The analysis of investments in demonstrative small satellite projects for remote sensing

The demonstrative small satellite projects (DSSP) for appreciation of the small satellites (SS) effective use in the perspective national space systems of remote sensing environment, as well as the ozone layer and the near Earth space are considered. The national potential for development, building, launch and missions of SS is discussed. The pecularities of the Russian market of remote sensing informative products and servicies are analysed to specify and stress the significance and perspectives of this market. In view of budget constraints in transitive period from centralized to market economics in Russia the different sources of DSSP financial support are considered.     

Metabolic assessments during extra-vehicular activity

Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) has a significant role during extended space flights. It demonstrates that humans can survive and perform useful work outside the Orbital Space Stations (OSS) while wearing protective space suits (SS). When the International Space Station 'Alpha' (ISSA) is fully operational, EVA assembly, installation, maintenance and repair operations will become an everyday repetitive work activity in space. It needs new ergonomic evaluation of the work/rest schedule for an increasing of the labor amount per EVA hour. The metabolism assessment is a helpful method to control the productivity of the EVA astronaut and to optimize the work/rest regime. Three following methods were used in Russia to estimate real-time metabolic rates during EVA: 1. Oxygen consumption, computed from the pressure drop in a high pressure bottle per unit time (with actual thermodynamic oxygen properties under high pressure and oxygen leakage taken into account). 2. Carbon dioxide production, computed from CO2 concentration at the contaminant control cartridge and gas flow rate in the life support subsystem closed loop (nominal mode) or gas leakage in the SS open loop (emergency mode). 3. Heat removal, computed from the difference between the temperatures of coolant water or gas and its flow rate in a unit of time (with assumed humidity and wet oxygen state taken into account). Comparison of heat removal values with metabolic rates enables us to determine the thermal balance during an operative medical control of EVA at "Salyut-6", "Salyut-7" and "Mir" OSS. Complex analysis of metabolism, body temperature and heat rate supports a differential diagnosis between emotional and thermal components of stress during EVA. It gives a prognosis of human homeostasis during EVA. Available information has been acquired into an EVA data base which is an effective tool for ergonomical optimization.     

基于复合扩频序列的声光快捕方法

针对扩频伪码捕获时间长、占用资源大的缺点,提出基于复合扩频序列的声光快捕方法。该方法利用复合扩频序列的相关特性及声光技术处理具有高增益的特点,实现在射频上直接对低信噪比信号进行检测,实现简单并可节约大量资源。理论分析与仿真表明,采用声光技术的扩频系统能实现对低信噪比伪码的快速捕获。     

极轨航天器多层外表面充放电效应试验研究

利用空间带电粒子辐照试验台进行了太阳同步轨道航天器多层组件表面充放电试验,研究了常规与导电型(带ITO镀层)两种Kapton/Al薄膜在受到带电粒子辐照后的充放电情况和外观变化情况。试验结果表明,对于在近极地轨道运行的航天器,带ITO镀层的导电型Kapton/Al薄膜能够有效释放电荷、降低多层组件外表面对航天器地的电位差,本身不会形成放电损伤,比常规Kapton/Al薄膜更适合作为航天器多层外表面热控涂层。     

Some problems of selection and evaluation of the Martian suit enclosure concept

One of the most important tasks for preparation of a future manned mission to Mars is to create a space suit, which ensures efficient and safe operation of the man on the planet surface.

The concept of space suit (SS) utilisation on the Mars surface will be determined mainly by the Mars mission scenario. Currently the preference is given to utilisation of robotics with the crew driving a Mars rover vehicle, whereby the suit will be used solely as an additional safety means.

However, one cannot exclude the necessity of a durable self-contained stay of the man outside a pressurised compartment, to pick up, for instance, soil samples or do certain repair work in case of an emergency.

The requirements to the Mars suit and especially to the personal self-contained life support system (LSS) will depend in many respects on the Mars environmental conditions, the space vehicle system concept and performance characteristics, the airlock and its interface design, the availability of expendable elements for the LSS, etc.

The paper reviews principal problems, which have to be solved during development of the Martian suit. A special attention is paid to the issue of suited man mobility during traversing on the planet surface.

The paper also reviews the arguments for application of a suit semi-rigid design concept and evaluates potentialities of using certain elements of the existing “Orlan” type suit.

The paper presents results of a number of studies on selection of the planetary SS enclosure concept and on experimental evaluation of mobility of the lower torso and leg enclosures in conjunction with a specially designed prototype model (tentative model) of the SS enclosure.     

宇航钛合金气瓶优化设计与实验验证

本文用有限元法对7升TC4钛合金气瓶进行应力分布计算和结构优化设计，并用水压爆破试验对优化结果进行试验验证。结果表明：结构优化设计使气瓶接嘴部分最大经向应力降低136MPa，约13％，7升气瓶减重210g，约7.7%，提高了气瓶的实际水压爆破压力。     

Ensuring of long operation life of the orbiting station EVA space suit

Russia has gained a lot of experience in operating the space suits (SS) during the extravehicular activities (EVA) by the crews of SALYUT-6, SALYUT-7 and MIR orbiting stations. A total of 21 Orlan-type space suits of various models were operated onboard the orbiting stations (OS) during almost 20 years period. Some of these space suits served up to 3 years in orbit. The paper reviews special features of long SS operation (without return to the Earth) onboard an orbiting station as well as the problems associated with SS repeated use by several crews. An analysis of measures to support solving of the problems of SS long stay and reliable operation onboard the orbiting station is made: selection of a corresponding SS type and separate elements design; selection of the materials; routine and preventive maintenance; development tests. The advantages of the space suit of a semi-rigid type for solving the above problems are shown. The paper includes a short analysis of space suits' operation onboard the Russian orbiting station MIR, and some restuts of inspection of the Orlan-DMA space suit returned to the Earth from orbit by STS-79 alter long operation in orbit. Recommendations on further improvement of the space suits for EVA operations in the International Space Station (ISS) are given.     

Space radiation effects on plant and mammalian cells

The study of the effects of ionizing radiation on organisms is related to different research aims. The current review emphasizes the studies on the effects of different doses of sparsely and densely ionizing radiation on living organisms, with the final purpose of highlighting specific and common effects of space radiation in mammals and plants. This topic is extremely relevant in the context of radiation protection from space environment. The response of different organisms to ionizing radiation depends on the radiation quality/dose and/or the intrinsic characteristics of the living system. Macromolecules, in particular DNA, are the critical targets of radiation, even if there is a strong difference between damages encountered by plant and mammalian cells. The differences in structure and metabolism between the two cell types are responsible for the higher resistance of the plant cell compared with its animal counterpart.     

收拢压紧柔性太阳翼电池片应力影响因素研究

在压紧机构压紧力以及发射阶段加速度工况载荷共同作用下,收拢压紧状态的柔性折叠式太阳翼的太阳电池板上电池片的应力应满足力学强度要求。文章采用有限元方法对电池片应力主要影响因素,包括聚酰亚胺泡沫布局和厚度、聚酰亚胺泡沫力学性能、盖板结构及埋件形状等进行计算分析;总结降低收拢压紧状态下柔性太阳翼压紧点附近电池片压应力的主要来源途径,为柔性折叠式太阳翼的工程研制提供设计分析思路。     

序列凸优化的小天体附着轨迹优化

针对小天体附着多约束轨迹优化问题,提出一种基于序列凸优化的轨迹优化方法。首先采用内球谐引力场模型对目标小天体附近的不规则引力场进行精确建模,内球谐引力场模型是对经典球谐系数法的改进,形式简单,计算量小,并且克服了经典球谐系数模型在形状不规则的小天体附近不收敛的问题。对于小天体附着多约束轨迹优化问题,通过约束松弛、线性化、离散化过程,转化为一个可以迭代求解的二阶锥规划问题（SOCP）,进而采用内点法进行解算。数学仿真结果显示,优化结果符合各项约束条件,以零速度到达了目标着陆点,且符合燃耗最优的优化目标。利用序列凸优化算法进行小天体附着燃耗最优轨迹设计,推导简便,计算速度快,精度高,具有应用价值。     

技术成熟度对航天器研制进度的影响

利用回归分析法对过去的航天器研制进度(进度拖延)和技术成熟度的离散数据进行研究,求出表示进度拖延与技术成熟度之间关系的拟合函数(曲线);引入进度风险和进度余量的概念,对进度拖延按正态分布随机变量进行统计分析,给出了进度风险、进度余量和技术成熟度之间的关系曲线,可供航天器研制项目立项、评审、决策使用。     

Can ultrasound counteract bone loss? Effect of low-intensity ultrasound stimulation on a model of osteoclastic precursor

The aim of the present work is to determine whether mechanical stress caused by ultrasound (US) exposure affects osteoclastic precursor cells, thus addressing the hypothesis that mechanical strain-induced perturbation of preosteoclastic cell machinery can contribute to the occurrence of bone turnover alterations. Moreover, cell cytoskeleton was studied because of its supposed involvement in cell mechanotransduction.Our experimental model was the FLG 29.1 human cell line, previously characterized as an osteoclastic precursor model. Cell proliferation was quantified by trypan blue exclusion assay. Cell morpho-functional state was monitored by multispectral imaging autofluorescence microscopy. The expression of cytoskeletal components and markers of proliferation (Ki67) and osteoclastic differentiation (RANK) was analysed by immunocytochemistry.The findings demonstrated that US stimulation affects FLG 29.1 cell growth, depresses the expression of cytoskeletal components and markers of proliferation and differentiation, induces cell damage, thus supporting the hypothesis that US exposure inhibits osteoclastogenesis.These results have been compared with those obtained previously by exposure of FLG 29.1 cells to modelled hypogravity conditions. Finally, the possibility to utilize US stimulation for counteracting osteoporosis has been discussed.     

Real time confocal laser scanning microscopy: potential applications in space medicine and cell biology

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), in which tissues may be rendered fatally light-sensitive represents a relatively novel treatment for cancer and other disorders such as cardiovascular disease. It offers significant application to disease control in an isolated environment such as space flight. In studying PDT in the laboratory, low energy lasers such as HeNe lasers are used to activate the photosensitized cellular target. A major problem associated with these studies is that events occurring during actual exposure of the target cells to the system cannot be examined in real time. In this study HeLa cells were photosensitized and photodynamic activation was accomplished using the scanning microbeam from a confocal laser scanning microscope. This form of activation allowed for simultaneous photoactivation and observation and facilitated the recording of events at a microscopic level during photoactivation. Effects of photodynamic activation on the target cells were monitored using the fluorophores rhodamine 123 and ethidium homodimer-1. Potential applications of these forms of analyses to space medicine and cell biology are discussed.     

Six-month space greenhouse experiments--a step to creation of future biological life support systems

SVET Space Greenhouse (SG)--the first automated facility for growing of higher plants in microgravity was designed in the eighty years to be used for the future BLSS. The first successful experiment with vegetables was carried out in 1990 on the MIR Space Station (SS). The experiments in SVET SG were resumed in 1995, when an American Gas Exchange Measurement System (GEMS) was added. A three-month wheat experiment was carried out as part of MIR-SHUTTLE'95 program. SVET-2 SG Bulgarian equipment of a new generation with optimised characteristics was developed (financed by NASA). The new SVET-GEMS equipment was launched on board the MIR SS and a successful six-month experiments for growing up of two crops of wheat were conducted in 1996 - 97 as part of MIR-NASA-3 program. The first of these "Greenhouse" experiments (123 days) with the goal to grow wheat through a complete life cycle is described. Nearly 300 heads developed but no seeds were produced. A second crop of wheat was planted and after 42 days the plants were frozen for biochemical investigations. The main environmental parameters during the six-month experiments in SVET (substrate moisture and lighting period) are given. The results and the contribution to BLSS are discussed.     

单向碳／碳复合材料的蠕变内应力

用应力降落法测定单向ＰＡＮ基碳纤维Ｔ３００增加热碳基复合材料在１９００－２３５０℃蠕变内应力σ０，结果及分析表明，对单向Ｃ／Ｃ复合材料，σ０不是一个材料常数，而是温度Ｔ、初始力σｓ及结构因子Ｓ的函数，即σ０＝σ０（ｔ，σｓ，Ｓ）。     

T cell regulation in microgravity – The current knowledge from in vitro experiments conducted in space,parabolic flights and ground-based facilities

Dating back to the Apollo and Skylab missions, it has been reported that astronauts suffered from bacterial and viral infections during space flight or after returning to Earth. Blood analyses revealed strongly reduced capability of human lymphocytes to become active upon mitogenic stimulation. Since then, a large number of in vitro studies on human immune cells have been conducted in space, in parabolic flights, and in ground-based facilities. It became obvious that microgravity affects cell morphology and important cellular functions. Observed changes include cell proliferation, the cytoskeleton, signal transduction and gene expression. This review gives an overview of the current knowledge of T cell regulation under altered gravity conditions obtained by in vitro studies with special emphasis on the cell culture conditions used. We propose that future in vitro experiments should follow rigorous standardized cell culture conditions, which allows better comparison of the results obtained in different flight- and ground-based experiment platforms.     

硝胺丁羟推进剂高、低压燃烧性能研究

通过几种燃速调节剂对含奥克托金（HMX）的丁羟橡胶复合推进剂高，低压的燃烧性能影响实验研究，结果表明，二茂铁衍生物（T27）能有效调节推进剂燃速和降低高，低压段的压强指数，复合燃速调节剂（T27＋CB），并可消除高压段出现的燃速突变现象，该结果可为单室双推力发动机推进剂燃速设计提参考。     

Space analogue studies in Antarctica

Medical research has been carried out on the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) for 50 years. As an extension of this program collaborative Australian/United States research on immunology, microbiology, psychology and remote medicine has produced important data and insight on how humans adapt to the stress of extreme isolation, confinement and the harsh environment of Antarctica. An outstanding analogue for the isolation and confinement of space missions (especially planetary outposts), ANARE has been used as an international research platform by Australia and the United States since 1993. Collaborative research has demonstrated a lowered responsiveness of the immune system under the isolation and confinement of Antarctic winter-over; a reduction of almost 50% in T cell proliferation to mltogen phytohaemogglutinin, as well as changes in latent herpesvirus states and the expansion of the polyclonal latent Epstein-Barr virus infected B cell populations. Although no clinically significant disease has been found to result from these immune changes, research is currently assessing the effects of psychological factors on the immune system. This and associated research performed to date and its relevance to both organisations is discussed, and comment made on possible extensions to the program in both medical and other fields.