Life support system with autonomous control employing plant photosynthesis

This research was aimed at obtaining a closed control system. This was achieved by placing all the technological processes providing for human vital activities within the hermetically sealed space, and by transferring the entire control and guidance of these processes to people inhabiting the system. In contrast to existing biological life support systems, man has been included not only as a participant of metabolism, but as an operator who is the central figure in collecting information, making decisions and controlling all technological processes. To tackle this problem, the "BIOS-3" experimental complex was created for performing long-term experiments using different structures of biological life-support system. The experiment lasted six months and consisted of three stages. During the first stage the system was comprised of two equivalent phytotrons with the culture of wheat and an assortment of vegetable plants, and the living compartment. At the second stage, one of the phytotrons was removed while a compartment of chlorella cultivators was introduced. The third stage differed from the second, the former using wheat phytotron and the latter employing phytotron with an assortment of vegetable cultures. Three men inhabited the system simultaneously. The experiment demonstrated that a biological life support system controlled autonomously from the inside is feasible within a small confined space. However, immunological and microbiological research shows, that the medium created by the system is not fully adequate for man. In conclusion, some prospects have been outlined for further studies of biological life support systems.     

Terahertz circular dichroism spectroscopy: a potential approach to the in situ detection of life's metabolic and genetic machinery

We propose a terahertz (far-infrared) circular dichroism-based life-detection technology that may provide a universal and unequivocal spectroscopic signature of living systems regardless of their genesis. We argue that, irrespective of the specifics of their chemistry, all life forms will employ well-structured, chiral, stereochemically pure macromolecules (>500 atoms) as the catalysts with which they perform their metabolic and replicative functions. We also argue that nearly all such macromolecules will absorb strongly at terahertz frequencies and exhibit significant circular dichroism, and that this circular dichroism unambiguously distinguishes biological from abiological materials. Lastly, we describe several approaches to the fabrication of a terahertz circular dichroism spectrometer and provide preliminary experimental indications of their feasibility. Because terahertz circular dichroism signals arise from the molecular machinery necessary to carry out life's metabolic and genetic processes, this life-detection method differs fundamentally from more well-established approaches based on the detection of isotopic fractionation, "signature" carbon compounds, disequilibria, or other by-products of metabolism. Moreover, terahertz circular dichroism spectroscopy detects this machinery in a manner that makes few, if any, assumptions as to its chemical nature or the processes that it performs.     

Evaluation of safety of hypobaric decompressions and EVA from positions of probabilistic theory

Formation and subsequent evolution of gas bubbles in blood and tissues of subjects exposed to decompression are casual processes in their nature. Such character of bubbling processes in a body predetermines probabilistic character of decompression sickness (DCS) incidence in divers, aviators and astronauts. Our original probabilistic theory of decompression safety is based on stochastic models of these processes and on the concept of critical volume of a free gas phase in body tissues. From positions of this theory, the probability of DCS incidence during single-stage decompressions and during hypobaric decompressions under EVA in particular, is defined by the distribution of possible values of nucleation efficiency in "pain" tissues and by its critical significance depended on the parameters of a concrete decompression. In the present study the following is shown: 1) the dimensionless index of critical nucleation efficiency for "pain" body tissues is a more adequate index of decompression stress in comparison with Tissue Ratio, TR; 2) a priory the decompression under EVA performed according to the Russian protocol is more safe than decompression under EVA performed in accordance with the U.S. protocol; 3) the Russian space suit operated at a higher pressure and having a higher "rigidity" induces a stronger inhibition of mechanisms of cavitation and gas bubbles formation in tissues of a subject located in it, and by that provides a more considerable reduction of the DCS risk during real EVA performance.     

Multisatellite systems with linear structure and their application for continuous coverage of the earth

Multisatellite systems with linear structure (SLS) are defined, and their application for a continuous global or zonal coverage of the Earths surface is justified. It is demonstrated that in some cases these systems turned out to be better than usually recommended kinematically regular systems by G.V. Mozhaev, delta systems of J.G. Walker, and polar systems suggested by F.W. Gobets, L. Rider, and W.S. Adams. When a comparison is made using the criterion of a minimum radius of one-satellite coverage circle, the SLS beat the other systems for the majority of satellite numbers from the range 20–63, if the global continuous single coverage of the Earth is required. In the case of a zonal continuous single coverage of the latitude belt ±65°, the SLS are preferable at almost all numbers of satellites from 38 to 100, and further at any values up to 200 excluding 144.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 1, 2005, pp. 36–53.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Saulskiy.     

Location and sampling of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits in martian impact craters

Do large craters on Mars represent sites that contain aqueous and hydrothermal deposits that provide clues to astrobiological processes? Are these materials available for sampling in large craters? Several lines of evidence strongly support the exploration of large impact craters to study deposits important for astrobiology. The great depth of impact craters, up to several kilometers relative to the surrounding terrain, can allow the breaching of local aquifers, providing a source of water for lakes and hydrothermal systems. Craters can also be filled with water from outflow channels and valley networks to form large lakes with accompanying sedimentation. Impact melt and uplifted basement heat sources in craters > 50 km in diameter should be sufficient to drive substantial hydrothermal activity and keep crater lakes from freezing for thousands of years, even under cold climatic conditions. Fluid flow in hydrothermal systems is focused at the edges of large planar impact melt sheets, suggesting that the edge of the melt sheets will have experienced substantial hydrothermal alteration and mineral deposition. Hydrothermal deposits, fine-grained lacustrine sediments, and playa evaporite deposits may preserve evidence for biogeochemical processes that occurred in the aquifers and craters. Therefore, large craters may represent giant Petri dishes for culturing preexisting life on Mars and promoting biogeochemical processes. Landing sites must be identified in craters where access to the buried lacustrine sediments and impact melt deposits is provided by processes such as erosion from outflow channels, faulting, aeolian erosion, or excavation by later superimposed cratering events. Very recent gully formation and small impacts within craters may allow surface sampling of organic materials exposed only recently to the harsh oxidizing surface environment.     

Influence of ionic inorganic solutes on self-assembly and polymerization processes related to early forms of life: implications for a prebiotic aqueous medium

A commonly accepted view is that life began in a marine environment, which would imply the presence of inorganic ions such as Na+, Cl-, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Fe2+. We have investigated two processes relevant to the origin of life--membrane self-assembly and RNA polymerization--and established that both are adversely affected by ionic solute concentrations much lower than those of contemporary oceans. In particular, monocarboxylic acid vesicles, which are plausible models of primitive membrane systems, are completely disrupted by low concentrations of divalent cations, such as magnesium and calcium, and by high sodium chloride concentrations as well. Similarly, a nonenzymatic, nontemplated polymerization of activated RNA monomers in ice/eutectic phases (in a solution of low initial ionic strength) yields oligomers with > 80% of the original monomers incorporated, but polymerization in initially higher ionic strength aqueous solutions is markedly inhibited. These observations suggest that cellular life may not have begun in a marine environment because the abundance of ionic inorganic solutes would have significantly inhibited the chemical and physical processes that lead to self-assembly of more complex molecular systems.     

Adsorption water-related potential chemical and biological processes in the upper martian surface

Mars Odyssey has given strong evidence for the existence of water in the upper martian surface at equatorial latitudes. The water content, which corresponds to the hydrogen in the soil, can regionally reach values up to about 15%. This water is mainly in the form of structurally and partially irreversibly bound "crystal" water, and of reversibly bound and partially unfrozen adsorption water. This adsorption water, which has "liquid-like" properties as a two dimensional fluid or film, can trigger-in the presence of ultraviolet light and in concentrations similar to what has been measured on Mars-photocatalytic processes that are important for martian surface chemistry. The consequences of the diurnally variable presence of adsorption water on the chemistry and hypothetical biological processes at and in the upper martian surface at equatorial and mid-latitudes are discussed in terms of water-related environmental aspects for chemical and hypothetical life processes on Mars.     

Microsatellites And Improved Acquisition Of Space Systems

Traditional practices of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) in the acquisition of space systems have focused on advanced versions of proven technology, meaning large satellites. This paradigm contributes to dependence on a handful of satellites, program schedules measured in decades, and the expensive oversight and program management functions which must be applied to systems which, since there are so few assets, cannot countenance failures. The escape from this paradigm is offered by Microsatellites (Microsats). Microsats are not only useful technology, but technology which enables a different approach to acquisition. What the authors call the Microsat Acquisition Paradigm (MAP) is partly modeled on NASA's Faster, Better, Cheaper approach and takes lessons from NASA's successes and failures. Now that some space functions can be undertaken by low-cost Microsats, the advantages of mass production, reduced government oversight, and acceptance of a reasonable failure rate can be applied to space system acquisition. This paper explores the three pillars of the MAP approach: requirements, technology, and acquisition, which together support the Holy Grail of space system affordability. Understanding the military's space requirements is the first pillar of this approach. The second pillar is the ability to correlate the requirements to the current and projected state of Microsat technology and explain what space functions can be accomplished with Microsats. Finally, historical examples, as well as recent studies. demonstrate that streamlined, cost-effective acquisition is a reality for Microsats, enabling savings in time and money compared to the acquisition system used for traditional space systems.     

High-resolution simulations of the final assembly of Earth-like planets. 2. Water delivery and planetary habitability

The water content and habitability of terrestrial planets are determined during their final assembly, from perhaps 100 1,000-km "planetary embryos " and a swarm of billions of 1-10-km "planetesimals. " During this process, we assume that water-rich material is accreted by terrestrial planets via impacts of water-rich bodies that originate in the outer asteroid region. We present analysis of water delivery and planetary habitability in five high-resolution simulations containing about 10 times more particles than in previous simulations. These simulations formed 15 terrestrial planets from 0.4 to 2.6 Earth masses, including five planets in the habitable zone. Every planet from each simulation accreted at least the Earth's current water budget; most accreted several times that amount (assuming no impact depletion). Each planet accreted at least five water-rich embryos and planetesimals from the past 2.5 astronomical units; most accreted 10-20 water-rich bodies. We present a new model for water delivery to terrestrial planets in dynamically calm systems, with low-eccentricity or low-mass giant planets-such systems may be very common in the Galaxy. We suggest that water is accreted in comparable amounts from a few planetary embryos in a " hit or miss " way and from millions of planetesimals in a statistically robust process. Variations in water content are likely to be caused by fluctuations in the number of water-rich embryos accreted, as well as from systematic effects, such as planetary mass and location, and giant planet properties.     

Construction of QIAN Xuesen's Meta-Synthetic Wisdom System and Aerospace Hall for Workshop for Meta-Synthetic Engineering

China's aerospace industry is facing a major task of increasing the reform of aerospace management system and speeding up civil-military integration, which leads to an urgent demand for new aerospace think tank products. Thankfully, with "information space" as the carrier, the "systems science" as the guidance, and QIAN Xuesen's "metasynthetic wisdom system" as the core, QIAN Xuesen think tank provides the decision support for China to develop an aerospace knowledge economy and to continuously enhance the "space soft power". In this paper, the framework of the meta-synthetic wisdom system guided by systems science is presented, the relationship between basic ideas of QIAN Xuesen think tank and meta-synthetic wisdom system is explained and the construction items of aerospace hall of the workshop for meta-synthetic engineering(aerospace HWMSE) are analyzed.     

Sulfuric acid Speleogenesis associated with a glacially driven groundwater system-paleo-spring "pipes" at Borup Fiord Pass, Nunavut

Gypsum filled "pipe" features were discovered in the proglacial area of the Borup Fiord Pass supraglacial sulfur spring. Stable isotope data suggest that gypsum is formed through oxidation of sulfides and are consistent with models of sulfuric acid speleogenesis. These results suggest that gypsum pipes are paleo-spring discharge channels analogous to those that feed the modern sulfur spring at Borup Fiord. A conceptual model is proposed whereby retreat of the glacial front and associated growth of permafrost in ground exposed now to low arctic temperatures leads to "freezing-in" of the spring system and abandonment of old channels in favor of more open flow systems in the subglacial region. Results provide a model for glacially driven groundwater systems that may form in association with Mars' polar icecaps and potential geological signatures for paleo-groundwater discharge.     

An energy balance concept for habitability

Habitability can be formulated as a balance between the biological demand for energy and the corresponding potential for meeting that demand by transduction of energy from the environment into biological process. The biological demand for energy is manifest in two requirements, analogous to the voltage and power requirements of an electrical device, which must both be met if life is to be supported. These requirements exhibit discrete (non-zero) minima whose magnitude is set by the biochemistry in question, and they are increased in quantifiable fashion by (i) deviations from biochemically optimal physical and chemical conditions and (ii) energy-expending solutions to problems of resource limitation. The possible rate of energy transduction is constrained by (i) the availability of usable free energy sources in the environment, (ii) limitations on transport of those sources into the cell, (iii) upper limits on the rate at which energy can be stored, transported, and subsequently liberated by biochemical mechanisms (e.g., enzyme saturation effects), and (iv) upper limits imposed by an inability to use "power" and "voltage" at levels that cause material breakdown. A system is habitable when the realized rate of energy transduction equals or exceeds the biological demand for energy. For systems in which water availability is considered a key aspect of habitability (e.g., Mars), the energy balance construct imposes additional, quantitative constraints that may help to prioritize targets in search-for-life missions. Because the biological need for energy is universal, the energy balance construct also helps to constrain habitability in systems (e.g., those envisioned to use solvents other than water) for which little constraint currently exists.     

Crickets in space.

"Crickets in Space" (CRISP) was a Neurolab experiment by which the balance between genetic programs and the gravitational environment for the development of a gravity sensitive neuronal system was studied. The model character of crickets was justified by their external gravity receptors, identified position-sensitive interneurons (PSI) and gravity-related compensatory head response, and by the specific relation of this behavior to neuronal activation systems. These advantages allowed us to study the impact of modified gravity on cellular processes in a complex organism. Eggs, 1st, 4th and 6th stage larvae of Acheta domesticus were used. Post-flight experiments revealed a low susceptibility of the behavior to microgravity and hypergravity (hg) while the physiology of the PSI was significantly affected. Immunocytological investigations revealed a stage-dependent sensitivity of thoracic GABAergic motoneurons to 3g-conditions concerning their soma sizes but not their topographical arrangement. Peptidergic neurons from cerebral sensorimotor centers revealed no significant modifications by microgravity. The contrary physiological and behavioral results indicate a facilitation of 1g-readaptation by accessory gravity. proprioceptive and visual sense organs. Absence of anatomical modifications point to an effective time window of microgravity or hg-exposure related to the period of neuronal proliferation. Grant numbers: 50WB9553-7.     

Review and Prospective on Systems Engineering in China

The origin,formation and evolution of the systems engineering theory accompanied QIAN Xuesen's whole life.The systems engineering theory is the concentrated reflection of QIAN's achievements and theory in all aspects.From returning to China to pioneer China's space industry,creating a new management mode of "one overall design department,two command lines",publishing Organization and Management Technology:Systems Engineering,to proposing the theory of Open Complex Giant System(OCGS) and the theory of Metasynthetic Wisdom,all these mark the formation of the Chinese school of systems engineering.Guided by QIAN's academic ideas,various major Chinese space programs have been implemented successfully which verified the fact that the systems engineering is scientific.The systems engineering has been applied to different fields of the national economy and has a development process with the distinguished characteristics of Chinese systems science.On one hand,the systems engineering is put forward deeply along the traditional systems engineering thought and theory;on the other hand,a batch of innovations that break the traditional shackles have occurred,making the Chinese systems engineering unique and outstanding compared with foreign counterparts.     

Solar and Heliospheric Phenomena in October–November 2003: Causes and Effects

We present new observational data on the phenomena of extremely high activity on the Sun and in the heliosphere that took place in October–November 2003. A large variety of solar and heliospheric parameters give evidence that the interval under consideration is unique over the entire observation time. Based on these data, comparing them with similar situations in the past and using available theoretical concepts, we discuss possible cause-and-effect connections between the processes observed. The paper includes the first results and conclusions derived by the collaboration Solar Extreme Events-2003 organized in Russia for detailed investigations of these events. As a result of our consideration, it is beyond question that the physical causes of solar and heliospheric phenomena in October–November 2003 are not exclusively local and do not belong only to the active regions and solar atmosphere above them. The energy reservoirs and driving forces of these processes have a more global nature. In general, they are hidden from an observer, since ultimately their sources lie in the subphotospheric layers of the Sun, where changes that are fast and difficult to predict can sometimes take place (and indeed they do). Solar flares can serve as sufficiently good tracers of these sudden changes and reconstructions on the Sun, although one can still find other diagnostic indicators among the parameters of magnetic fields, motions of matter, and emission characteristics.     

飞行器振动智能分析与诊断

本文通过综合多个领域知识，引进功能特征描述概念，运用证据理论，提出了对飞行器等复杂系统进行分析诊断的一个新方法并初步完成了专家系统原型，通过具体实例，再现了故障现象     

Deuterium-free water (1H2O) in complex life-support systems of long-term space missions

Heavy water containing deuterium displays toxic property. It is stated that any quantity of a heavy isotope of hydrogen--deuterium--is undesirable to animals and plants. It was earlier shown by us that physical-chemical life support systems on board the "MIR" station fractionate (change) isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon. Therefore, the problem of regenerative systems in habitable space objects should include removal, from water, of a heavy stable isotope of hydrogen--deuterium. In this article we consider one method of obtaining deuterium-free water--decomposition of distillate water in an electrolyser to hydrogen and oxygen with subsequent synthesis in a catalytic or high-temperature reactor. The influence of deuterium-free water on the growth and development of Arabidopsis thaliana and Japanese quail is investigated. It is shown that with the help of the electrolysis method it is possible to fabricate water containing 80% less deuterium in comparison with SMOW. Experimentally, it is proved on a culture of Arabidopsis thaliana and Japanese quail that water with reduced contents of deuterium (80%) displays positive biological activity.     

Net electric power of concentrating solar mirror systems for application in space as a function of the distance to the sun

The use of solar radiation by means of concentrating solar mirror systems, such as parabolic and spheric configurations, mainly is an engineering problem. A decisive characteristic for the optimisation of a complete system with turboelectric power conversion is the thermal cycle applied. Besides the Carnot process, here taken up into the study as an ideal comparative process, suitable processes for the technological realisation are the Brayton process and the Rankine process. The Brayton process is a typical gas turbine process using only the gaseous phase. The Rankine process is a steam engine process using liquid and gaseous phase.The work in hand shows how such solar systems with turboelectric conversion are optimised with respect to their specific weight (kg/kW_e) and how the distance to the sun as well as technological data enter into the analysis.As expected, the Carnot cycle as an ideal comparative process for both types of systems shows the best results for the optimum specific mass of the system. Regarding the real processes, the Rankine cycle shows more favourable characteristics than the Brayton cycle. The difference of the specific masses of the real processes mainly results from the different thermal conditions at the radiator.The influence of the distance to the sun is as expected. The nearer to the sun the solar power system operates, the better is the optimum specific mass of the system. For distances to the sun between 0.3 and 1.0 AU the spheric system shows a better behaviour than the parabolic system. For distances to the sun greater than 2.0 AU the parabolic system shows better behaviour of the specific weight. In the region between 1 and 2 AU the better optimum specific mass of the system belongs to the technological data used in the analysis.     

Trojans in habitable zones

With the aid of numerical experiments we examined the dynamical stability of fictitious terrestrial planets in 1:1 mean motion resonance with Jovian-like planets of extrasolar planetary systems. In our stability study of the so-called "Trojan" planets in the habitable zone, we used the restricted three-body problem with different mass ratios of the primary bodies. The application of the three-body problem showed that even massive Trojan planets can be stable in the 1:1 mean motion resonance. From the 117 extrasolar planetary systems only 11 systems were found with one giant planet in the habitable zone. Out of this sample set we chose four planetary systems--HD17051, HD27442, HD28185, and HD108874--for further investigation. To study the orbital behavior of the stable zone in the different systems, we used direct numerical computations (Lie Integration Method) that allowed us to determine the escape times and the maximum eccentricity of the fictitious "Trojan planets."