A human language corpus for interstellar message construction

The aim of HuLCC (the human language chorus corpus), is to provide a resource of sufficient size to facilitate inter-language analysis by incorporating languages from all the major language families: for the first time all aspects of typology will be incorporated within a single corpus, adhering to a consistent grammatical classification and granularity, which historically adopt a plethora of disparate schemes. An added feature will be the inclusion of a common text element, which will be translated across all languages, to provide a precise comparable thread for detailed linguistic analysis for translation strategies and a mechanism by which these mappings can be explicitly achieved. Methods developed to solve unambiguous mappings across these languages can then be adopted for any subsequent message authored by the SETI community. Initially, it is planned to provide at least 20,000 words for each chosen language, as this amount of text exceeds the point where randomly generated text can be disambiguated from natural language and is of sufficient size useful for message transmission [1] (Elliot, 2002). This paper details the design of this resource, which ultimately will be made available to SETI upon its completion, and discusses issues ‘core’ to any message construction.     

Policy issues in communicating with ETI

Two possible scenarios for the detection of extraterrestrial intelligence are presented and the issues they would raise discussed. The article then goes on to examine operational questions and reply policy in the event of contact being made. Questions of how such contact should be announced to the world--and by whom; who should send a reply; how it would be designed and what it would say, are explored. Creating a beacon actively to beam a message into the galaxy could provide a test case for international consultation and cooperation in responding to ETI.     

Not the sons of Adam : Religious responses to ETI

Christianity, Judaism and Islam share certain preconceptions, among them an adherence to the idea of man created in the image of God. This article examines the responses of religious experts in these religions to the possibility of contact with ETI. Responses from religious experts of varying branches in all three of these religions suggest that even within a given religion a number of paradigms could emerge in response to possible ETI contact. Some of the factors that might affect responses within each religion are examined.     

基于IP组网的低轨航天器大容量文件传输方法

空间科学的发展使航天测控中遥感和图像等数据量日益增大,如何实现天地间大容量文件的传输已成为一个重要问题。鉴于测控网正在向全IP化的方向发展,提出一种在IP组网基础上的低轨航天器大容量文件的传输方案,并就方案中文件的分块传输及卫星在测控站间切换时文件的续传等关键问题进行探讨。在此基础上,对提出的方案进行实验分析,验证了其可行性。     

Large-size space debris flyby in low earth orbits

the analysis of NORAD catalogue of space objects executed with respect to the overall sizes of upper-stages and last stages of carrier rockets allows the classification of 5 groups of large-size space debris (LSSD). These groups are defined according to the proximity of orbital inclinations of the involved objects. The orbits within a group have various values of deviations in the Right Ascension of the Ascending Node (RAAN). It is proposed to use the RAANs deviations' evolution portrait to clarify the orbital planes’ relative spatial distribution in a group so that the RAAN deviations should be calculated with respect to the concrete precessing orbital plane of the concrete object. In case of the first three groups (inclinations i = 71°, i = 74°, i = 81°) the straight lines of the RAAN relative deviations almost do not intersect each other. So the simple, successive flyby of group’s elements is effective, but the significant value of total ΔV is required to form drift orbits. In case of the fifth group (Sun-synchronous orbits) these straight lines chaotically intersect each other for many times due to the noticeable differences in values of semi-major axes and orbital inclinations. The intersections’ existence makes it possible to create such a flyby sequence for LSSD group when the orbit of one LSSD object simultaneously serves as the drift orbit to attain another LSSD object. This flyby scheme requiring less ΔV was called “diagonal.” The RAANs deviations’ evolution portrait built for the fourth group (to be studied in the paper) contains both types of lines, so the simultaneous combination of diagonal and successive flyby schemes is possible. The value of total ΔV and temporal costs were calculated to cover all the elements of the 4th group. The article is also enriched by the results obtained for the flyby problem solution in case of all the five mentioned LSSD groups. The general recommendations are given concerned with the required reserve of total ΔV and with amount of detachable de-orbiting units onboard the maneuvering platform and onboard the refueling vehicle.     

Reactions to receipt of a message from extraterrestrial intelligence: a cross-cultural empirical study

If we ever receive a message from extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI), the societal impact may be significant. To date, several authors have speculated on factors that may predict people’s reactions, but there have been no systematic empirical studies on the range of responses. One obstacle to conducting such studies is that there has been no questionnaire to assess such reactions. In the current study we have designed a psychometrically sound set of scales to assess six beliefs: (1) that extraterrestrial life exists, (2) that ETI would be benevolent and that we should respond to a message, (3) that ETI would be malevolent, (4) that message receipt would be unsettling, (5) that message receipt would be religiously significant and (6) that experts should determine the content of a reply. We report on the construction and use of these new scales, drawing on data gathered from American and Chinese undergraduate students. Respondents also completed measures of alienation, optimism, anthropocentrism and religiosity. This allowed us to predict beliefs about ETI based on personal characteristics and beliefs of the respondents.     

The art and science of interstellar message composition: a report on international workshops to encourage multidisciplinary discussion

Throughout the history of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), there has been widespread recognition of the profound societal implications of detecting intelligence beyond Earth. At the SETI Institute, interstellar message construction serves as the focus of a multidisciplinary attempt to prepare for the cultural impact of signal detection and the critical events that would follow. Interstellar message construction at the SETI Institute builds upon the recommendations of the 1991–1992 Workshops on the Cultural Aspects of SETI, while also exploring opportunities for multidisciplinary contributions on new topics. Through a series of international workshops in Toulouse, Paris, Zagreb, Washington, and Bremen, the SETI Institute and partner organizations have fostered broad-based discussion about some of the most important decisions that would follow detection of extraterrestrial intelligence, including “should we reply?” and if so, “what should we say, and how might we say it?”. Several of the themes addressed at these workshops will be highlighted, including the relationship between art and science in designing messages, the value of interactive messages, and the importance of better understanding the nature of language.     

创新安全文化建设 实现安全关口前移——初探无后果违章管理

无后果违章是安全管理者们在日常工作中经常遇到的现象。虽然没有发生不安全事件,但无后果违章背后却潜伏着巨大的安全风险,一旦违章造成了后果,就必然是责任事故。如果忽视对无后果违章的管理,受损的是良好的安全氛围,造成的是严重的安全隐患,动摇的是牢固的安全基础。重视无后果违章的管理,才能准确把握安全特点和规律,认识上才会深化,行动上才会自觉,工作上才会出成效。     

Pyromechanical and detonation systems of construction separation in spacecraft for planetary and astrophysical investigations

Theoretical and experimental aspects of design of service devices and systems using burning and explosion energy to separate automatic spacecraft constructions are considered. The main dependences necessary for their calculation are presented. The areas of rational application of one or another type of separation devices are determined, and the results of ground tests of separation systems are given. The practical recommendations on designing the described systems for separation of high-precision automatic spacecraft for planetary and astrophysical investigations are presented.     

V&V在反舰导弹半实物仿真中的应用

半实物仿真在军事领域发挥着重要作用,是研究复杂系统的主要仿真手段.反舰导弹半实物仿真系统的建设目的是为了测试导弹末制导雷达在开环和闭环情况下的抗干扰性能.在对V&V技术的简要介绍的基础上,较详细地介绍了V&V技术在系统建设中的应用.     

求真务实抓党建 全面开创华北空管和谐稳定发展新局面

民航空管工作会议全面分析了当前民航空管系统面临的形势,明确了2010年及今后一个时期的工作任务和发展思路,同时提出了全面推进民航空管系统党建和思想政治工作的总体要求。如何贯彻落实会议精神．做好华北空管党建和思想政治工作．谈几点体会。     

美军网络中心战的发展及其对装备建设的启示

网络中心战是信息化战争的主要作战样式。信息技术的广泛应用,大大提高了装备作战的能力,同时也对装备建设提出了更新更高的要求。阐述了美军网络中心战的含义与结构组成,分析了美军网络中心战的建设情况、关键技术、作战应用及其发展动向,最后探讨了网络中心战对装备建设的影响。     

Space weather forecast: Principles of the construction and boundaries of the implementation (experience of three cycles)

All significant short-term disturbances of the near-Earth space are caused exclusively by solar flare events and regions in the solar corona with the magnetic field open into the interplanetary space (coronal holes). Flare processes occur as a consequence of the interactions of new emerging magnetic fluxes within (flares) and outside (filament ejections) the active regions with already existing magnetic fields. The observation of emerging new magnetic fluxes and the estimate of their magnitude and the emerging rate allow one to forecast solar flares and filament ejections and estimate their degree of geoeffectiveness. The main agents that visualize the propagation of disturbance from solar flares and filaments in the solar corona and the interplanetary space are coronal mass ejections, the characteristics of which ideally allow one to estimate the possible disturbance of the geomagnetic field, the possible growth of high-energy charged particle fluxes in the near-Earth space. For successful forecast of geoeffective active phenomena on the Sun and their consequences in the near-Earth space, it is necessary to know the situation on the Sun for the last 3 days taking into account the development and characteristics of the current cycle and the epoch of solar activity.     

夯实持续安全基础 推进一体化建设 实现民航空管系统又好又快发展——民航局空管局苏兰根局长作空管系统工作报告

同志们： 2009年是民航空管系统完善一体化管理机制、实现新发展的重要一年。民航空管系统的主要任务是：以胡锦涛总书记对空管工作的重要指示为指导,全面落实全国民航工作会议和李家祥局长、王昌顺副局长在空管系统研讨会上的重要讲话精神,确保运行持续安全,提高管制服务质量,建设和谐空管系统。下面我向大会作空管系统工作报告。     

OLTARIS: On-line tool for the assessment of radiation in space

OLTARIS (On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation In Space) is a space radiation analysis tool available on the World Wide Web. It can be used to study the effects of space radiation for various spacecraft and mission scenarios involving humans and electronics. The transport is based on the HZETRN transport code and the input nuclear physics model is NUCFRG. This paper describes the tools behind the web interface and the types of inputs required to obtain results. Typical inputs are mission parameters and slab definitions or vehicle thickness distributions. Radiation environments can be chosen by the user. This paper describes these inputs as well as the output response functions including dose, dose equivalent, whole body effective dose equivalent, LET spectra and detector response models.