Space debris and the need for space traffic control

This report summarises the presentations which took place at the ‘Space Traffic Control – Is the Space Debris Problem Solvable?’ conference hosted by the Royal Aeronautical Society on the 2nd July 2013. The conference sought to promote discussion over methods to deal with the issue of space debris in particular and speakers included representatives from the European Space Agency, the United Kingdom Space Agency, practitioners and academia. Themes which emerged during the conference included the urgency of the problem of space debris, the need for short-term and long-term solutions, the necessity for the development and implementation of space debris remediation technologies to complement existing mitigation efforts and, last but not least, the wider applications of space traffic control. Regarding the sub-title of the conference, ‘is the space debris problem solvable?’, it would appear from the presentations that while there is the potential for future management of the issue through debris remediation and harmonised mitigation efforts, no comprehensive solutions exist at the time of writing.     

Lessons learned from Mir--a payload perspective

Among the principal objectives of the Phase 1 NASA/Mir program were for the United States to gain experience working with an international partner, to gain working experience in long-duration space flight, and to gain working experience in planning for and executing research on a long-duration space platform. The Phase 1 program was to provide the US early experience prior to the construction and operation of the International Space Station (Phase 2 and 3). While it can be argued that Mir and ISS are different platforms and that programmatically Phase 1 and ISS are organized differently, it is also clear that many aspects of operating a long-duration research program are platform independent. This can be demonstrated by a review of lessons learned from Skylab, a US space station program of the mid-1970s, many of which were again “learned” on Mir and are being “learned” on ISS. Among these are optimum crew training strategies, on-orbit crew operations, ground support, medical operations and crew psychological support, and safety certification processes.     

空间站空间因特网与空间通信链路设计

为改善在空间站长期值守的航天员的业务生活,提出建立空间站网吧,为航天员提供因特网服务的构想。为此分析研究空间站空间因特网服务系统及其关键技术,提出空间站空间因特网服务系统构建方案。结合这一系统构建方案,一是研究解决了支持复杂异构网络运行的空间因特网网络协议设计技术,空间站空间因特网直接采用TCP/IP协议,并通过系统设计,较好地克服了TCP/IP协议不能适应空间通信链路的难题,支持采用基于TCP/IP协议的商用货架(COTS)软、硬件产品,可明显降低空间站空间因特网服务系统建设与维护成本;二是研究解决了涉及空间站测控通信网运行安全和空间信息安全的空间通信链路设计技术,空间站在同一条空间通信链路同时传输空间因特网数据和空间站测控通信数据,空间通信链路采用CCSDS的AOS协议,并通过建立虚拟的物理信道,解决了空间因特网数据和空间站测控通信数据的安全隔离问题,能满足空间站测控通信网运行安全和空间信息安全的要求。     

空间态势评估初探

文章从空间态势评估的基本概念出发,指出了空间态势评估的主要任务和特点,对空间态势评估的过程进行了初步探讨,建立了空间态势评估的功能模型,简述了实现空间态势评估系统的关键技术,为进一步开发空间态势评估系统奠定了基础。     

基于空间交会的天基反卫作战方案

对位于高地球轨道天基平台攻击低地球轨道目标的方案进行了研究,讨论了高轨作战平台的攻击范围。采用完全推力法实现远程空间交会。为消除异面霍曼变轨方法等待时间过长的缺点,提出了两种主动调相方法。研究表明：用该法可实现天基武器由高轨至低轨的空间转移交会,引入主动调相轨道可明显缩短交会所需时间。     

航天光学遥感器光学装调技术现状与展望

航天光学遥感器工作于太空中,长期恶劣的空间环境及短暂发射入轨时的状态对光学系统的设计与装调提出了苛刻的要求,确保光学系统在轨像质优异是航天光学遥感器研制的关键技术.文章结合国际上航天光学遥感器的发展需求对光学系统装调技术及发展现状进行了分析、总结,提出了中国后续航天光学遥感器装调与测试技术的突破方向.     

What role for Europe within a future global space exploration approach?

Europe is present in robotic exploration though the European Space Agency?s mandatory space science program and the optional Aurora program. In addition some member states are also involved in projects of non-European space faring countries through bilateral co-operations. Europe is also present in human exploration through the ISS utilization program. ESA and some of its member states participate in the activities of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG), a club of 14 space agencies working for the elaboration of a global exploration roadmap. Finally, ESA and the European Union have initiated a political approach with the setting up of an international forum so as to elaborate a commonly agreed vision on space exploration at political level.     

The explorer's complex

It is time to think about the rationales of space exploration, more than 50 years after the beginning of human space flight. Between J.F. Kennedy words (“landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth”) and the Mars One, what means today the dangers of exploration, or the concept of “representative of mankind” applied to the astronauts? Beyond the financial, technical and human risks, exploration, and today space exploration, belongs always to the human identity, the way to confront human nature (especially imagination) to the reality of time and space.     

Developments in space activities in Poland

Poland has a long-standing tradition in space activities. Polish institutions have participated as co-investigators in almost all European Space Agency (ESA) science projects, as well as on many other missions. However, the first Polish satellite (PW-SAT) was only launched in 2012. Poland was one of the first Eastern European countries to conclude a Cooperation Agreement with ESA in the peaceful use of outer space; it was signed in 1994 and followed by a second in January 2002. Negotiations on Polish membership in the ESA were started in autumn of 2011, and ended in April 2012. Following ratification of the agreement, Poland officially became the 20th Member State of ESA on 19 November 2012. This article examines how Poland is setting its way as a space nation. It describes recent developments in the Polish space programme, including the road to Poland's full membership in the European Space Agency.     

Agronomy in space – China’s crop breeding program

Using the US-coined concept of space industrialization and reflecting the ongoing creation of a space economy, this paper maintains that China’s 20-odd years of practice and achievement in crop breeding in space should be seen as an integral part of any space economy. The paper analyzes the Chinese government’s space breeding policies, its support for it via financial allocation, and the relevant programs, and highlights the key achievements so far achieved in the sector. In conclusion, it outlines the main hurdles to crop breeding in space but looks forward to a bright future for this activity.     

Cross-cultural issues in space operations: A survey study among ground personnel of the European Space Agency

Today's space operations involve co-working of people with different ethnical, professional and organisational backgrounds. The aim of this study was to examine the implications of cultural diversity for efficient collaboration within the European Space Agency (ESA), and between ESA employees and representatives from other agencies. ESA employees from European countries (N=576) answered to the CULT Ground Survey. The results showed that differences in relation to leadership and decision making were the most important issues thought to interfere with efficient co-working within ESA, and between ESA employees and colleagues from other agencies. Employees who collaborated with more than three nationalities within ESA indicated most challenges in co-working due to differences in compliance, behavioural norms and competitiveness. Challenges in co-working differed between agencies, and these differences were consistent with value differences in the national populations. The results may have applied value for training of European employees working in international space program teams.     

新型空间环境模拟器气氦制冷系统的研制

文章介绍了载人航天空间环境模拟器的气氦制冷系统。对其设计指标、工作原理及关键部分的研制作了具体说明,并与国内外同类的空间环境模拟器气氦制冷系统进行了比较。     

Prioritizing scientific exploration: A comparison of the ethical justifications for space development and for space science

I argue that the moral justification for space science is more compelling than the moral justification for space development. Thus, we ought to reemphasize the status of science as a major stakeholder in space, especially when entertaining policies which might encourage the kinds of space development activities (e.g. resource exploitation) that are liable to conflict with the scientific uses of space.     

具有星间链路的星座相位设计

通过分析星座空间构形的变化规律，综合考虑星座空间构形对地面覆盖特性、星间链路、空间测量精度以及工作性能的影响，利用改进的层次分析法对星座相位进行优化设计。通过对全球覆盖星座进行仿真，验证了方法的可行性。     

空间太阳能发电站拓扑架构及能量管理控制策略

针对超大功率空间太阳能电站(SSPS),提出了一种分布式+集中式系统拓扑架构,将系统电力传输分为太阳电池阵区、主结构电力传输区及发射天线阵区三大部分。根据系统三大阵区的能量流动关系,本文将SSPS系统的工作模式划分为最大功率点跟踪(MPPT)工作模式、跟踪功率指令工作模式及阴影区工作模式,并提出分层能源管理控制策略。最后,针对兆瓦级太阳电池阵的不同工作模式,利用Matlab/Simulink搭建空间太阳能电站系统仿真模型,进行仿真试验及对比分析,试验结果验证了拓扑架构的合理性及控制策略的有效性,为解决空间太阳能发电技术电力传输与能量管理问题提出了新思路。     

Role of the current young generation within the space exploration sector

The space sector gathers together people from a variety of fields who work in the industry on different levels and with different expertise. What is often forgotten is the impact and role of the current young generation. Their engagement is of great importance as undeniably today's young ‘space generation’ will be defining the direction of future space exploration.Today's vision of future human and robotic space exploration has been set out in the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER). This focuses on sustainable, affordable and productive long-term goals. The strategy begins with the International Space Station (ISS) and then expands human presence into the solar system, including a human mission to Mars.This paper presents a general overview of the role of today's youth within the space exploration sector and the challenges to overcome. To complete this perspective, we present results from a survey made among students and young professionals about their levels of awareness of the GER. The respondents presented their opinion about current aspects of the GER and prioritised the GER's objectives. It is hoped that the paper will bring a new perspective into the GER and a contribution to the current GER strategy.     

空间结构展开与刚化

空间展开结构具有能构建大型结构、轻质而且成本低廉的特点。在航天器中呈折叠状的空间结构在空间充气展开后,要呈刚化,使其不因温度变化而引起变形并且不会因空间碎片或流星体的碰撞而被损坏。文中提出了展开前的折叠方法和包装效率评估方法。提出了两种刚化薄膜,在储存状态下易于折叠并能保持其所有的性能。一种采用单层薄膜浸渍长储存寿命树脂基的三轴编织纤维,另一种采用宽广温度范围长储存寿命的交互编织纤维刚性薄膜。     

Better ways of getting into the space business: microeconomic reform in Australian space affairs

This personal view of trends in global space enterprise suggests that, unless they adapt and re-structure, large-scale national and regional space agencies built on traditional lines may struggle to survive, at least in the developed world. With the growing maturity of speculative private sector space initiatives, the role of traditional space agencies as project managers and mediators between providers and the market may become redundant, while in the absence of a cogent national security argument, public interest in space is no longer to be relied upon to deliver large national space budgets. Australia’s newest space mission, the FedSat scientific microsatellite, was announced at the same time as the former national space program was terminated. This process and its consequences are examined as an instance of microeconomic reform, which seeks to improve productivity and competitiveness by producing a regulatory and infrastructure environment that gives business more flexibility. Historical circumstances unique to Australia may have contributed to this change of direction, but many contributing elements also apply elsewhere. The features of the new approach are identification of public sector space needs; selecting the most suitable team from both public and private sectors to manage the project; and the acceptance of a large proportion of the risk by the proponents.     

空间结构展开与刚化

空间展开结构具有能构建大型结构、轻质而且成本低廉的特点。在航天器中呈折叠状的空间结构在空间充气展开后，要呈刚化，使其不因温度变化而引起变形并且不会因空间碎片或流星体的碰撞而被损坏。文中提出了展开前的折叠方法和包装效率评估方法。提出了两种刚化薄膜，在储存状态下易于折叠并能保持其所有的性能。一种采用单层薄膜浸渍长储存寿命树脂基的三轴编织纤维，另一种采用宽广温度范围长储存寿命的交互编织纤维刚性薄膜。     

“和平号”空间站SGCMG系统及其操纵

综述了“和平号”空间站ＳＧＣＭＧ系统的组成和操纵，并给出了梯度型操纵律回避奇异的一般化解释。同时指出，奇异问题和失效操纵问题是ＳＧＣＭＧ系统的两个重要问题，也是今后ＳＧＣＭＧ系统研究的主要课题。