Life-sciences research opportunities in commercial suborbital space flight

Commercial suborbital space flights will reach altitudes above 100 km, with 3–5 min of weightlessness bracketed by high-g launch and landing phases. The proposed frequency of these flights, and the large passenger population, present interesting opportunities for researchers in the life sciences. The characteristics of suborbital flight are between those of parabolic and orbital flights, opening up new scientific possibilities and easing the burden for obtaining access to 0g.     

The new debate on the working methods of the UNCOPUOS Legal Subcommittee

The 2014 session of the Legal Subcommittee (LSC) of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) saw a particularly extensive and thorough debate on the working methods of this forum, which has the status of the highest body in space law making. By discussing the working methods it also became apparent how delegations actually regard the LSC and what expectations they have from it. In a time of considerable changes in space activities and space diplomacy alike, it was only a matter of time that such a comprehensive discussion arose. And while it did not immediately lead to decisions, it provided numerous signals for the future of the LSC.     

Administrative reform of Japanese Space Policy Structures in 2012

In Japan, there are several government ministries and agencies with important roles in the development and use of space. In 2012, Japan restructured its administrative organs related to the development and use of space through legal amendments to the original acts that established these organs. Although this was an important administrative reform that took four years of planning and discussion to accomplish, this restructuring has not been communicated well outside of Japan. This study provides the first comprehensive overview of the recent legal changes in Japanese space policy. In contrast to some reports, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) still has primary responsibility for the finances and personnel of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). This continues to be true even after the Cabinet Office begins its new role as the focal point for formulating Japanese space policy. It remains to be seen how the policy direction of the Cabinet Office will interact with the operational, financial, and personnel responsibilities of MEXT. I argue that knowledge of the roles of MEXT and the Cabinet Office in space policy, and the tension between the two organizations, is key to understanding Japan's future space policy decision-making process. By tracing the history of Japanese space policy since 2001, I also suggest that if bureaucrats had thought more deeply before making major reforms to space policy and its administration, there would have been less confusion over the development of national space policy this past decade. This paper concludes by identifying some key elements to monitor in the coming years of Japan's space policy.     

The essential role of human spaceflight

The question is: should the United States and nations at large pursue a human spaceflight program (and if so, why)? I offer an unwavering positive answer to this question, and state the reasons for it while considering the broad challenges and benefits of (human) spaceflight. Space exploration is a human activity that is intrinsically forward-looking, and as such, has positive potential. Both national and international space programs can galvanize the population, inspire the youth, foster job-creation, and motivate the existing workforce. The nature of the enterprises involved—their scale, novelty, and complexity—requires a steady and continuous upward progression toward greater societal, scientific and technological development. That is, in order to overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, progress is required. More to the point, the survival of humanity depends on expanding beyond the confines of our planet. Human spaceflight, in short, presents us with an opportunity to significantly advance the nation and the global community.     

The future of earth observations in Central and Eastern Europe

The Central and Eastern Europe are characterized by a high theoretical and scientific level in space research and technology, including remote sensing, but inexperience in practical applications. The emerging private sector lacks management experience and needs appropriate training. Other constraints are inadequate administrative structures, a lack of coordination, and an outdated technology in general. In his report on the results of a study carried out for the European Commission, consultant and emeritus professor of the International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, Caesar Voûte, outlines the new forms of European and regional cooperation being promoted. Agriculture, yield prediction and agricultural statistics, land use studies, environmental monitoring and environmental management are identified as future high priority operational applications of remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS). Hazard management and marine observations also need to be developed.     

The role of the European parliament in the development of a European union space policy

This paper investigates the role of the European Parliament (EP) in the development of the space policy of the EU (EUSP), an important policy area that has been neglected in the political science and EU studies literature. EUSP is the offspring of the European space policy which started as a purely intergovernmental affair, but gradually acquired a supranational dimension. Although the EP did little to initiate this process, it always supported the involvement of the EU in space, and it used both its formal and informal powers to affect and promote its development. Under the consultation procedure the EP managed to become a conditional agenda setter, and under co-decision an influential legislation maker. The changes it introduced in the European global navigation satellite and Earth observation programmes relate not only to the inter-institutional balance and its controlling powers, but to a series of substantive issues also. Consequently, the activism of the EP has played an important part in the development of the EUSP, even if it was not the main force behind its inception.     

飞行过载下燃烧室凝相粒子沉积特征数值研究

固体发动机燃烧室部分凝相粒子在飞行过载作用下产生沉积,严重影响发动机工作性能。通过确定燃烧室粒子参数和建立燃烧室内两相流场数值方法,获得了发动机不同轴向过载下粒子运动及沉积规律。与试验数据进行对比分析,验证了计算方法的准确性。数值结果表明,随着轴向过载增大,后封头及喷管潜入段粒子沉积质量逐渐增大。沉积粒子粒径大于凝相粒子平均值,即粒子粒径越大,越容易沉积。轴向过载增大,减小了粒子在发动机内部的驻留时间,凝相粒子平均驻留时间均大于0.13 s。     

European space research in support of international partnership

The envisaged future space research programmes, whether in the field of space exploration or Earth observation are becoming more and more technically complicated and so costly that a single nation can hardly afford to realize them. Major non-European space-faring nations, China and India will progressively play an important role besides US, Russia and Japan. The Space Advisory Group of the European Commission recommended that the European Commission supports within Horizon 2020 a comprehensive Robotic Mars-Exploration Programme under European leadership that should become an essential element of a coordinated international space research programme. The International Space Station (ISS) experience shows that cooperative space programmes build links between industries and laboratories from around the world, which then further develop in non-space related activities, with positive impact on the economy and scientific research. Strategies need to be developed to mitigate the gradual increasing risks incurred by climate change. In order to lower their entry barrier to engage in space emerging and developing space nations need to be included in cooperative space programmes. We present the recommendations of the Space Advisory Group of the European Commission concerning Europe's participation to global space endeavours.     

航天磁悬浮发射脉冲磁流体供能系统方案分析

针对航天发射低成本、安全可靠运输方式的需要,阐述分析了航天运载器磁悬浮发射概念及其能量供给需求。在重点研究了固体火箭燃料脉冲磁流体发电机的关键技术及发展水平后,基于俄罗斯四台“Sakhalin”脉冲磁流体发电机单元,提出和设计了用于助推发射100吨地面载荷(飞行器和磁悬浮橇体)实现4g加速度的能量供给方案,同时分析磁悬浮发射过程中三相直线电机加速和控制的特点,提出可行的逆变器功率转换系统方案。     

Challenges and perspectives of transport cargo vehicles utilization for performing research in free flight

Russian Progress transport cargo vehicles have successfully been used in different space station programs since 1978. At present time, they play an important role in the International Space Station (ISS) project. Main tasks performed by the transport cargo vehicle (TCV) in the station program are the following: refueling of the station, delivery of consumables and equipment, waste removal, station attitude control and orbit correction maneuver execution.     

俄罗斯飞行力学研究的现状与发展趋势

介绍了俄罗斯飞行力学的传统定义、分类和发展历史；总结了俄罗斯飞行力学研究的一些特点；以公开发行的飞行力学刊物为依据，分析了俄罗斯当前飞行力学研究的热点问题；对俄罗斯在该领域的发展作出了展望。     

The relative role of visual and non-visual cues in determining the perceived direction of "up": experiments in parabolic flight

In order to measure the perceived direction of "up", subjects judged the three-dimensional shape of disks shaded to be compatible with illumination from particular directions. By finding which shaded disk appeared most convex, we were able to infer the perceived direction of illumination. This provides an indirect measure of the subject's perception of the direction of "up". The different cues contributing to this percept were separated by varying the orientation of the subject and the orientation of the visual background relative to gravity. We also measured the effect of decreasing or increasing gravity by making these shape judgements throughout all the phases of parabolic flight (0 g, 2 g and 1 g during level flight). The perceived up direction was modeled by a simple vector sum of "up" defined by vision, the body and gravity. In this model, the weighting of the visual cue became negligible under microgravity and hypergravity conditions.     

高校收费的定价模型与助学贷款有关问题的研究

本文论述了高校收费定价应充分考虑居民收入水平等诸多方面,国家应成为办学的主体。要解决贫困生上大学的学费及生活费问题,就必须抓紧建立全国性个人征信机构,成立国家助学贷款政策性银行。