Space nuclear power and the UN: A growing fiasco

The work of the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was intensified following the accidental re-entry of the Soviet Cosmos 954 nuclear-powered satellite in 1978. But anyone thinking the purpose of the Committee's activity was to prevent the recurrence of such an accident will have been disabused by the USA's recent repudiation of the guidelines for the safe use of nuclear power supplies. The UN is good for political manoeuvring, argues the author of this Viewpoint, but real progress towards the safer use of nuclear power in space will originate elsewhere.     

The UN and space — 1989 review

In 1989, the two sub-committees of the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) - the Scientific and Technical Sub-Committee and the Legal Sub-Committee - held their 26th and 28th sessions, respectively, at UN Headquarters in New York. They subsequently produced reports which were discussed at the 33rd session of COPUOS in New York from 5 to 15 June 1989. N. Jasentuliyana, Director of the Outer Space Affairs Division at the UN, discusses their work.     

The UN and space — 1990 review

In its 44th session the United Nations passed resolutions endorsing International Space Year and the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, both scheduled for 1992. Together they provide for global efforts to understand and protect the Earth and its environment. N. Jasentuliyana, Director of the Outer Space Affairs Division at the UN, outlines their significance.     

第三太空时代的宇宙方舟

在“第三太空时代”,人类畅游星际空间或移居其它星球将不再是空想。俄罗斯1957年10月4日发射第一颗人造地球卫星标志着“第一太空时代”的到来,这一时代随着航天飞机在2010年完成最后一次飞行而宣告结束。“第二太空时代”始于2004年12月,NASA公布了“太空探索新构想：第二太空时代行动方案与第三太空时代宇宙方舟计划”：第二太空时代行动方案是美国人将于2020年再次在月球上进行太空行走,并且于2037年首次在火星上登陆行走。如果一切进展顺利的话,人类将于2040年开启“第三太空时代”,届时人类畅游星际空间或移居其它星球将不再是不可能的事情。     

The ‘Star Wars’ initiative: Problems and prospects

This article examines the long-term ‘Star Wars’ R&D programme initiated by President Reagan - the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The nature of this initiative and the research programme that has been approved are described. There is still considerable uncertainty over where the SDI research will eventually lead - whether it be a limited BMD system designed to protect military targets or a comprehensive shield to protect the USA and its allies. The feasibility and potential implications of the SDI are examined with this caveat in mind.     

Space Debris at the United Nations

Rules for activities in outer space are agreed upon in the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space of the United Nations. Several international treaties have been adopted in the 1970s, that is, at a time before space debris became a concern for the international community. In the years 1979–1988 numerous documents were prepared by the UN Secretariat on space debris, but no official discussions of the problem were initiated by states members of the COPUOS. First proposals for introducing the matter to the UN appeared around 1988, after important studies on the subject were published by states and leading intergovernmental organizations. Also the International Telecommunication Union became concerned about the proliferation of space debris in the geostationary orbit and adopted in 1993 a recommendation to restrict the generation of debris and to re-orbit satellites approaching the end of their active lives into disposal orbits beyond the belt populated by active satellites. In 1994, the UN started discussing scientific and technical aspects of space debris. In the following years, with the assistance of experts from prominent space agencies, it elaborated a Technical Report on space debris. Legal aspects of the problem have not yet begun being discussed because the necessary consensus among states members of the COPUOS has not yet been achieved. Very recently, the UN received first information on a wider subject, space traffic management.     

Image based control of the “PINOCCHIO” experimental free flying platform

A free floating platform is realized with a pneumatic suspension system which enables a two-dimensional test of complex space operations, such as rendezvous and docking. The platform is equipped with a IMU and actuated via cold gas thrusters. In addition, an on-board camera is used to acquire a target and its image is processed for evaluating the control actions needed to reach it. A technique for determining the relative position and velocity with respect to target using the same visual device is proposed and realized. The novel algorithms and relevant experimental results are presented. The tested accuracy of the relative navigation system is not very high, but the guidance algorithm, which is image based and has just a weak dependence on the position information, is robust enough to perform a successful maneuver. The error between the final acquired target image and the desired final target image is of the order of one pixel, notwithstanding all the testbed disturbances.     

Technical and legal issues surrounding space debris—India''s position in the UN

This article briefly presents the historical background, as seen by ISRO and India, to the growing problem of space debris. It describes the technical aspects of ISRO's activities in the field of space debris, and the grey areas in technical understanding, which may impede legal discussions. Analysis of the cost and technical aspects of reorbiting satellites from geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) is detailed, since this is an important area for India and other developing countries. The article also briefly describes ISRO's views of the applicability and relevance of the existing space treaties to a possible future legal regime for space debris. Debates are currently taking place in the UN and other multilateral fora on the subject of space debris and the situation is dynamic. The main aim of this article is to inform readers of ISRO's and India's position in the UN on the subject of space debris, in terms of its technical, political and legal aspects. Certain issues of importance from the legal point of view, though not of immediate urgency, are also discussed.     

The space exploration initiative Perspective from the US space science community

As NASA struggles to fund and execute its ambitious Space Station Freedom and Mission to Planet Earth programmes, President Bush has pledge the nation to a programme to return humans to the Moon to stay and to explore Mars. While not predicted on scientific grounds, this Space Exploration Initiative welcomes the support and participation of the scientific community. Success in establishing this relationship will depend on how the initiative is structured, sold and managed within the context of scientists' past experience with large, manned flight programmes.     

21世纪初主要国家的航天发展战略及其影响

论述了 2 1世纪初 ,世界主要航天国家 (如美国、欧洲、俄罗斯、日本和印度 )的航天发展战略与政策 ,包括航天计划、重点领域和投资情况 ;分析了上述国家航天政策调整对本国和对世界航天发展的影响 ,最后 ,对我国我国航天工业的发展提出了建议。     

The Nation of Celestial Space

Using family interviews and archive material, this article outlines the forgotten history of the Nation of Celestial Space, brainchild of a Chicago public relations man, James T. Mangan. From 1948 to 1970 Mangan sought international recognition for his micronation, and repeatedly protested at satellites encroaching upon his domain. Celestia issued passports to the Moon to astronauts, and its own currency and stamps, anticipating by decades the current debate on and ‘selling’ of property rights in space.     

The ECSL summer course: a European initiative in the field of space law teaching

Mindful of the growing need for and interest in the law of outer space, the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) has started a summer school on the subject, where European students receive instruction in the basics of space law from internationally renowned professors and legal experts. In this report the ECSL's Secretary, Valérie Kayser describes the aims and content of the first two courses and assesses its impact. Student expectations have been met but there is scope for improving the academic level, especially in the area of teamwork.     

The Structure of Ion Spectra in Outer Regions of the Ring Current: The November 13, 1995 Event

We present the results on variations of ion spectra in the energy range from 1 keV to 3 MeV. The spectra measured onboard the INTERBALL Tail Probe satellite on November 13, 1995, during the satellite's passage from the dipole field lines to the lines stretched into the magnetotail are analyzed. The data of the CORALL, DOK-2, and SKA-2 instruments are used to reconstruct the ion spectra. It is shown that, when the ion spectrum along the satellite trajectory is averaged over 2-min intervals, it is smooth up to geocentric distances of 6R _E. With decreasing distances, the form of the particle spectra in the region under consideration remained virtually unchanged (region from L = 11R _E down to L= 6R _E) and only insignificant variations of the energy of the spectral maxima are observed. Possible reasons for the observed regularities are discussed.     

关于北方地区住宅阳台空间的分析

从新疆地区的住宅阳台近十多年的设计和使用状况分析，根据有关空间设计的原理，提出阳台设计和改造的思路。     

The Mode of Gravitational Orientation for the International Space Station

The results of the determination of the uncontrolled attitude motion of the International Space Station during its unmanned flight in 1999 are presented. The data of onboard measurements of three components of the angular velocity are used for this determination. These data covering an interval of slightly less than one orbit were jointly processed by the least squares method, by integrating the equations of motion of the station relative to its center of mass. As a result of this processing, the initial conditions of the motion and the parameters of the mathematical model used were estimated. The actual motion of the station has been determined for 20 such intervals during April–November. Throughout these intervals, the station rotated about the axis of the minimum moment of inertia, the latter executing small oscillations relative to the local vertical. Such a mode, known as the mode of gravitational orientation of a rotating satellite or the mode of generalized gravitational orientation, was planned before the flight. The measurements were made to verify it. The quasistatic component of the microaccelerations aboard the station is estimated for this mode.     

关于北方地区住宅阳台空间的分析

从新疆地区的住宅阳台近十多年的设计和使用状况分析,根据有关空间设计的原理,提出阳台设计和改造的思路.     

Determination of the inertia tensor of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">International Space Station</Emphasis> on the basis of telemetry data

We describe the method and results of determination of the inertia tensor of the International Space Station using telemetry data related to its attitude motion and the total angular momentum of gyrodines. A linear system of differential equations describing the variation of the total angular momentum of gyrodines on some time interval is derived on the basis of the data related to the station orientation in the same time interval. This linear system represents the theorem related to the variation of the total angular momentum of the station and gyrodines and takes into account the action of gravitational and aerodynamic moments upon the station. The solution to the system depends linearly on the components of the inertia tensor of the station and on the parameters specifying the aerodynamic moment. The estimates of these quantities are carried out by the least squares method on the condition of the best approximation by the solutions to the considered linear system of the telemetry values of the total angular momentum of the gyrodines.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 2, 2005, pp. 135–146.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Banit, Belyaev, Dobrinskaya, Efimov, Sazonov, Stazhkov.     

Microperturbations on the <Emphasis Type=Italic>International Space Station</Emphasis> during physical exercises of the crew

The results of a preliminary analysis of microperturbations on the International Space Station during physical exercises of the crew are presented. The goal of this paper is to identify the parameters of perturbations when physical exercises are performed. The results of measurements by sensors of microaccelerations of both Russian and American segments during physical exercises in the service module of the Russian segment are analyzed.     

Chang'e 2 Satellite Arrived at L2 to Explore Deep Space beyond the Moon

Since its successful launch on October 1 this past year, Chang’e 2 hasoperated in space for more than 300days and completed its preset lunar exploration mission without fault. At 17:10 on June 9 this year, Chang’e 2 left its lunarorbit,flying to the Lagrangian Point L2 to explore deep space beyond the moon. This pioneering trip from the moon shall lay the foundation for China’s next step, the Mars exploration program. At 23:27 on