The high altitude student platform (HASP) for student-built payloads

An outstanding issue with aerospace workforce development is what should be done at the university level to attract and prepare undergraduates for an aerospace career. One approach adopted by many institutions is to lead students through the design and development of small payloads (less than about 500 grams) that can be carried up to high altitude (around 30 km) by a latex sounding balloon. This approach has been very successful in helping students to integrate their content knowledge with practical skills and to understand the end-to-end process of aerospace project development. Sounding balloons, however, are usually constrained in flight duration (∼30 min above 24 km) and payload weight, limiting the kinds investigations that are possible. Student built picosatellites, such as CubeSats, can be placed in low Earth orbit removing the flight duration constraint, but the delays between satellite development and launch can be years. Here, we present the inexpensive high altitude student platform (HASP) that is designed to carry at least eight student payloads at a time to an altitude of about 36 km with flight durations of 15–20 h using a small zero-pressure polyethylene film balloon. This platform provides a flight capability greater than sounding balloons and can be used to flight-test compact satellites, prototypes and other small payloads designed and built by students. The HASP includes a standard mechanical, power and communication interface for the student payload to simplify integration and allows the payloads to be fully exercised. HASP is lightweight, has simple mission requirements providing flexibility in the launch schedule, will provide a flight test opportunity at the end of each academic year.     

Development of the High Altitude Student Platform

The High Altitude Student Platform (HASP) was originally conceived to provide student groups with access to the near-space environment for flight durations and experiment capabilities intermediate between what is possible with small sounding balloons and low Earth orbit rocket launches. HASP is designed to carry up to twelve student payloads to an altitude of about 36 km with flight durations of 15–20 h using a small zero-pressure polyethylene film balloon. This provides a flight capability that can be used to flight-test compact satellites, prototypes and other small payloads designed and built by students. HASP includes a standard mechanical, power and communication interface for the student payload to simplify integration and allows the payloads to be fully exercised. Over the last two years a partnership between the NASA Balloon Program Office (BPO), Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility (CSBF), Louisiana State University (LSU), the Louisiana Board of Regents (BoR), and the Louisiana Space Consortium (LaSPACE) has led to the development, construction and, finally, the first flight of HASP with a complement of eight student payloads on September 4, 2006. Here we discuss the primary as-built HASP systems and features, the student payload interface, HASP performance during the first flight and plans for continuing HASP flights. The HASP project maintains a website at http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp/ where flight application, interface documentation and status information can be obtained.     

空间小鼠实验有效载荷研究进展

啮齿动物是空间研究中常见的模型对象,已开展的空间生物实验中,小鼠表现出对飞行条件的有效适应.通过空间培养,研究者可对失重环境下小鼠的生理行为、骨骼和神经系统变化做进一步研究分析.本文对空间小鼠实验有效载荷的研究进展及其空间飞行实验进行了概述,为中国空间站上的小鼠培养箱设计提供参考.概述了地面小鼠培养技术和装置,为空间小...     

舰载机弹射起飞安全性的影响因素分析

为了全面考察舰载机（CBA）弹射起飞系统的安全性能,在绝对坐标系下,利用自然坐标法,建立了弹射起飞过程的多体耦合动力学模型,结合舰载机弹射仿真曲线,从舰载机加速度和飞行轨迹两方面研究了不同参数对弹射安全的影响规律。仿真结果表明:在弹射滑跑阶段,弹射力对水平加速度影响较大,在自由飞行阶段,发动机推力对水平加速度影响较大,而起飞重量在整个弹射过程对加速度均有明显影响;定力栓临界值的增大对加速度、飞行轨迹影响不大,但需要考虑其带来的结构振动和时延效应;较长的剩余甲板可以增加离舰升力,从而有效减小离舰下沉量;舰船纵摇可引起飞行轨迹大幅下沉,应避免舰船纵摇位移最大的时刻离舰起飞,其中舰船运动引起牵制杆的提前释放也应是控制弹射时间的考虑因素之一;弹射起飞安全性设计是一个多变量寻优过程,单一要素的优化难以得到满意结果,需综合分析各要素的影响。      

Free fall tests of the accelerometers of the MICROSCOPE mission

The MICROSCOPE mission is fully dedicated to the in-orbit test of the Universality of free fall, the so-called Weak Equivalence Principle (WEP), with an expected accuracy better than 10⁻¹⁵. The test principle consists in comparing the accelerations of two proof masses of different composition in the Earth gravitational field. The payload embarks two pairs of test-masses made of Platinum Rhodium and Titanium alloys at the core of two dedicated coaxial electrostatic accelerometers. These instruments are under qualification for a launch in 2016.     

基于空间分层组合设计的火箭落点实时计算模型

为保证航天发射任务航区安全,实现火箭落点的高精度实时快速计算,提出一种基于空间分层的数学模型,对落点计算几何模型与动力学模型进行组合设计.该模型将弹道空间分层为自由段和再入段,自由段采用地球扁率修正的落点计算几何椭圆模型,而再入段采用考虑了空气阻力的动力学模型,并加入地球摄动及旋转等因素的修正.经与实际落点数据对比验证,该模型实现了精度和效率的最佳融合,能够满足航天发射任务火箭落点高精度、快实时的计算要求.      

Gravitaxis and graviperception in Euglena gracilis.

Gravitactic orientation in the flagellate Euglena gracilis is mediated by an active physiological receptor rather than a passive alignment of the cells. During a recent space flight on the American shuttle Columbia the cells were subjected to different accelerations between 0 and 1.5 x g and tracked by computerized real-time image analysis. The dependence of orientation on acceleration followed a sigmoidal curve with a threshold at < or = 0.16 x g and a saturation at about 0.32 x g. No adaptation of the cells to the conditions of weightlessness was observed over the duration of the space mission (12 days). Under terrestrial conditions graviorientation was eliminated when the cells were suspended in a medium the density of which (Ficoll) equaled that of the cell body (1.04 g/ml) and was reversed at higher densities indicating that the whole cytoplasm exerts a pressure on the respective lower membrane. There it probably activates stretch-sensitive calcium specific ion channels since gravitaxis can be affected by gadolinium which is a specific inhibitor of calcium transport in these structures. The sensory transduction chain could involve modulation of the membrane potential since ion channel blockers, ionophores and ATPase inhibitors impair graviperception.     

Space adapted cryogenics

The cooling requirements applicable to scientific and application payloads of space missions currently planned within the next decade are presented as well as the applicability of the various cryogenic techniques to these requirements. The severe constraints imposed by the spacecraft system, the launch vehicle and the space environment on the spaceborne cryogenic payload are commented. Infra-red astronomy is one of the most demanding candidates for space cryogenics and examples of relevant cooling systems currently under development or proposed for near future missions within ESA activities are described. The trend for long term applications is also commented.     

Energy deposition in the upper atmosphere in the EXCEDE III experiment

The EXCEDE III sounding rocket flight of April 27, 1990 used a 18 Ampere 2.5 keV electron beam to produce an artificial aurora in the region 90 to 115 km. A “daughter” sensor payload remotely monitored the low-energy X-ray spectrum while scanning photometers measured the spatial profile of prompt emissions of N₂⁺ (1N) and N₂ (2P) transitions (3914Å and 3805Å, respectively). Two Ebert-Fastie spectrometers measured the spectral region from 1800 to 8000Å. On the “mother” accelerator payload, the return current electron differential energy spectra were monitored by an electrostatic analyzer (up to 10 keV) and by a retarding potential analyzer (0 eV to 100 eV). We present an overview of the results from this experiment.     

航天发射用磁悬浮助推发射系统概念研究

针对日益增加的航天发射成本问题和安全、可靠、低成本航天发射方式的需求,阐述了磁悬浮助推发射概念及其优越性.初步分析了磁悬浮助推发射系统组成及各分系统功能.通过比较电磁悬浮(EMS)和超导电动(EDS)两种磁悬浮系统性能,结果表明EDS是更适合于磁悬浮助推发射的磁悬浮系统方案.通过助推发射能量需求初步分析,直线电机加速能量供给系统是难题之一,需要重点解决.采用飞行弹道分析方法,说明地面助推水平起飞单级入轨运载器方案的可行性及特点.与其它航天助推发射方式比较,磁悬浮助推发射在提高入轨载荷和降低发射成本方面具有优势.     

Influence of microgravity on mitogen binding and cytoskeleton in Jurkat cells.

The effects of microgravity on Jurkat cells--a T-lymphoid cell line--was studied on a sounding rocket flight. An automated pre-programmed instrument permitted the injection of fluorescent labelled concanavalin A (Con A), culture medium and/or fixative at given times. An in-flight 1 g centrifuge allowed the comparison of the data obtained in microgravity with a 1 g control having the same history related to launch and re-entry. After flight, the cells fixed either at the onset of microgravity or after a or 12 minute incubation time with fluorescent concanavalin A were labelled for vimentin and actin and analysed by fluorescence microscopy. Binding of Con A to Jurkat cells is not influenced by microgravity, whereas patching of the Con A receptors is significantly lower. A significant higher number of cells show changes in the structure of vimentin in microgravity. Most evident is the appearance of large bundles, significantly increased in the microgravity samples. No changes are found in the structure of actin and in the colocalisation of actin on the inner side of the cell membrane with the Con A receptors after binding of the mitogen.     

超静空间科学卫星分离式主动隔振技术

针对量子科学实验、时频传递实验等项目研发的先进载荷对微振动频谱积分的特殊指标需求,研究一种分离式主动隔振技术。分离式隔振技术将卫星划分为载荷模块和服务模块,考虑两模块之间柔性连接线缆和限位弹簧,首先建立两模块的动力学模型。随后,设计基于加速度反馈的六自由度隔振控制器,考虑执行机构控制和驱动电路的电气噪音,在时域和频域仿真分析载荷模块对服务模块的振动隔离性能。仿真结果表明,主动隔振后载荷模块三轴加速度功率谱密度在05~200Hz内积分值小于2 μgn。最后,分析主动隔振控制器参数对载荷模块加速度功率谱积分指标的影响。分离式主动隔振可为我国超静科学卫星的振动隔离提供一种技术途径。     

翼伞系统纵向飞行性能分析

翼伞系统的飞行性能不仅取决于翼伞本身的气动特性,而且与安装角、伞绳长度、回收物阻力特征、翼载荷等系统参数密切相关。文章应用拉格朗日方程建立翼伞系统的纵向飞行力学模型,对翼伞系统进行飞行力学数值仿真,深入分析了系统参数以及开伞状态对翼伞系统纵向飞行性能的影响规律。结果表明：只有安装角在0°～20°时,翼伞系统才能达到稳定的滑翔状态,且安装角在4°～6°时对应两个稳定的滑翔状态,具体由开伞姿态和速度决定;伞绳特征长度的增加使系统的静稳定性增加;回收物的阻力特征增加6m2,翼伞系统的稳定滑翔角增加15°左右,而迎角减小不到1°;翼伞飞行速度随着翼载荷的增加而增加,其平方与回收物质量成正比。上述结论可为翼伞系统的工程实际应用提供参考。     

嫦娥四号任务科学目标和有效载荷配置

嫦娥四号探测器由中继星、着陆器和巡视器组成.其科学目标为:月基低频射电天文观测研究,月球背面巡视区浅层结构探测研究以及月球背面巡视区形貌与矿物组分探测研究.共配置6台有效载荷设备,其中3台载荷设备配置在着陆器上,分别为降落相机、地形地貌相机和低频射电谱仪,其余3台配置在巡视器上,分别为全景相机、测月雷达和红外成像光谱仪.本文主要论述了嫦娥四号任务的科学目标、着陆区概况、有效载荷配置及系统设计、各有效载荷任务和主要技术指标等.      

The DEMETER micro satellite launch campaign: A cheap access to space

The CNES micro satellite DEMETER has been successfully launched on June 29th 2004 by a DNEPR launcher, from the Baïkonur Cosmodrome. DEMETER was the main payload among eight co-passengers.Initiated by CNES in 1998, DEMETER is the first model of the MYRIADE micro satellites line of products; its objectives are both scientific and technological; the satellite has now been flying for science for almost one year.The space head module of the launcher has been developed by the Ukrainian company Yuzhnoye, and a complete fit check test campaign has been performed in December 2003 to confirm the compatibility of the payloads with their launcher interfaces.The launch campaign took place at Baïkonur Cosmodrome from the end of May to the end of June 2004, implying a close partnership between the CNES satellite team and the Russian and Ukrainian launcher authorities: DEMETER has been a pioneer not only for the concept itself, but also for being the first satellite of this range (three axis stabilized, including an hydrazine propulsion system and developed by a national space agency) to be launched on a former intercontinental ballistic missile SS18. The launch service was managed by ISC Kosmotras, and it was the first sun synchronous orbit launch for DNEPR.The present paper deals with the details of DEMETER satellite and its launch, and preliminary results.     

Accommodations for earth-viewing payloads on the international space station

The design of the International Space Station (ISS) includes payload locations that are external to the pressurized environment. These external or attached payload accommodation locations will allow direct access to the space environment at the ISS orbit and direct viewing of the earth and space. NASA sponsored payloads will have access to several different types of standard external locations; the S3 Truss Sites, the Columbus External Payload Facility (EPF), and the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM-EF). As the ISS Program develops, it may also be possible to locate external payloads at the P3 Truss Sites or at non-standard locations similar to the handrail-attached payloads that were flown during the MIR Program. Earth-viewing payloads may also be located within the pressurized volume of the US Lab in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). Payload accommodations at each of the locations will be described, as well as transport to and retrieval from the site.     

环境C卫星热系统设计与在轨验证

根据环境C卫星的自身特性, 采用以被动式热控制为主和主动热控制为辅的控制方式, 对环境C卫星进行热系统设计. 通过研究环境C卫星的热控设计原则、热设计状态及已解决的关键问题, 对其在轨飞行温度数据进行了分析. 在轨飞行遥测结果表明, 环境C卫星热控系统方案合理, 工作稳定, 性能良好. 星上设备温度环境很好地满足了设计要求.      

Controllable passive detectors for study of the radiation environment in space and the atmosphere

We propose to study the radiation environment on board different flight vehicles: cosmos-type satellites, orbital stations, Space Shuttles and civil (sonic and supersonic) aircraft. These investigations will be carried out with single type of passive detector, namely, nuclear photoemulsions (NPE) with adjustable threshold of particle detection within broad range of linear energy transfer (LET) that is done by means of the technique of selective development of NPE exposed in space.

These investigations will allow one to determine:

• integral spectra of LET of charged particles of cosmic ray (CR) over a wide range from 2.0 to 5×10⁴ MeV/cm in biological tissue;

• differential energy spectra of fast neutrons (1–20 MeV);

• estimation of absorbed and equivalent doses from charged and neutral component CR;

• charge and energy spectra of low energy nuclei (E≤100 MeV) with Z≥2 having in view the extreme hazard radiation to biological objects and microelectronic schemes taken on board inside and outside of these different flight vehicles with exposures from several days to several months.

The investigation of radiation environment on board the airplanes depending on the flight parameters will be conducted using emulsions of different sensitivity without any controlling of threshold sensitivity (Akopova et al., 1996). The proposed detector can be used in the joint experiments on the new International Cosmic Station “Alpha”.     

Telemetry,telecommand and safety sub-systems for scientific ballooning from Hyderabad

Highly sophisticated balloon-borne scientific payloads have stringent requirement on the telemetry and command system. The development and fabrication of the on-board TT&C package for telemetry, tracking, command, safety and ranging for these experiments is done in-house at the National Balloon Facility (NBF) at Hyderabad. In the last few years, we have made major improvements both in the ground station and the on-board sub-systems, thereby improving the data quality, data handling speed and the general flight control along with aviation safety. The new system has telemetry data rate up to 1 Mbps. A reduction in weight, power and cost of the reengineered on-board integrated package has also lead to the ease of operation during field tests prior to launch and at remote recovery sites. In this paper, we describe the details of the new control package, its flight performance and our plans for portable S-band telemetry and telecommand system to cater to the balloon flights from Antarctic station and long duration balloon flights.