Leveraging flight heritage to new compactPCI space systems: afusion of architectures

The advent of NASA-JPL's X2000 architecture has brought compactPCI (cPCI) to the forefront as the system bus of choice for space data processing. This paper presents a hybrid architecture allowing the inclusion of new, high performance cPCI modules with heritage VME-based modules. The hybrid system yields a cost-effective, performance optimized processing solution for space     

A visionary look at aviation surveillance systems

The FAA's future aviation surveillance systems fall into four categories: Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) will be used in the oceanic environment; ADS-Broadcast (ADS-B) will be used in the domestic en route environment; ADS-B will be used with a secondary radar backup in the terminal area; and ADS-B will be used with primary radar backup within the Airport Surface Traffic Automation (ASTA) system on the airport's surface environment. Two other systems introduced in this paper are Cockpit Display of Traffic Information (CDTI) and Traffic Advisory and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). All these systems will use navigational signals emitted by the Global Positioning System (GPS) constellation of satellites     

Mission/flight systems integration study: a long-term electronicsplanning project

The objective of the Mission/Flight System Integration Study (M/FSIS) is to identify the requirements and development objectives for electronics systems technologies and conceptual architectures in future weapon system applications (in and around the year 2005), based on analyses of future missions, threats, scenarios, aerospace system concepts, and technology trends. The products are substantiated requirements for future electronics functions, systems, and architecture; technology development objectives and roadmaps; and conceptual electronics architectures and functional definitions. The study outputs will serve to guide laboratory technology development planning and programs; guide weapon system program office long-range electronics planning; illustrate user needs in terms of electronics requirements; and guide air logistics center weapon-system master planning     

Integrated flight control systems: a new paradigm for an old art

The automatic flight control computer was a revolutionary development in the early days of flight, even in its primitive electromechanical form. It evolved into an electronic computing device, starting as an analog computer and maturing into software run on a digital, general-purpose microprocessor. The current accepted industry standard is to use a dedicated microprocessor in its own enclosure for this function that is essentially firewalled from the rest of the systems on the aircraft. This paper will explore the opportunity to integrate the flight control function into an integrated processing platform, which is a robustly partitioned platform that supports multiple functions of dissimilar design assurance levels. This approach provides all of the benefits of an integrated system, while still maintaining the separation provided by a stand-alone unit. The paper will consider both the advantages and disadvantages of this approach. The discussion will describe each of the alternatives in general and then focus specifically on autopilot and flight control functions that have potential for integration. The end goal of the paper is to impress on the reader an understanding of the different alternatives available for autopilot, flight control, and avionics modernization in general. This includes the development of a selection matrix that will assist the reader in making decisions on how best to implement these functions according to criticality and the volatility of their future requirements     

The flying object: a flight data management concept

The drive for greater cost-effectiveness and improved safety/security in an environment of increasing air movements calls for improved availability of accurate and consistent flight data to stakeholder systems. Studies conducted by EUROCONTROL in 2001-2003 indicate significant levels of inconsistency between flight data available to aircraft operators, air traffic control (ATC), air traffic flow management (ATFM), airports and military systems, causing unnecessary workload, inefficient use of resources, and unnecessary delays. Eurocontrol's new flight data interoperability concept is intended to resolve this problem. Having passed through the initial feasibility phase, this concept is now entering the development phase, in which it will become the basis for the development of a draft interoperability standard to be used in Europe for the specifications of new flight data processing systems deployed from 2007 onwards, and potentially to be proposed to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for global standardisation.     

伊春“8·24”飞行事故的启示

6月29日,国家安监总局正式公布了《河南航空有限公司黑龙江伊春8·24特别重大飞机坠毁事故调查报告》,在社会上引起了强烈反响。这起事故的发生,从事故链角度看,暴露了相关方面一系列的组织缺陷和安全隐患。我截取飞行方面的问题,试着按《报告》披露出来的事故经过和原因进行一些肤浅的解读,仅供同行们参考。一、8·24飞行事故发生的过程及分析2010年8月24日20时51分,飞机从哈尔滨太平国际机场起飞。(笔者插话:飞机起飞前,河南航空签派员曾打电话     

Inverse simulation as a tool for flight dynamics research—Principles and applications

The technique of inverse simulation is finding application in many and varied fields. As the name implies this technique is used to calculate the control action required to achieve a specified system response. The field of aircraft flight dynamics is particularly suited to this form of simulation as the question of what control actions must the pilot (or automatic flight control system) take for the aircraft to fly along a particular trajectory (a landing approach, for example) is often asked. This paper looks specifically at the application of inverse simulation in flight dynamics. The aim is not only to give an overview of the various techniques and applications but also to provide guidance to potential users of the technique on several of the physical and numerical features often observed in the results. An extensive review of the methodologies used within the family of inverse simulations is presented followed by a formal treatment of the theoretical development of inverse simulation as an established technique. A case study involving the inverse simulation of a helicopter flying a slalom manoeuvre is presented to demonstrate the application of inverse simulation in a flight dynamics analysis. An important feature of the use of inverse simulation is that it is necessary to define the output response required—in the case of flight dynamics the required flight path has to be modelled. Some of the methods used are documented, and their validity discussed. The paper also gives an insight into the types of problem which can be addressed by inverse simulation by detailing some of the many applications to which it has been put in the past. These include studies of rotorcraft handling qualities, performance and design, and pilot modelling as well as model validation. An important element of this paper is the formal, theoretical analysis of some of the numerical and physical features exhibited by inverse simulation which should aid potential users to interpret their results. The work presented in this paper shows a clear evolution of inverse simulation from its initial days when the mathematical models used were relatively simple into a mature analytical technique able to incorporate state of the art mathematical models and be applied to real flight dynamics problems.     

Hypersonic flight: the need for a new legal regime

The author briefly examines the question, `where does space begin?' He discusses how certain principles, such as overflight, meet the respective needs of the air law and space law regimes. He then focuses on the existing law that might regulate the proposed Trans Atmospheric vehicle (TAV)     

Reactive control as a substrate for telerobotic systems

Reactive control, a recently emerged paradigm for guiding robots in unstructured and dynamic environments, and related work are reviewed. Pertinent telerobotics research for intelligent navigation is briefly surveyed. A scheme-based reactive control system that allows teleoperators to direct a mobile platform without undue concern for local obstacle avoidance is described. By using an analog of the potential field methodology, repulsive forces are constructed around nearby obstacles, allowing the robot to avoid them and enabling the telerobot operator to concentrate on the more global aspects of the mission. The structure for this paradigm enables real-time computation. The principles are extendible to manipulator operations. Results of robot simulation and experiments that demonstrate the concepts described are reported     

Fiber lasers: a future space technology

The constraints of operation in space have largely precluded the use of conventional solid-state laser systems for applications including remote sensing, communication relays, and active laser radars. A new technology, fiber lasers, may offer all of the needed features at an affordable price. An appealing aspect of the fiber laser is that it does not need a rigid optical bench. Only the output end of the fiber need be held in rigid reference to the optical tracking system. Design, fabrication, and testing of the laser resonator is generally the most expensive and longest lead part of the effort for conventional solid-state lasers. Advances in Fiber Optic technology and devices mean that the fiber laser need not be a simple device but may be a complex system employing sophisticated technology such as wavelength selective Bragg reflectors and nonlinear optical frequency shifters. Three companies have recently obtained single-mode outputs of 3540 watts single mode at 1.03-1.1 microns.     

高马赫数低雷诺数条件下圆球绕流曳力系数

圆球绕流曳力系数通常表示为雷诺数的函数.而随着马赫数增大,曳力系数与马赫数的相关性逐渐增强.本文应用硬球-拟颗粒模型方法模拟研究1≤Re≤20和0.1≤Ma≤3条件下的圆球绕流过程.分析了模拟区域设置和拟颗粒-圆球作用的热适应系数对曳力系数结果的影响,得到合适的区域设置条件和热适应系数,获得高马赫数低雷诺数条件下圆球绕...     

EDISON: The next generation infrared space observatory

EDISON, a large-aperture, radiatively-cooled telescope, is proposed as the major international mission to follow the current generation of cryogenically-cooled infrared space telescopes. It is being studied at present as a 2.5–3.5 m mixed radiatively- and mechanically-cooled facility optimized to investigate the wavelength range 3–100+ m. This paper outlines the status of the project, discusses some aspects of a smaller-aperture precursor mission, and describes a portion of the baseline science mission.     

The Flight 2000 avionics suite: paving the way to free flight

The FAA's Flight 2000 project is an innovative initiative to implement and validate selected operational improvements leading to Free Flight. It integrates new avionics, new ground systems, new procedures, avionics certification, and operational approval. Approximately 2000 aircraft operating in Alaska, Hawaii, and Oceanic airspace will be equipped with new capabilities enabling benefits such as improved situational awareness, increased flexibility, and efficiency gains. By developing and fielding these operational improvements, the actual benefits of new procedures and capabilities will be validated and risks associated with national implementation will be reduced     

电传飞机模型自由飞试验飞行控制技术研究

以静不稳定飞机模型为研究对象,开展了电传飞机模型自由飞试验控制律设计及验证方法研究.主要介绍了模型自由飞试验的特点和飞行控制律设计原则,设计和验证了电传飞机模型试验控制律,并通过模型自由飞试验验证了控制律的适用性.     

Radar in the Soviet Union and Russia: a brief historical outline

This paper outlines the historical development of radar in the Soviet Union and Russia. Emphasis was given to only two classes of radars: surveillance radars for air defense (AD) systems; and radars for surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems.     

Infrared space studies of Solar-System objects: The post-ISO era

The ISO mission is expected to allow significant progress in the study of Solar-System objects, especially concerning planetary and cometary atmospheres. Beyond ISO, future Solar-System studies using infrared space missions will require an extension of the spectral coverage toward longer wavelengths and increased spatial capabilities for imaging spectroscopy.     

The design of a nuclear power supply with a 50 year lifeexpectancy: the JPL Voyager's SiGe MHW RTG

Between 25 and 30 years ago, the IECEC Proceedings carried a series of papers by the present authors and other members of a JPL team on the problems and the desirable design features associated with the MHW RTGs to be used to power JPL's Voyager I and II spacecraft. The Voyager I and II spacecraft successfully completed their original 12 year missions 10 years ago and are at distances of over 55 AU and 70 AU from the sun. The power systems worked almost precisely as predicted. The Voyager spacecraft seem to have several decades of life left to make measurements outside the solar system. This paper gives a technical overview of the design process and problems     

Noise immunity of automatic GTE control systems with a selector at channel switching modes

Noise immunity analysis was carried out for different variants of constructing automatic GTE control systems with an algebraic selector at channel switching modes. It is shown that regular or random noises available lead to multiple switching of channels in the transient and steady-state conditions. A method for improving noise immunity is considered, and the results of simulating the algorithms proposed are presented.