Satellite solar power: Renewed interest in an age of climate change?

The concept of generating electricity using satellite solar power (SSP) has recently enjoyed renewed interest as a source of non-fossil fuel energy. First proposed in the 1960s, then studied sporadically in the past decade, SSP offers a potentially large supply of power but without the carbon emissions associated with evidence of global climate change. SSP faces challenges: competition from other non-fossil renewable energy, such as wind power, and the lead-time and costs required to assemble, test, and deploy an SSP system. At the request of a consortium of electric utilities, of NASA, and of the US National Science Foundation, this paper estimates the value of SSP in four distinct geographic regions, each differing in terms of their resource base for conventional renewable energy. Because deployment of SSP would be sometime in the future, we explicitly incorporate uncertainty in the model. We find the cost-effectiveness of SSP is highly sensitive to geographic region, to the reliability of SSP, and to the cost of carbon damages avoided by its use. The results offer guidance for decision makers in space, energy, and environment programs who must allocate scarce budgetary resources among competing public investment alternatives for clean energy.     

Organizing and managing satellite solar power

Building an organization and management structure to create, launch, utilize and protect a satellite solar power energy system will require a global policy for the beneficial use of SSP. The fundamental organizational tasks are: (1) R&D, achieved through a project organization characterized by the integrated management of applied science, development research and construction engineering; (2) investment, generated by a series of groups creating financial vehicles for public and private investment; (3) transmission and distribution, characterized by attention to an engineering and maintenance process emphasizing high reliability; and (4) crisis response, demanding readiness for instant response to potential internal or external scenarios. A differentiated global organization spanning the long timeframe of SSP will need to have a central management core representative of all parts of the organization, with the capacity for self-renewal and re-adaptation. To be successful over its long timeframe, the SSP organization will need to build continuity and public confidence through intergenerational communication, public education, and community outreach. Integrating structures must be created at all levels of the organization, and should encompass joint work tasks and information-sharing among both industrial and government members. Developmental and alliance partners who support the formation and financing of a differentiated satellite solar power organization will share commensurately in the technologies and competencies that are created.     

Safety issues in SPS wireless power transmission

The use of wireless power transmission in Space Solar Power (SSP) activities creates significant policy issues regarding the beam right-of-way. There will not be a single beam, there may well be hundreds of beams for economical systems. Are some or all of these power beams to be afforded priorities of space for unobstructed power delivery, or must the beaming systems be designed to be capable of detecting any and all potential beam interceptions and appropriately responding? The repeated interruptions for guaranteed safety of transit for freely moving air and space traffic are of great consequence. The safety issues are critical, but the implications for equipment transient protection, energy storage system costs and the quality of power delivery service are also significant for wireless power transmission economics. A scenario of precursor wireless power transmission developments leading up to and including SSP applications will be used to frame and to discuss the beamed power technology implications and policy issues.     

An economic assessment of space solar power as a source of electricity for space-based activities

Those in the space community interested in deploying space solar power (SSP) need to know whether it would make economic sense. This article aims to develop a conceptual model of the economic value of SSP as a source of power to in-space activities, such as spacecraft and space stations. We offer several estimates of the value based on interviews and published data, discuss technological innovations that may compete with or be complementary to SSP, and consider alternative institutional arrangements for government and the private sector to provide SSP.     

European response to the NASA space station initiative

This article contrasts the political motivations behind the US space station initiative with those underlying the European Space Agency's Long Term Plan. Philip Chandler concludes that European cooperation in NASA's space station programme (SSP) will serve three needs: to buy time; to allow European users to undertake longer, manned experiments; and, to keep the Spacelab teams intact. However, in itself the SSP holds little value for Europe.     

Sandwich module prototype progress for space solar power

Space solar power (SSP) has been broadly defined as the collection of solar energy in space and its wireless transmission for use on earth. This approach potentially gives the benefit of provision of baseload power while avoiding the losses due to the day/night cycle and tropospheric effects that are associated with terrestrial solar power. Proponents have contended that the implementation of such systems could offer energy security, environmental, and technological advantages to those who would undertake their development. Among recent implementations commonly proposed for SSP, the modular symmetrical concentrator (MSC) and other modular concepts have received considerable attention. Each employs an array of modules for performing conversion of concentrated sunlight into microwaves or laser beams for transmission to earth. While prototypes of such modules have been designed and developed previously by several groups, none have been subjected to the challenging conditions inherent to the space environment and the possible solar concentration levels in which an array of modules might be required to operate. The research described herein details our team's efforts in the development of photovoltaic arrays, power electronics, microwave conversion electronics, and antennas for microwave-based “sandwich” module prototypes. The implementation status and testing results of the prototypes are reviewed.     

Can power from space compete?

This report summarizes the findings of a report entitled Can Power from Space Compete? produced for NASA by Resources for the Future (RFF). In considering how well satellite solar power (SSP) is likely to compete in the market for electricity from the present to 2020, it finds that neither perceived shortages of fossil fuel nor climate change factors are likely to be major issues in this time frame. Moreover, the high costs of SSP and possible concerns over public health and national security will continue to constrain its development. This does not mean, however, that R&D into the subject should cease; it may well have a future in the short term when applied to non-terrestrial systems. The full report is available at http://www.rff.org.     

Reconstructing Sound Speed Profiles with Sea Surface Data

Ocean sound speed profile(SSP) is the key factor affecting acoustic propagation. The acquisition of SSPsin real time with high precision is meaningful for underwater activities. By means of the remote sensing method, thesea surface data could be obtained in near-real time. Typically, the subsurface fields are correlated with the sea surfaceparameters. Thus, the SSPs could be obtained by means of satellite remote sensing. In this paper, the history as wellas the current research over the reconstruction of subsurface fields by means of sea surface data is introduced. Thentwo methods to reconstruct the SSPs with sea surface data, including the linear regression method using the empiricalorthogonal function, and the self-organizing method based on the big data theory, are described in detail in the paper.     

Power from space: the policy challenge

The scientific community has long embraced the concept of globalized collaboration, recognizing that scientific inquiry knows no borders and that scientific theory transcends nationality. With respect to translating scientific and technological innovation into practical application, however, national, political, and ideological barriers suddenly arise. At a time when the worlds of economics and finance are rapidly globalizing, the world of applied science lags behind — despite increasingly urgent need for global energy solutions. In the context of considering space solar power (SSP) systems, the author contends that these solutions require new ways of determining costs and benefits; that scientific experts should seek active engagement in the policy arena; and that SSP's scientific community has a critical role to play in advocating for consideration of space-based energy solutions.     

弹道式再入飞行器以配平攻角状态返回的轨道计算原理及相应的控制要求

弹道式再入飞行器一般为轴对称旋成体,但其质心可以偏离对称轴。我们称通过飞行器质心和对称轴的平面为飞行器的对称面。这种飞行器以配平攻角状态返回时,不仅要求其相对于地球的飞行速度矢量平行于飞行器的对称面、飞行攻角恰等于配平攻角,而且要求其相对于质心的转动角速度矢量垂直于飞行器的对称面,能使飞行器的姿态跟随飞行速度矢量的改变。基于上述考虑,本文给出了这种飞行器以配平攻角状态返回的轨道计算原理及相应的控制要求。     

坚持标准 严格要求 做好大学生党员发展工作

把优秀的大学生凝聚到党的队伍和事业中来,是高等教育在全面建设小康社会中的主要任务。高校是人才培养的摇篮,也是社会主义建设可持续发展战略的重要一环。为此,高校学生党建工作要努力成为贯彻“三个代表”重要思想的组织者、推动者和实践者,必须从党和国家兴旺发达,长治久安的高度,充分认识到在高校大学生中发展党员工作的重大意义。     

计算机帧时间对半实物仿真的影响

半实物仿真试验中,要求计算机帧时间与计算积分步长相一致,但在实际试验中不容易精确地做到。本文分析了这种不一致给半实物仿真试验带来的影响,给出了解决的办法,文章中还给出了一实例来说明。     

Prospects for Euro-Indian space cooperation

This is the executive summary of a report prepared for the European Commission by LD consultants on the status of India's space industry and the prospects for European firms to invest in it. India has impressive launch capabilities, telecommunications and disaster warning satellites but commercialization of its activities is occurring only slowly. There are many opportunities for joint ventures with Europe (which must not let the USA consolidate its superior position in the broadcasting field) but issues of technology transfer and India's unhappiness with the MTRC must first be resolved. As well as selling products and services, Europeans should also be prepared to buy those Indian components that are available more competitively.     

Technology considerations relevant to an exobiology surface-science approach for Europa

If Europa is to be of primary exobiological interest, namely, as a habitat for extant life, it is obvious that (a) a hydrosphere must prevail beneath the cryosphere for a long time, (b) internal energy sources must be present in a sufficient state of activity, and (c) a reasonable technical means must be available for assessing if indeed life does exist in the hypothesized hydrosphere. This discussion focuses on the last point, namely, technological issues, because the trend of the compounding evidence about Europa indicates that the first two points are likely to be true. First, we present a consideration of time-of-flight mass spectroscopy conducted in situ on the cryosphere surface of Europa during a first landed robotic mission. We assert that this is a reasonable technical means not only for exploring the composition of the cryosphere itself, but also for locating any biomolecular indicators of extant life brought to the surface through cryosphere activity. Secondly, this work also addresses practical issues inherent in any kind of instrumental interrogation of a surface whose properties are governed by radiation chemistry. This includes advocating the construction of a Europan surface simulator to familiarize instrumental system developers with the spacecraft- and instrument-scale conditions under which such an interrogation would take place on Europa. Such a simulator is mandatory in certification of the functional utility of a flight instrument.     

变形铝合金中微量合金元素研究

分析了微量合金元素在变形铝合金中的作用，论述了微量合金元素与杂质的关系。指出微量合金元素与杂质是不能混淆的两个概念。前者的作用不仅与其种类和含量有关，还与加工方法有关。     

复合材料设计的回顾与展望

复合材料设计是复合材料研制过程中必须首先解决的问题，复合材料设计由定性化向定量化方向发展是其必然趋势。复合材料力学、材料设计专家系统和智能化设计系统应用于复合材料设计方面已取得巨大的进展，并推动复合材料科学与技术的发展。     

The Solution of Some Problems of Optimizing the Processes of a Flexible Correction of Motion of Satellite Systems: I

The first of a series of problems of the optimization of correction of satellite systems, moving over near-circular orbits, is considered. The correction is accomplished by means of low-thrust engines and is supposed to be flexible, where only the parameters of the relative motion of satellites must be corrected. The problem has a large dimension, but is invariant with respect to renumbering of satellites. This allows us to decompose the problem, i.e., to find new variables, linearly dependent on old ones, in which the problem breaks down into a series of independent subproblems of low dimension. The decomposition is accomplished by means of the technique [1] based on the theory of linear representations of groups.     

跨文化交际中的翻译对等(英文)

跨文化交际是当前一个比较热的研究领域,其研究对于实现翻译对等有重要意义。翻译是一种特殊的跨文化交际,因此,要达到真正的翻译对等,必须克服与跨文化有关的各种障碍,如词汇、习语、生活经验、习俗等;另外交际方也必须了解如何与翻译工作者进行有效的合作。     

跨文化交际中的翻译对等

跨文化交际是当前一个比较热的研究领域,其研究对于实现翻译对等有重要意义.翻译是一种特殊的跨文化交际,因此,要达到真正的翻译对等,必须克服与跨文化有关的各种障碍,如词汇、习语、生活经验、习俗等;另外交际方也必须了解如何与翻译工作者进行有效的合作.     

Mars scientific investigations as a precursor for human exploration.

In the past two years, NASA has begun to develop and implement plans for investigations on robotic Mars missions which are focused toward returning data critical for planning human missions to Mars. The Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Orbiter and Lander missions will mark the first time that experiments dedicated to preparation for human exploration will be carried out. Investigations on these missions and future missions range from characterization of the physical and chemical environment of Mars, to predicting the response of biology to the Mars environment. Planning for such missions must take into account existing data from previous Mars missions which were not necessarily focused on human exploration preparation. At the same time, plans for near term missions by the international community must be considered to avoid duplication of effort. This paper reviews data requirements for human exploration and applicability of existing data. It will also describe current plans for investigations and place them within the context of related international activities.