Mechanical properties of ANTRIX balloon film and fabrication of single cap large volume balloons

The zero pressure plastic balloons used for high altitude studies are generally made from polyethylene material. Tensile properties of the thin film polymer are the key parameters for material selection due to extremely low temperature of −90 °C encountered by the balloons in the tropopause region during the ascent at equatorial latitudes. The physical and structural properties of the material determine the uniformity of the stress distribution over the entire shell. Load stresses from the suspended load propagate via load tapes heat sealed along with the gore seals as per the balloon design. A balance between this heat seal strength and the film strength is a desirable property of the basic resin in terms of the bubble strength, gauge uniformity, and long-term storage properties. In addition, the design of the top shell of the balloon and its stress distribution play an important role since only a fraction of the balloon is deployed during the filling operation and the ascent. In this paper we describe the mechanical properties of the ‘ANTRIX’ film developed by us and the optimized design of single cap balloons, which have been successfully used in our experiments over the past 5 years.     

Viscoelastic behaviour of pumpkin balloons

The lobes of the NASA ULDB pumpkin-shaped super-pressure balloons are made of a thin polymeric film that shows considerable time-dependent behaviour. A nonlinear viscoelastic model based on experimental measurements has been recently established for this film. This paper presents a simulation of the viscoelastic behaviour of ULDB balloons with the finite element software ABAQUS. First, the standard viscoelastic modelling capabilities available in ABAQUS are examined, but are found of limited accuracy even for the case of simple uniaxial creep tests on ULDB films. Then, a nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model is implemented by means of a user-defined subroutine. This approach is verified by means of biaxial creep experiments on pressurized cylinders and is found to be accurate provided that the film anisotropy is also included in the model. A preliminary set of predictions for a single lobe of a ULDB is presented at the end of the paper. It indicates that time-dependent effects in a balloon structure can lead to significant stress redistribution and large increases in the transverse strains in the lobes.     

碳纳米管薄膜传感器及其应变传感特性

碳纳米管薄膜可作为应变传感器用于结构损伤的健康监测。采用机械搅拌、超声处理和高速离心等分散工艺将多壁碳纳米管单分散后,通过真空吸滤法制备碳纳米管薄膜。对碳纳米管薄膜传感器进行了深入的研究,设计了一种高灵敏度的碳纳管薄膜应变传感器,与结构基体一体成型。弯曲应变传感实验表明碳纳米管薄膜传感器在不同的应变范围、不同的循环次数、不同的温度范围等条件下都具有良好的应变传感特性。结果表明碳纳米管薄膜传感器灵敏度较高,灵敏度系数为188.31(0~22 500 με),且具有较好的应变传感可逆性和可重复性。      

薄膜热电偶热氧化可靠性及结构优化

航空发动机涡轮叶片处于发动机温度最高的部位，将薄膜材料制备于待测物表面形成热电偶传感器，可及时有效的对涡轮叶片进行测温。薄膜热电偶多层膜间的热氧化界面扩散失效是导致薄膜可靠性不高的主要原因之一，基于Fick第二定律提出多层膜扩散可靠性模型，定量描述薄膜热电偶扩散失效机理，通过仿真计算，结合粒子群算法，以薄膜寿命最大为目标，寻优得到各膜层对应的最佳结构，为结构工艺上提高薄膜热电偶寿命的研究提供了一定的借鉴。     

红外探测器晶片电极设计与应力分析

红外探测器是卫星姿态控制中不可或缺的一种探测器.总结了国外近年来红外热敏探测器晶片电极的研究进展,重点介绍了热敏电阻晶片电极的设计思路及其制备工艺.分析了薄膜金属电极给热敏电阻晶片组件带来的各类应力.提出在热敏电阻晶片电极设计时,应选择合适的电极结构、电极材料、膜层厚度、金属薄膜的制备工艺、热处理制度等工艺参数,并确保热敏电阻晶片焊点的应力较低,才能保证红外探测器的性能及其可靠性.实验结果表明,采用Ti/Au双层结构电极的热敏电阻可达到理想的噪声系数和良好的界面结合力.     

Recent materials problems relating to catastrophic balloon failures

Balloons fabricated of thin polyethylene materials have provided relatively inexpensive and reliable scientific research platforms for approximately three decades. Reliability of the modern day balloon, as launched by the U.S.A. National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF), has been approximately 85%. Recent balloon failures, coupled with an increased occurrence of catastrophic failures, created grave concern over the integrity of the present balloon inventory of the U.S.A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). An investigative team was established by NASA to review the circumstances surrounding the catastrophic balloon failures, determine the cause and to make recommendations to correct the problem and to prevent its reoccurrence. The most probable cause of failure as determined by the investigation was the polyethylene balloon film, although the film had passed the established standard quality control measures of the film manufacturer. The approach, findings, and conclusions of the investigation are presented along with planned procedures to assure future quality balloon film for NASA balloons.     

Experimental concept for examination of biological effects of magnetic field concealed by gravity.

Space is not only a place to study biological effects of gravity, but also provides unique opportunities to examine other environmental factors, where the biological actions are masked by gravity on the ground. Even the earth's magnetic field is steadily acting on living systems, and is known to influence many biological processes. A systematic survey and assessment of its action are difficult to conduct in the presence of dominant factors, such as gravity. Investigation of responses of biological systems against the combined environment of zero-gravity and zero-magnetic field might establish the baseline for the analysis of biological effects of magnetic factors. We propose, in this paper, an experimental concept in this context, together with a practical approach of the experiments, both in orbit and on the ground, with a thin magnetic shielding film. Plant epicotyl growth was taken as an exemplar index to evaluate technical and scientific feasibility of the proposed system concept.     

超声激励薄液膜Faraday波形成机理

针对35 kHz超声激励薄液膜形成的Faraday波,采用实验和有限元仿真,对Faraday波的形成机理进行探究。建立超声激励下的两相流计算模型,采用计算流体力学（CFD）方法对Faraday波的形成过程进行有限元仿真,通过分析相图和流线图,探讨Faraday波的形成机理,得到Faraday波的振动频率约为超声激励频率的1/2。液体惯性的存在,导致超声激励与液体表面波存在不断变化的相位差,相位差变化周期约等于2个超声激励周期。通过35 kHz超声激励薄液膜实验,在薄液膜表面观察到排列整齐的Faraday波图案,通过测量Faraday波的波长,得出实验获得的Faraday波频率约为超声激励频率的1/2,与有限元仿真结果一致。      

Influence of optical parameters on a solar sail motion

Detailed dynamic modeling of a solar sail requires recording of solar radiation pressure influence. A photon-solar sail is determined by the thrust value and the direction. We define the solar sail’s reflectivity depending on the film materials, the sail design and temperature, the thickness of multiple layers, and degradation factor, with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Thus, this work is devoted to the identification of optical characteristics of thin multilayer films in space flight conditions, i.e. to finding its reflectance, absorbance, and transmittance. In particular, the paper asks whether the solar sail simulates by a mathematical model of the optical characteristics of a multilayer epitaxial thin film. The temperature change effect and optical properties of solar sail degradation are considered as well. Solar sail flight from Earth to Mercury is designed as a simulation of the flight change in optical parameters.     

Animal research facility for Space Station Freedom.

An integrated animal research facility is planned by NASA for Space Station Freedom which will permit long-term, man-tended experiments on the effects of space conditions on vertebrates. The key element in this facility is a standard type animal habitat which supports and maintains the animals under full bioisolation during transport and during the experiment. A holding unit accommodates the habitats with animals to be maintained at zero gravity; and a centrifuge, those to be maintained at artificial gravity for control purposes or for gravity threshold studies. A glovebox permits handling of the animals for experimental purposes and for transfer to a clean habitat. These facilities are described, and the aspects of environmental control, monitoring, and bioisolation are discussed.     

数据格式转换技术在精密测量中的应用

叙述了为提高数据传输可靠性,在接收精密仪器所采集的数据过程中考虑将原有RS232串口通信,改进为USB接口通讯。但是接收到的信号出现了不明原因的周期性强干扰。为此,通过分析USB/RS232转换原理及A/D采集输出数据特点,对原软件的数据采集部分增补了具有特殊功能的子程序,使得应用程序可以自行恢复数据的完整性。此方法具有通用性,可在不同软件编辑环境中实现,且不影响硬件组成。文中又详细介绍了在薄膜厚度在线测量中应用上述USB接口通信的情况,实测结果表明试验取得了预想的效果。改进后的电容测量系统具有更为广泛的应用前景。     

多层膜光学常数的迭代椭偏测量研究

论述了多层薄膜光学的椭偏测量原理以及测量方法，采用导纳矩阵计算多层的椭偏参数；采用统计试验法与单纯形法相结合的数值逼近法进行反演计算。更重要的是本文首次提出迭椭偏测量法，使测量的重复性和精确度都大大提高。所谓选代椭偏测量法是不断地优选椭偏测量入射角，从而选出对核样品来说最佳椭偏测量入射角。用这种方法精确测量了相变光盘记录介质膜晶态下的光学常数，这对于相变光盘膜系结构优化设计很重要。     

微重力池沸腾传热研究

对利用中国返回式卫星搭载开展的两次微重力池沸腾空间实验及地基常重力和落塔短时微重力实验的结果进行了评述. 研究发现微重力时丝状加热器沸腾传热会略有强化, 而平板加热器则在高热流条件下明显恶化. 微重力时, 气泡脱落前存在沿加热面的横向运动, 加剧了相邻气泡间的合并, 合并气泡会在其表面振荡作用下从加热面脱落. Marangoni 效应对于微重力气泡行为有重要影响.      

Analysis of space debris impact source localization based on PVDF piezoelectric film

As the pace of human exploration and utilization of space continues to accelerate, space debris gradually becomes an inevitable problem affecting and threatening human space activities. When space debris strikes the spacecraft bulkhead, determining the impact source location timely and accurately is the foundation of the repair damage, and is also of great importance for the safety of astronauts' life. This paper analyzed the wave propagation law in thin plates, established a lightweight sensor array using PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride) circular thin-film sensors, and used a two-stage light-gas gun loading system to conduct hypervelocity collision localization experiments on impacting 2A12 aluminum plates to study the effects of sensor array radius and sensor size on localization results. The results show that the smaller the radius of the PVDF sensor array is, the more accurate the positioning result is under the premise of the same size of the PVDF circular film sensor array. On the premise of the same PVDF sensor array arrangement, the larger the PVDF circular membrane sensor is, the more accurate the positioning result is. ABAQUS finite element software is used to study the stress wave propagation of aluminum ball impacting aluminum plate at high speed, simulating space debris impacting spacecraft. The stress waveform obtained from the simulation is in good agreement with the experiment, which shows the accuracy of the numerical simulation method.     

Development and application of the Interactive Planetary Image Processing System (IPIPS) in support of remote sensing studies at Imperial College

In this paper we describe the Interactive Planetary Image Processing System (IPIPS) which was developed originally for studies of planetary meteorology and oceanography and is now used to support remote sensing studies in all areas of earth sciences. The computing machinery, the image display systems and the programming that unites them into an interactive research and analysis tool are described. We present some results from our recent research activities and also outline the role of IPIPS in the Imperial College and University of London teaching programme.     

碳基高导热材料及其在航天器上的应用

在分析航天器对于高导热材料的需求及应用特点的基础上,将碳基导热材料分为高导热石墨扩热板和高导热柔性石墨膜,总结了其在航天器上的典型应用场景.高导热柔性石墨膜可用于复杂结构等温化设计、柔性热传输等,高导热石墨扩热板可用于大功率元器件或设备扩热与传输.针对现有柔性导热材料柔韧性差、尺寸小、厚度薄等应用瓶颈,采用固相发泡技术...     

航天器表面充电状态被动控制用的导电膜

本文说明了航天器表面充电状态被动控制的概念及其优点。用反应磁控溅射技术制备了适用于充电状态被动控制的氧化铟/锡膜、氧化铟膜及氧化锡膜。给出了这些膜的透过率、发射率、表面电阻率。在模拟空间(含亚暴)的环境条件下,对这些膜的充电特性作了评估。实验和测试表明这些薄膜性能完全符合NASA提出的规范要求。     

Scientific ballooning in India – Recent developments

Established in 1971, the National Balloon Facility operated by TIFR in Hyderabad, India, is a unique facility in the country, which provides a complete solution in scientific ballooning. It is also one of its kind in the world since it combines both, the in-house balloon production and a complete flight support for scientific ballooning. With a large team working through out the year to design, fabricate and launch scientific balloons, the Hyderabad Facility is a unique centre of expertise where the balloon design, research and development, the production and launch facilities are located under one roof. Our balloons are manufactured from 100% indigenous components. The mission specific balloon design, high reliability control and support instrumentation, in-house competence in tracking, telemetry, telecommand, data processing, system design and mechanics is its hallmark. In the past few years, we have executed a major programme of upgradation of different components of balloon production, telemetry and telecommand hardware and various support facilities. This paper focuses on our increased capability of balloon production of large sizes up to 780,000 m³ using Antrix film, development of high strength balloon load tapes with the breaking strength of 182 kg, and the recent introduction of S-band telemetry and a commandable timer cut-off unit in the flight hardware. A summary of the various flights conducted in recent years will be presented along with the plans for new facilities.     

The feasibility of using an L1 positioned dust cloud as a method of space-based geoengineering

In this paper a method of geoengineering is proposed involving clouds of dust placed in the vicinity of the L₁ point as an alternative to the use of thin film reflectors. The aim of this scheme is to reduce the manufacturing requirement for space-based geoengineering. It has been concluded that the mass requirement for a cloud placed at the classical L₁ point, to create an average solar insolation reduction of 1.7%, is 7.60 × 10¹⁰ kg yr⁻¹ whilst a cloud placed at a displaced equilibrium point created by the inclusion of the effect of solar radiation pressure is 1.87 × 10¹⁰ kg yr⁻¹. These mass ejection rates are considerably less than the mass required in other unprocessed dust cloud methods proposed and are comparable to thin film reflector geoengineering requirements. Importantly, unprocessed dust sourced in-situ is seen as an attractive scheme compared to highly engineered thin film reflectors. It is envisaged that the required mass of dust can be extracted from captured near Earth asteroids, whilst stabilised in the required position using the impulse provided by solar collectors or mass drivers used to eject material from the asteroid surface.     

Approaches to detection of geochemical stress in vegetation

Work has been carried out to elucidate fundamental relationships between spectral properties of plants and geochemical stress, and a programme of field and laboratory work is in progress. The most significant results and conclusions at this stage are described and attention is focused on the new concepts for stress detection which have been generated. The applications of the research are relevant to the understanding of current remotely sensed data as well as relating to ideas for new instrumentation.