Broad-search algorithms for the spacecraft trajectory design of Callisto–Ganymede–Io triple flyby sequences from 2024 to 2040, Part I: Heuristic pruning of the search space

Triple flybys of the Galilean moons of Jupiter can capture a spacecraft into orbit about Jupiter or quickly adjust the Jupiter-centered orbit of an already captured spacecraft. Because Callisto does not participate in the Laplace resonance among Ganymede, Europa, and Io, triple flyby sequences involving gravity-assists of Callisto, Ganymede, and Io occur only aperiodically for limited time windows. An exhaustive search of triple-flyby trajectories over a 16-year period from 2024 to 2040 using “blind” searching would require 8,415,358 Lambert function calls to find only 127,289 possible triple flyby trajectories. Because most of these Lambert function calls would not converge to feasible solutions, it is much more efficient to prune the solution space using a heuristic algorithm and then direct a much smaller number of Lambert function calls to find feasible triple flyby solutions. The novel “Phase Angle Pruning Heuristic” is derived and used to reduce the search space by 99%.     

盘–缝–带伞超声速充气过程仿真研究

随着火星探测着陆研究的发展,对其主要的减速方式——盘–缝–带伞应用的研究也日趋火热。而在火星探测中,对伞衣充气过程的分析又是最为复杂的难题之一。文章介绍了常用于降落伞流场求解的数值模拟方法,并对它们的利弊做了简要的描述。文章使用守恒元/解元方法对盘–缝–带伞在超声速条件下,从收束状态开始的充气过程进行了数值模拟。首先对前置体进行单独仿真,之后在不同的马赫数下通过对降落伞系统的整体仿真完成对降落伞开伞过程的模拟。仿真数据与实验数据进行对比,获得了较为一致的结果,验证了方法的可行性。另外,文章对两种工作状态下的充气过程进行了对比,分析了盘–缝–带伞在两者中充气过程的异同,以及前置体阻力贡献随着马赫数的变化。最后通过开伞云图对充气过程中的开伞失败现象进行了分析。研究结果可为火星探测提供参考。     

热–声–振耦合效应对薄壁叶片结构应变影响的试验研究

热–声–振耦合是影响叶片、太阳电池阵、天线、导弹等航空航天产品可靠性和耐久性的重要因素之一。文章设计了可模拟热–声–振耦合作用的试验装置,搭建热、声、振、应变测试系统,针对薄壁叶片结构进行热、声、振单独作用及耦合作用试验,基于应变数据定量分析热–声–振耦合效应及其特点,得出耦合效应对产品造成的影响远远大于单一因素作用的结果。研究结果还可为薄壁叶片结构航空航天产品多应力耦合效应分析提供参考。     

Microgravity gas–liquid flow through packed beds

Analysis of possible physical mechanism involved in the process of transition of bubble-to-pulse flow regime in cocurrent gas–liquid flow through a packed bed in microgravity demonstrates that the transition can be described by the key dimensionless group Suratman number and the ratio of gas to liquid Reynolds numbers. This result establishes a physical basis to the existing empirical transition equation which is also based on the same dimensionless groups. Furthermore, the concepts of driving-to-resistance force ratio and pore-level bubble flow mechanism have been utilized to explore the basis of the existing modified friction factor correlation for two-phase flow through a packed bed under microgravity.     

A Study of the Luminescence of the Lyman–Birge–Hopfield Bands in the Atmospheres of the Earth and Titan

Cosmic Research - Calculations were made of the volume and integral emission intensities of the Lyman–Birge–Hopfield (LBH) bands of molecular nitrogen at 146.4, 138.4, 135.4, and 132.5...     

The case for enhanced India–Canada space cooperation

Based on the premise that both India and Canada are spacefaring nations actively involved in the exploration and use of outer space towards scientific and commercial ends, this paper seeks to pave the way for each of the two countries to derive optimum scientific and economic benefits from their space activities through bilateral cooperation. Although each country's space programme has a different focus, the analysis in the paper demonstrates that they could be highly complementary of, and beneficial to, each other. Notwithstanding the presently conducive political environment for bilateral cooperation, as evidenced by the recent high-level political exchanges between the two countries, there are several regulatory and policy obstacles that will hinder any efforts towards bilateral space cooperation. The paper proffers some viable options for overcoming the challenges identified or envisaged.     

Dynamics of the 0.3–100 MeV Proton Energy Spectra in the Inner Heliosphere in Quiet Periods of 1974–1991

Variations of the proton spectra in the 0.3–100 MeV energy range based on the data of various instruments installed onboard the IMP-8 satellite are studied for very quiet, quiet, and quasi-stable solar activity periods during the years 1974–1991. As many as 118 spectra were approximated by two power laws: the left-hand and galactic branches of the spectrum were fitted by the AE ^– function and a dependence of the CE type, respectively, the sum J(E) = AE ^– + CE providing the total spectrum. It is shown that the spectra vary within a solar cycle with a shift of the minimum energy (E _min) to higher energies with increasing solar activity. It follows from the relations between the spectrum parameters thus obtained that, in particular periods of time, an increase (decrease) of the particle flux in the low-energy branch of the spectrum and an intensification (depression) of the GCR particle flux modulation take place simultaneously. This is manifested in a shift of the spectrum parallel to the energy axis. The study of the spectra in the most quiet time during three successive solar minima have shown that low-energy (0.3–10 MeV) protons, as well as GCR, are subject to the 22-year variation in the solar magnetic cycle.     

Designing corrections for the trajectory of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spektr-R</Emphasis> spacecraft in the event of immersions into the Moon’s sphere of influence

The results of updating the parameters of motion of the Spektr-R spacecraft at the end of 2016 have shown that, in January 2018, with a probability close to unity, the condition that a spacecraft stay in the Earth’s shadow is violated; however, in May of the same year, the ballistic life of the spacecraft will be terminated. Thus, in 2017, the question arose of how to design the correction of flight of this spacecraft using its onboard propulsion system. The correction was designed with allowance for the fact that, for the first time since it was launched, the spacecraft in the course of several years, beginning with 2017, repeatedly approaches the Moon, deeply immersing into its sphere of influence. This paper presents the technologically and organizationally convenient, allowable versions of upcoming correction of the Spektr-R spacecraft trajectory and justifies the particular scheme of its implementation.     

Space and maritime security–strategies for countering the pirates

Following previous work on space and internal security as part of the European Space Policy Institute's (ESPI) Space and Security programme, ESPI initiated a workshop dealing with an issue of high political as well as public concern – using space as an instrument in the broader strategic context of maritime security – together with the Austrian Institute for European and Security Policy (AIES), which has special expertise in security matters related to Europe. Over 50 high-ranking professionals took part in the 30 November 2009 event, “Space and Maritime Security - Strategies and Capabilities to Counter Piracy”, held at the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) in Vienna. The use of space assets for maritime security has moved up the political agenda as a result of the reliance of the EU ATALANTA NAVFOR mission on services and data provided by the European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC). The workshop therefore addressed technological capabilities as well as industrial approaches in the context of the political framework conditions. It provided a dialogue between space and non-space security communities.     

Catalog of large-scale solar wind phenomena during 1976–2000

The main goal of this paper is to compile a catalog of large-scale phenomena in the solar wind over the observation period of 1976–2000 using the measurement data presented in the OMNI database. This work included several stages. At first the original OMNI database was supplemented by certain key parameters of the solar wind that determine the type of the solar wind stream. The following parameters belong to this group: the plasma ratio β, thermal (NkT) and kinetic (mNV ²) pressures of the solar wind, the ratio T/T _exp of measured and expected temperatures, gradients of the plasma velocity and density, and the magnetic field gradient. The results of visualization of basic plasma parameters that determine the character of the solar wind stream are presented on the website of the Space Research Institute, Moscow. Preliminary identification of basic types of the solar wind stream (FAST and SLOW streams, Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS), Corotating Interaction Region (CIR), EJECTA (or Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections), Magnetic Cloud (MC), SHEATH (compression region before EJECTA/MC), rarified region RARE, and interplanetary shock wave IS) had been made with the help of a preliminary identification program using the preset threshold criteria for plasma and interplanetary magnetic field parameters. Final identification was done by comparison with the results of visual analysis of the solar wind data. In conclusion, histograms of distributions and statistical characteristics are presented for some parameters of various large-scale types of the solar wind.