Human roles in future space operations.

Mankind has evolved in the biosphere from essentially another animal to the level that his industries and societies are powerful components of the life-cycles of Earth. Terrestrial industrial experience can be extended to the use of matter from the Moon and other non-terrestrial sources to create permanent habitats and industry in space. Space stations in low Earth orbit and small bases on the Moon can be the foci of early space industries for learning how to grow in space with local resources. Several near term and long range research topics appropriate to permanent human occupancy of space are reviewed.     

Norway's future in space

Norway has recently published its national long-term plan for space activities (1993–1996) and the main points of this are reproduced here. While telecommunications, positioning and navigation and Earth observation are understandably given a high priority, there is also an emphasis on space transportation and space science, and a belief that Norwegian industry and research institutes are capable of gaining contracts beyond the agreed scope of the country's participation in ESA.     

Debating the future of US space policy

A briefing on the subject of US space policy was held in Washington in July 2009 by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Based around some of its recent publications, while emphasizing the US situation and direction, the briefing did not ignore the context of international space activity. In particular it considered China's spacefaring development and suggested ways of engaging more fruitfully with that country. This report presents a summary of the issues raised and recommendations made.     

Current views and future programs in cardiovascular physiology in space.

The volume shift of 2000 cm3 from the lower to the upper part of the human body during weightlessness gave rise to theoretical and practical questions which are addressed in this communication. The analysis revealed that the mobilized fluid reduced the interstitial fluid of the lower extremities by 40%. Applying the current ideas in the field of interstitial tissue physiology to these problems, one must conclude that the fluid displacement can only be brought about by a change of the interstitial tissue compliance. Based on the observations made by the astronauts and on our working hypothesis, a method was proposed to follow the fluid migration and to measure the tissue compliance in man. Results are reported from experiments under terrestrial conditions. They show that the tissue compliance indeed can be modulated. Applying the method in space can eventually help to clarify several concepts in terrestrial physiology.     

Potential of laser-induced ablation for future space applications

This paper surveys recent and current advancements of laser-induced ablation technology for space-based applications and discusses ways of bringing such applications to fruition. Laser ablation is achieved by illuminating a given material with a laser light source. The high surface power densities provided by the laser enable the illuminated material to sublimate and ablate. Possible applications include the deflection of Near Earth Objects – asteroids and comets – from an Earth-impacting event, the vaporisation of space structures and debris, the mineral and material extraction of asteroids and/or as an energy source for future propulsion systems. This paper will discuss each application and the technological advancements that are required to make laser-induced ablation a practical process for use within the space arena. Particular improvements include the efficiency of high power lasers, the collimation of the laser beam (including beam quality) and the power conversion process. These key technological improvements are seen as strategic and merit greater political and commercial support.     

Potential markets for application of space medicine achievements

The Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP) is the lead institution of the Russian Federation in the area of space biology and medicine. It has successfully implemented a set of innovation-based activities and projects to develop and introduce promising space products and technologies into the practices of Earth health care.     

Contemporary Czech space policy and its future prospects

Czechoslovakia was the third nation to have a citizen in space when Vladimir Remek flew in 1978. It was present at the formulation of international space law principles and ran some space-related projects within Intercosmos. The Czech Republic reassumed this tradition after Czechoslovakia was dissolved in 1993. There are no special funds to support space R&D. Hence, participants must compete for R&D resources with companies from other areas of industry. This improves their competitiveness. Czech society is broadly interested in space-related activities. The graduate system structure reflects this. Not only can one study space-related courses at technical universities but international space law is an obligatory part of international public law courses in the Czech Republic. Strong support for space activities is mirrored in the institutional fragmentation of this sphere. Competences in space applications are distributed among some 20 institutions and organizations. This status harms the Czech potential in space activities and R&D. The Czech Republic became a member of ESA in 2008 but Czech companies have not taken advantage of the full potential of membership. Participation in international projects is very important for a small post-communist economy because economic growth is based on convergence towards developed countries, which may dissipate after 2020. Now is the right time to strengthen the primary research that will establish a strong foundation for innovation-based economic growth.     

The future of human spaceflight.

After the Apollo Moon program, the international space station represents a further milestone of humankind in space, International follow-on programs like a manned return to the Moon and a first manned Mars Mission can be considered as the next logical step. More and more attention is also paid to the topic of future space tourism in Earth orbit, which is currently under investigation in the USA, Japan and Europe due to its multibillion dollar market potential and high acceptance in society. The wide variety of experience, gained within the space station program, should be used in order to achieve time and cost savings for future manned programs. Different strategies and roadmaps are investigated for space tourism and human missions to the Moon and Mars, based on a comprehensive systems analysis approach. By using DLR's software tool FAST (Fast Assessment of Space Technologies), different scenarios will be defined, optimised and finally evaluated with respect to mission architecture, required technologies, total costs and program duration. This includes trajectory analysis, spacecraft design on subsystem level, operations and life cycle cost analysis. For space tourism, an expected evolutionary roadmap will be described which is initiated by short suborbital tourism and ends with visionary designs like the Space Hotel Berlin and the Space Hotel Europe concept. Furthermore the potential space tourism market, its economic meaning as well as the expected range of the costs of a space ticket (e.g. $50,000 for a suborbital flight) will be analysed and quantified. For human missions to the Moon and Mars, an international 20 year program for the first decades of the next millennium is proposed, which requires about $2.5 Billion per year for a manned return to the Moon program and about $2.6 Billion per year for the first 3 manned Mars missions. This is about the annual budget, which is currently spend by the USA only for the operations of its Space Shuttle fleet which generally proofs the affordability of such ambitious programs after the build-up of the International Space Station, when corresponding budget might become again available.     

Planning the unplannable: Scenarios on the future of space

This article explores the use of scenario analysis as a methodology to rigorously analyze potential space futures, particularly with respect to space security challenges, in the context of rapid and uncertain change across several dimensions of human space activities. The successful use of scenario analysis in other (e.g. corporate and military) sectors is described and results of an initial scenario analysis workshop are presented. Scenario analysis is recommended as a promising approach to evaluating the long-term consequences of various policy choices in the context of uncertainty, and as a process well-suited to fostering communication and building consensual knowledge among diverse stakeholders.     

国外防空防天装备发展现状与趋势

随着空袭能力的快速提高,防空防天装备呈现出新的发展态势。首先分析了空天威胁环境,从预警探测、指挥控制、防御拦截3个方面阐述了国外防空防天装备的发展现状。最后指出了防空防天装备今后可能的发展方向,认为更精确的预警探测能力、更高自动化的指挥控制系统、一体化的拦截系统是今后技术发展的主要方面。     

Physiology, medicine, long-duration space flight and the NSBRI

The hazards of long-duration space flight are real and unacceptable. In order for humans to participate effectively in long-duration orbital missions or continue the exploration of space, we must first secure the health of the astronaut and the success of such missions by assessing in detail the biomedical risks of space flight and developing countermeasures to these hazards. Acquiring the understanding necessary for building a sound foundation for countermeasure development requires an integrated approach to research in physiology and medicine and a level of cooperative action uncommon in the biomedical sciences. The research program of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) was designed to accomplish just such an integrated research goal, ameliorating or eliminating the biomedical risks of long-duration space flight and enabling safe and productive exploration of space. The fruits of these labors are not limited to the space program. We can also use the gained understanding of the effects and mechanisms of the physiological changes engendered in space and the applied preventive and rehabilitative methods developed to combat these changes to the benefit of those on Earth who are facing similar physiological and psychological difficulties. This paper will discuss the innovative approach the NSBRI has taken to integrated research management and will present some of the successes of this approach.     

Test results of the air turbo ramjet for a future space plane

The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) has been engaged in the development study on the Air Turbo Ramjet (ATR) engine since 1986 in cooperation with the Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co. Ltd (IHI). The ATR is one of the most preferable candidates for the propulsion system of a future space plane. Our ATR engine is a combined cycle air breathing propulsion system which consists of the turbojet and the fan boosted ramjet using the liquid hydrogen as a fuel. This engine system was named “ATREX” after employing the expander cycle. The ATREX is energized by thermal energy extracted regeneratively in both the pre-cooler installed in the air intake and the heat exchanger in combustion chamber. The ATREX works in the flight condition from sea level static up to Mach 6 at 35 km altitude. The ATREX employs the tip turbine configuration for compactness of turbo machinery. We are assessing the feasibility of the ATREX system by the sea level static tests using the 1/4-scale model (ATREX-500) with a fan inlet diameter of 300 mm and overall length of 2120 mm. In 1990, the ATREX-500 engine was tested in a sea level static condition to verify the performance characteristics of the turbo machinery and the combustor. In September of 1991, the heat exchanger was installed in the combustion chamber and tested independently from the turbo system. In November of 1991, the heat exchanger was coupled with the turbo system and tested to verify the overall system of the ATREX. In this paper are presented the test results of the ATREX-500 engine tested in the sea level static condition.     

Toward a paradigm shift in managing future global space exploration endeavors

This paper analyzes the objectives and activities of space exploration programs, and presents action plans and guidelines for a future sustainable global space exploration platform. While new cooperative mechanisms have emerged in recent decades, the now-unfolding era of global space exploration will lead to new models of cooperation, reflecting the legacy of partnerships and the evolution of a global endeavor. Consequently, the successful alignment of national and international stakeholders along lines drawn by commonality of purpose will be crucial to achieve a basis for marshalling sufficient resources for ambitious space projects, and to create necessary new political, economic, and legal frameworks. For the development of a successful global space exploration program, traditional approaches may need to be supplanted by a new paradigm including focus on information exchange, organizational knowledge, and human capital – as practiced in high-performance organizations (HPOs) – that go well beyond the current international working groups and multinational space efforts.     

Are current and future space technologies favourable to SSPS projects?

This viewpoint looks at the positive and negative prospects for the establishment of Space Solar Power Stations (SSPSs) from the standpoint of the way in which space technology has evolved since the concept was first proposed. While there are pressing arguments for alternatives to today’s energy sources, and technological advances have made construction and maintenance of SSPSs potentially easier and less expensive, it is argued that the general trend towards miniaturization in space, plus the probable difficulty of obtaining frequency allocations for SSPSs, militate against their realization. Further, the increasing militarization of space provides additional competition and could mean that SSPSs will never be launched for fear of becoming an enemy target. Nevertheless, SSPSs could have a future supplying electricity within the space environment itself.     

未来十年我国航天高端光电器件发展的战略思考

通过分析我国高端光电器件的发展现状及其与航天系统级产品之问的互动关系,深刻揭示出阻碍国产航天高端光电器件在系统级产品中工程化应用的瓶颈问题与关键环节,从战略上提出解决这些问题的意见与建议.     

The recruitment and organizational integration of space personnel.

This paper describes the philosophy of selection of astronaut scientists. It deals mainly with psychological selection criteria oriented at the job demands. Generalizable results of the European selection campaign for Spacelab are reported. Additionally, some aspects of the organizational integration of astronauts are listed.