The VESTA project: Combined studies of Mars and small bodies of the solar system

A mission to Mars and small solar system bodies is presently studied as a possible collaboration between INTERCOSMOS, CNES, ESA and eventually other participants. The VESTA concept, based on the same strategy as the successful VEGA mission, is more ambitious, as two spacecrafts separate soon after launch: a soviet spacecraft, dedicated to the study of Mars, and a spacecraft dedicated to the study of small bodies, under the responsibility of CNES and ESA. This spacecraft would use Mars gravity assists to visit up to 4 small bodies in less than 5 years. The mission is duplicated, which means that up to 8 small bodies could be studied (e.g. 6 main belt asteroids, 1 apollo-amor asteroid and 1 short period comet). Low relative velocities (< 3.5 km/s) should allow to drop a penetrator on two large main belt asteroids, such as 4 Vesta and 1 Ceres (1994 launch).     

FIRST — Far Infrared and Submillimetre Space Telescope

The present status of the ESA cornerstone mission FIRST is presented. A recent industrial study has generated a spacecraft concept employing a 4.5 m passively cooled telescope with focal plane instrument cooling provided by a superfluid helium cryostat. The model payload complement includes two direct detection instruments as well as two heterodyne instruments. After a shared launch by Ariane 5 into GTO, FIRST propels itself into the 24-hour highly eccentric operational orbit, where observations can be conducted up to 17 hours per day with an expected approximate mission duration of 3 years. An additional complementary study of a non-cryostat spacecraft option will also be performed.     

The ESA SMART-1 mission to the Moon with solar electric propulsion

SMART-1 is planned to be the first Small Mission for Advanced Research in Technology of the ESA Scientific Programme Horizons 2000 for a launch at the end of 2001. The mission is dedicated to the testing of new technologies for preparing future cornerstone missions, using Solar Electrical Propulsion in Deep Space. The mission operational lifetime includes a 6–17 months cruise until a lunar orbit (300–10000 km) with 6 month operations. The SMART-1 spacecraft will be launched either on Ariane 5 as auxiliary passenger or on Eurockot. The expected launch mass is 350 kg. This allows to bring a dedicated payload with spacecraft, instrument and electric propulsion diagnostics technologies, as well as giving an opportunity for new lunar geophysical and geochemical studies, and for cruise science on the way to the Moon.     

Gamma-ray burst localization with the international solar polar mission

The European Space Agency's Solar Polar spacecraft is scheduled for launch in 1986. A solar X-ray and cosmic gamma ray burst detector will be aboard. Although the solar polar mission will not provide the long baselines originally planned, due to the cancellation of the NASA spacecraft, it is shown that arrival time analysis between the remaining ESA spacecraft and other missions will nevertheless achieve extremely precise localizations.     

Progress of Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer(SMILE) Mission

SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) mission is a joint ESA-CAS space science project. The working orbit is a 19 R_e 5000 km HEO with 4 scientific instruments:Soft X-ray Imager(SXI), Ultra-Violet Imager (UVI), Magnetometer (MAG) and Light Ion Analyzer (LIA). SMILE aims to understand the interaction between the solar wind and the Earth's magnetosphere through the images of SXI and UVI and in-situ measurement from LIA and MAG. After the kick-off in 2016, the SMILE project went to Phase A study. The mission adoption is scheduled for November 2018, with a target launch date in 2022-2023. In this paper, the background of the mission, scientific objectives, the design and characteristics of scientific instruments and the mission outline will be introduced in details.      

A glimpse at the GOCE satellite gravity gradient observations

Since 30 September 2009, following the launch and in-orbit testing of the most sophisticated gravity mission ever built, the European Space Agency (ESA) GOCE satellite is in ‘measurement mode’, providing continuous time series of satellite gravity gradient (SGG) observations and GPS satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) observations. The availability of GPS SST observations allows the precise reconstruction of the GOCE position and thus the precise geolocation of the SGG observations. The SGG observations are based on the differences between observations taken by pairs of accelerometers, which need to be corrected first by applying a so-called calibration matrix and second by subtracting rotational terms (centrifugal and angular accelerations).     

The Mercury Electron Analyzers for the Bepi Colombo mission

Bepi Colombo is a joint mission between ESA and JAXA that is scheduled for launch in 2014 and arrival at Mercury in 2020. A comprehensive set of particle sensors will be flown onboard the two probes that form Bepi Colombo. These sensors will allow a detailed investigation of the structure and dynamics of the charged particle environment at Mercury. Onboard the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) the Mercury Electron Analyzers (MEA) sensors constitute the experiment dedicated to fast electron measurements between 3 and 25,500 eV. They consist of two top-hat electrostatic analyzers for angle-energy analysis followed by microchannel plate multipliers and collecting anodes. A notable and new feature of MEA is that the transmission factor of each analyzer can be varied in-flight electronically by a factor reaching up to 100, thus allowing to largely increasing the dynamical range of the experiment. This capability is of importance at Mercury where large changes of electron fluxes are expected from the solar wind to the various regions of the Mercury magnetosphere. While the first models are being delivered to JAXA, an engineering model has been tested and proven to fulfill the expectations about geometrical factor reduction and energy-angular transmission characteristics. Taking advantage of the spacecraft rotation with a 4 s period, MEA will provide fast three-dimensional distribution functions of magnetospheric electrons, from energies of the solar wind and exospheric populations (a few eVs) up to the plasma sheet energy range (some tens of keV). The use of two sensors viewing perpendicular planes allows reaching a ¼ spin period time resolution, i.e., 1 s, to obtain a full 3D distribution.     

A surface thermal model and exospheric ballistic transport code of planet Mercury

The atmosphere of Mercury is of an exospheric nature. Its formation is due to several physical mechanisms including meteoroid impact, surface sputtering by solar wind ions and photon sputtering by solar UV radiation. The molecules and atoms emitted from the surface materials of Mercury include H, He, O, Ar, and S, etc. It is important to study their spatial distributions across the planetary surface via ballistic random walk. We have developed a surface thermal model coupled with Hodges-type Monte Carlo calculations to simulate the exosphere of Mercury, which will be a major scientific target of the BepiColombo mission of ESA and JAXA.     

基于极大验后推估理论的全球电离层地图预报

提出了一种基于极大验后估计理论的全球电离层预报方法,基于中国科学院电离层分析中心（CAS）提供的快速全球电离层地图（GIM）,实现了1天、2天和5天GIM的预报。以国际GNSS服务组织（IGS）最终GIM、Jason测高卫星提供的电离层观测信息及全球GNSS基准站实测电离层总电子含量（TEC）为基准,评估了2008－2017年CAS电离层预报GIM在全球大陆及海洋区域的精度,并与欧洲定轨中心（CODE）、欧洲空间局（ESA）和西班牙加泰罗尼亚理工大学（UPC）的预报GIM进行对比。在评估时段内,与IGS-GIM相比,CAS预报GIM精度为2.4~3.1 TECU;与测高卫星TEC相比,CAS预报GIM的精度为5.1~6.6 TECU;与全球基准站实测TEC相比,CAS预报GIM的电离层延迟修正精度优于80%。总体来看,CAS预报GIM与CODE预报GIM精度相当,显著优于ESA和UPC预报GIM。      

The status of space science and technology in developed countries — The european experience

Space research in Western Europe began in the form of independent national space programmes confined in the first instance to the use of sounding rockets. These early steps were soon supplemented by bilateral collaborative projects with the USA and USSR whose agencies provided the satellite launch vehicles that Europe lacked at that time.In 1962 as a result of an agreement between ten member states the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) was established for the purpose of carrying out a programme of space science. ESRO was succeeded in 1974 by the European Space Agency (ESA) with a much broader range of activities covering both scientific research and the application of space technology together with the development of launch vehicles.At the present time the totality of space activities of the ESA member states is made up of national programmes and collaborative projects with other nations and agencies together with participation in the agreed ESA programme. Because of its essentially non-military character, its relatively modest level of funding and its multinational nature the European experience with ESA may provide some useful guidance in the development of space science and technology elsewhere in the world.     

Distinct EUV minimum of the solar irradiance (16–40 nm) observed by SolACES spectrometers onboard the International Space Station (ISS) in August/September 2009

In the field of terrestrial climatology the continuous monitoring of the solar irradiance with highest possible accuracy is an important goal. SolACES as a part of the ESA mission SOLAR on the ISS is measuring the short-wavelength solar EUV irradiance from 16–150 nm. This data will be made available to the scientific community to investigate the impact of the solar irradiance variability on the Earth’s climate as well as the thermospheric/ionospheric interactions that are pursued in the TIGER program. Since the successful launch with the shuttle mission STS-122 on February 7th, 2008, SolACES initially recorded the low EUV irradiance during the extended solar activity minimum. Thereafter it has been observing the EUV irradiance during the increasing solar activity with enhanced intensity and changing spectral composition. SolACES consists of three grazing incidence planar grating spectrometers. In addition there are two three-signal ionisation chambers, each with exchangeable band-pass filters to determine the absolute EUV fluxes repeatedly during the mission. One important problem of space-borne instrumentation recording the solar EUV irradiance is the degradation of the spectrometer sensitivity. The two double ionisation chambers of SolACES, which could be re-filled with three different gases for each recording, allow the recalibration of the efficiencies of the three SolACES spectrometers from time to time.     

X-ray timing beyond the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer

With its ability to look at bright galactic X-ray sources with sub-millisecond time resolution, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) discovered that the X-ray emission from accreting compact stars shows quasi-periodic oscillations on the dynamical timescales of the strong field region. RXTE showed also that waveform fitting of the oscillations resulting from hot spots at the surface of rapidly rotating neutron stars constrain their masses and radii. These two breakthroughs suddenly opened up a new window on fundamental physics, by providing new insights on strong gravity and dense matter. Building upon the RXTE legacy, in the Cosmic Vision exercise, testing General Relativity in the strong field limit and constraining the equation of state of dense matter were recognized recently as key goals to be pursued in the ESA science program for the years 2015–2025. This in turn identified the need for a large (10 m² class) aperture X-ray observatory. In recognition of this need, the XEUS mission concept which has evolved into a single launch L2 formation flying mission will have a fast timing instrument in the focal plane. In this paper, I will outline the unique science that will be addressed with fast X-ray timing on XEUS.     

Space Environment Prediction for SZ-4 and SZ-5

The Space Environment Prediction Center (SEPC) of the Center for Space Science and Applied Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CSSAR, CAS)took on the mission of offering the space environment parameters which may be of use to the safety of manned spacecraft. In order to complete the space environment safety guarantee mission for SZ-4 and SZ-5, SEPC improved the space environment monitoring system, database system, prediction result display system, prediction implementation system, etc. For guaranteeing the safety of the airship and cosmonaut in the first manned SZ-5, flying experiment mission,SEPC developed the software for analyzing radiation dose and early-warning software for large debris collision with SZ-5. Three months before the flights of SZ-4 and SZ-5, SEPC began to predict the safe launch period in view of the space environment, and offered timely and valid reference opinions for selecting the safety period. Especially during the mission of SZ-5, SEPC analyzed the space high-energy environment in a pre-arranged orbit and abnormal orbit andevaluated the radiation dose which cosmonauts may encounter in space. The evaluation offered an important reference for cosmonaut safety and decisionmaking in the SZ-5 mission. The calculation of the distribution of large debris and the collision risk assessment at different orbit entry times for SZ-5 provided an important base for the superior department to make flight decisions.     

Progress of Double Star Program

The Double Star Programme (DSP) is the first joint space mission between China and ESA. The mission, which is made of two spacecraft, is designed to investigate the magnetospheric global processes and their response to the interplanetary disturbances in conjunction with the Cluster mission. The first spacecraft, TC-1 (Tan Ce means "Explorer"), was launched on 30 December 2003, and the second one, TC-2, on 25 July 2004 on board two Chinese Long March 2C. Due to the importance of and success of DSP, both CNSA and ESA approved the extension of DSP. This paper presents DSP mission and some important scientific results made based on the data of DSP.     

The BepiColombo/MMO model payload and operation plan

The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of Japan plans to contribute the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO) to the BepiColombo program, the ESA Cornerstone mission to the planet Mercury. The principal objective of the MMO is to study the magnetic field and magnetosphere of Mercury. The ISAS Mercury exploration working group has performed the definition study of the MMO mission in cooperation with the ESA/ESTEC BepiColombo project team. This paper briefly reviews the scientific objectives, and describes the model payload and its operation plan.     

Model implementation for dynamic computation of system cost for advanced life support.

Life support system designs for long-duration space missions have a multitude of requirements drivers, such as mission objectives, political considerations, cost, crew wellness, inherent mission attributes, as well as many other influences. Evaluation of requirements satisfaction can be difficult, particularly at an early stage of mission design. Because launch cost is a critical factor and relatively easy to quantify, it is a point of focus in early mission design. The method used to determine launch cost influences the accuracy of the estimate. This paper discusses the appropriateness of dynamic mission simulation in estimating the launch cost of a life support system. This paper also provides an abbreviated example of a dynamic simulation life support model and possible ways in which such a model might be utilized for design improvement.     

Multiple Sun–Earth Saddle Point flybys for LISA Pathfinder

LISA Pathfinder is an ESA mission due to be launched in the next two years. The gravity gradiometer onboard has the sensitivity required to test predictions by gravitational theories proposed as alternatives to Dark Matter such as TeVeS. Within the Solar System measurable effects are predicted only in the vicinity of gravitational saddle points (SP). For this reason it has been proposed to fly LPF by the Earth–Sun SP, at some 259,000 km from Earth. This could be done in an extension to the nominal mission which uses a Lissajous orbit about the Earth–Sun L1 point. The responsibility for LPF mission design lies with ESA/ESOC, who have designed the transfer trajectories, orbits about L1, and station keeping strategies. This article describes an analysis performed by Astrium to support a suggestion for a possible mission extension to a saddle point crossing. With only very limited fuel availability, reaching the saddle point is a significant challenge. In this article, we present recent advances in the work on trajectory design. It is demonstrated that reaching the SP is feasible once the LPF mission is completed. Furthermore, in a significant enhancement, it is demonstrated that trajectories including more than one SP flyby are possible, thus improving the science return for this proposed mission extension.     

木星系探测及行星穿越任务轨迹初步设计

基于我国未来木星系探测任务需求,初步设计了任务轨迹。以目前的发射能力,要实现木星的环绕探测必将利用行星借力,需设计借力轨迹。首先将脉冲变轨的轨迹设计问题转化为参数优化问题,在满足2029—2032年间发射并且飞行时间不超过7年的约束条件下,使用PSO算法对发射时刻、借力时刻、深空机动时刻、到达时刻等参数进行优化,使得探测器需提供的总速度增量最小。探测器进入木星系后,利用木卫3借力捕获至环木大椭圆轨道,又利用木卫4构造共振借力,最终捕获至木卫4的环绕轨道。在此基础上,还考虑了天王星飞越的拓展任务,天王星探测器在到达木星时与木星系探测器分离,利用木星借力可无消耗飞往天王星,并在2043年完成天王星的飞越探测任务。     

Advances in Research and Service of Space Environment in China

This paper presents the recent progress of space environment research and service in China.During the past two years,many models of space environment forecast and analysis methods of space environment effects have been developed for tailored space environment service for Chinese space mission.A new Re-locatable Atmospheric Observatory(RAO)for monitoring atmospheric wind,temperature,density and pressure of the near space from 20 km up to 120 km altitudes is being constructed.In space environment service space environment safety was provided to ensure the safety of CE-1 for its launch and operation in 2007.