiment to Spacelab interfaces will be discussed to show how these tools allow the Spacelab integrator to economically establish the payload compatibility of a Spacelab mission.The information used in this paper has been assimilated from the actual experience gained in integrating over 50 highly complex, scientific experiments that will fly on the Spacelab first and second missions. In addition, this paper described the work being done at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to define the analytical integration tools and techniques required to economically and efficiently integrate a wide variety of Spacelab payloads and missions. The conclusions reached in this study are based on the actual experience gained at MSFC in its roles of Spacelab integration and mission managers for the first three Spacelab missions. The results of this paper will clearly show that the cost benefits of the Spacelab system will greatly reduce the costs and increase the opportunities for scientific investigation from space.     

一箭多星发射的卫星振动环境分析与验证

某卫星采用一箭多星方式直接发射入轨,在星箭耦合分析中发现星箭界面部分频点振动环境明显高于原设计要求,导致卫星可能需要采取改进设计以满足该变化。为进一步明确卫星的环境适应性,文章首先针对超限频点开展刚度匹配分析和响应分析,识别可能存在的风险,并对识别出的服务舱+Y板采取改进措施;其次,开展整星动力学分析、星箭耦合分析,分析验证卫星及其组件的适应性,并提出了改进的地面试验条件,结果表明地面试验能够包络星箭耦合分析结果,试验是充分的;最后,通过飞行试验验证,证明地面试验能够包络在轨飞行振动环境,采取的分析验证和试验验证是可行的。该研究方法及所取得的结论可为解决后续卫星研制过程中类似问题提供参考。     

载人飞船回收着陆分系统可靠性、 安全性设计与验证

文章主要介绍了载人飞船回收着陆分系统可靠性、安全性设计准则、设计分析方法、设计措施以及试验验证等。地面试验以及飞行试验的验证表明:回收着陆分系统的可靠性、安全性设计措施有效,试验验证充分,分系统的工作可靠,可靠性和安全性均满足其指标要求。     

Potential cost reductions for three STS/Spacelab mission modes

Based on the results of studies carried out by ESA several possibilities are discussed to achieve mission cost reductions for large Spacelab instrument facilities as compared to their flight on several 7-day duration Spacelab missions. As an example three scientific telescope facilities are selected (LIRTS, EXSPOS, GRIST) which are defined to a Phase A level.Three new mission modes are considered:

• —Shuttle attached Spacelab mission mode with extended flight duration (up to 30 days) for which the application of planned capability extensions and new elements of the STS/Spacelab (e.g. Short Spacelab Pallets, Power Extension Package) are investigated.

• —Shuttle deployed mission mode, for which the telescope, accommodated on a Spacelab pallet, is docked to the Power Module, a new element of the Space Transportation System under study by NASA.

• —Free-flying mission mode, for which Shuttle launched dedicated missions of the facilities are considered, assuming varying degrees of autonomy with respect to supporting services of the Shuttle.

Reduction of costs have been considered on the levels of single mission cost and total programme cost. Fundamentally the charges for the instrument can be reduced by constraining the mass/volume factors with respect to the Shuttle capability. However, the instrument as part of a payload is only viable if an acceptable resource sharing including observation time can be achieved. Any single instrument will require several mission opportunities or one mission which achieves a similar or longer total observation programme.Based on an identification of instrument modifications of the Phase A baseline designs to favour cost reductions and on a derivation of technical requirements, constraints and finally budgetary cost comparisons an attempt is made to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the different mission modes.The favoured option for GRIST is a 2–3 weeks sortie mission followed after refurbishment by a longer Power Module docked mission. For LIRTS and EXSPOS the free-flying pallet modes are very attractive in terms of the longer durations achieved and in terms of cost per unit operating time.     

空间环境对航天器热设计影响分析

空间环境对航天器热设计技术、热控材料的选择、热设计的试验验证等都带来了重要的影响,在满足总体要求的情况下,必须考虑空间环境的影响因素。同时,发展对空间环境有较强适应能力的设计技术和热控材料的研究是今后需要认真考虑的问题。     

空间短时飞行试验工具的应用与展望

空间短时飞行试验是指以探空火箭、气球、亚轨道重复发射工具等为主要实现手段,将待试验对象发射到一定高度,进行科学实验和技术验证的研究方法。对空间短时飞行试验工具的发展历史和应用现状进行综述,对探空火箭、气球、亚轨道重复发射工具在科学观测、新技术试验中发挥的作用进行总结和概括,以NASA飞行机会计划FOP为例,对其在有效载荷技术成熟度评估中的应用情况进行了重点阐述,结合我国空间科学探测和空间技术试验的迫切需求,对空间短时飞行试验工具在我国的应用前景进行了展望和预测。     

Structural control interaction for an LSS attitude control system using thrusters and reaction wheels

This work provides some important information about control structure interaction (CSI) for a large space structure (LSS) attitude control subsystem (ACS) comprised of thrusters and reaction wheels. The LSS physical model is assumed as a rigid long tubular beam as the main bus with two attached long flexible solar panels. Two thrusters (one at each tip of the LSS) are used for large amplitude maneuvers and the reaction wheels for fine control. Lagrange's formulations for generalized and quasi-coordinates were used to derive the equations of motion. The gravity gradient, the solar pressure and the drag were included in the mathematical model as external perturbations. The assumed modes discretization method has been used to model the solar array elastic displacements so as to obtain a set of ordinary differential equations to describe the LSS motion. Different control strategies were implemented to analyze the CSI for two configurations, fine and coarse control. The MatLab/Simulink platform has been used for the computational simulations. The results are in agreement with the CSI theory in that thruster firings excite the solar panel vibrations and that the elastic vibration is an important issue to be taken into account for LSS ACS performance evaluation for both fine and coarse control. In spite of the CSI the maneuver objectives have been accomplished with results that meet the mission criteria.     

Future earth observation missions for oceanographic applications: Indian perspectives

Significant progress has been achieved in India in demonstrating the utility of remote sensing data for various oceanographic applications during the last one decade. Among these, techniques have been developed for retrieval of ocean surface waves, winds, wave forecast model, internal waves, sea surface temperature and chlorophyll pigments. Encouraged from these results as well as for meeting the specific and increasing data requirements on an assured basis by oceanographers, India is making concerted efforts for developing and launching state-of-the-art indigenous satellites for ocean applications in the coming years.

The first in the series of ocean satellites planned for launch is Oceansat-1 (IRS-P4) by early 1999. Oceansat-1 carries on-board an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM) and a Multi-frequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer (MSMR). OCM will have 8 narrow spectral bands operating in visible and near- infrared bands (402–885 nm) with a spatial resolution of 360 m and swath of 1420 km. The MSMR with its all weather capability is configured to have measurements at 4 frequencies viz., 6.6, 10.65, 18 & 21 GHz in dual polarisation mode with a spatial resolution of 120, 80, 40 & 40 km, respectively with an overall swath of 1360 km. The Oceansat-1 with repetitivity of once in two days will provide global data for retrieval of various oceanographic and meteorological parameters such as chlorophyll (primary productivity), sea surface temperature and wind speed, besides a host of other parameters of relevance to meteorology.

A full fledged satellite for ocean applications known as Oceansat-2 (IRS-P7) is also planned for launch during 2002. This satellite with payload mix of microwave (Scatterometer, Altimeter & Passive Microwave Radiometer), Thermal (TIR) and Optical (OCM) sensors, will provide greater in-sight into the global understanding of ocean dynamics/resources. This mission is expected to provide a complete set of oceanographic measurements, which are useful for providing operational oceanographic services.

Efforts are also on towards development of missions having multi-frequency, multipolarisation and multi-look angle microwave payloads including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and advanced millimeter wave sounders, besides development of imaging spectrometers by 2005.

A well-knit plan has been initiated in India for utilisation of planned Oceansat data. Important efforts initiated in this direction include SATellite Coastal and Oceanographic Research and Ocean Information Services, which are being carried out on an integrated basis aiming at providing services to the down stream users. The paper highlights these efforts in India towards providing an operational ocean information services in the coming years.     

New results for the space radiation environment of MIR space station obtained by Liulin dosimeter-radiometer. Comparison with LET spectrometer NAUSICAA

Since 1988 high sensitivity semiconductor dosimeter-radiometer “Liulin” worked on board of MIR space station. Device measured the absorbed dose rate and the flux of penetrating particles. The analysis of the data hows the following new results:

In October 1989 and after March 24, 1991, two additional stable maximums in flux channel were observed in the southern-eastern part of South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA). These two maximums existed at least several months and seem to be due to trapped high energy electron and proton fluxes. In April 1991 additional maximums were localized in the following geographical coordinates regions: LATITUDE = (−35 °)–(−50 °) LONGITUDE = 332 ° − 16 ° and lat.(−46 °)–(−52 °) long. 360 ° − 60 °. Additional maximums diffusion occurs inside radiation belt. Appearance of these maximums seems to be closely connected with preceding powerful solar proton events and associated geomagnetic dynamics of new belt disturbances. After the series of solar proton events in June 1991 we observed significant enhancement of this new radiation belt formation. To achieve sufficient accuracy of dose rate predictions in low Earth orbits the structure and dynamics of new belt should be carefully analyzed to be included in a new environment model.

From the inter comparison of the data from “Liulin” and French developed tissue equivalent LET spectrometer NAUSICAA in the time period August–November 1992 we come to the following conclusions: Mainly there is good agreement between both data sets for absorbed dose in the region of SAA; Different situation of the instruments on the station can explain the cases when differences up to 2 times are observed; At high latitudes usually the tissue equivalent absorbed dose observations are 2 times larger than “Liulin” doses.     

国际空间站集成ECLSS/TCS试验综述

空间站集成ECLSS/TCS（环境控制与生命保障系统/热控系统）试验是一种系统级常压试验,用于单舱或多舱整体性能的鉴定和验收。文章介绍了国际空间站的环境试验标准,以及国际空间站计划中美国、欧洲及日本的集成ECLSS/TCS试验发展情况,主要包括试验项目、试验功能及试验平台组成等。根据国际空间站集成ECLSS/TCS试验的特点,提出了我国发展该项试验的建议。