Secondary radiation environments in heavy space vehicles and instruments.

Secondary radiations produced by the interactions of primary cosmic rays and trapped protons with spacecraft materials and detectors provides an important, and sometimes dominant, radiation environment for sensitive scientific instruments and biological systems. In this paper the success of a number of calculations in predicting a variety of effects will be examined. The calculation techniques include Monte Carlo transport codes and semi-empirical fragmentation calculations. Observations are based on flights of the Cosmic Radiation Environment and Activation Monitor at a number of inclinations and altitudes on Space Shuttle. The Shuttle experiments included an active cosmic-ray detector as well as metal activation foils and passive detector crystals of sodium iodide which were counted for induced radioactivity soon after return to earth. Results show that cosmic-ray secondaries increase the fluxes of particles of linear energy transfer less than 200 MeV/(gm cm-2), while the activation of the crystals is enhanced by about a factor of three due to secondary neutrons. Detailed spectra of induced radioactivity resulting from spallation products have been obtained. More than a hundred significant radioactive nuclides are included in the calculation and overall close agreement with the observations is obtained.     

Earth science missions for the space station

In the next decade and perhaps as early as 1994, a space station will carry an international team of scientists and engineers into low equatorial orbit (28.5 degrees) much like the shuttle missions are flown today. While the shuttle flights have successfully demonstrated new tools such as the Shuttle Multispectral Infrared Radiometer (SMIRR), Large Format Camera (LFC) and Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-A and B) they have been of limited value to the operational needs of the earth science community, especially those located outside of the orbital path. In spite of this, it behooves the earth science community to begin defining experiments, instruments and observational objectives in preparation for the day when space stations can operate for long periods of time, at low-equatorial, high-polar and eventually, geosynchronous orbits.Observational experiments and instruments in concert with unmanned satellite records should be defined that focus on surface changes such as greening and senescence of vegetation, rain and snowfall, surface wetness, floods, plankton and algae blooms, sea and glacier ice movement, volcanic eruptions, landslides and avalanches, forest and range fires 〈natural and man-made〉, deforestation, and other dynamic environmental phenomena. If these can be observed and recorded on a global basis with better instruments than we have today we may be able to improve disaster warning and forecasting techniques as well as develop a better understanding of global change and its effects on mankind.     

Porous Tube Plant Nutrient Delivery System development: a device for nutrient delivery in microgravity.

The Porous Tube Plant Nutrient Delivery System or PTPNDS (U.S. Patent #4,926,585) has been under development for the past six years with the goal of providing a means for culturing plants in microgravity, specifically providing water and nutrients to the roots. Direct applications of the PTPNDS include plant space biology investigations on the Space Shuttle and plant research for life support in Space Station Freedom. In the past, we investigated various configurations, the suitability of different porous materials, and the effects of pressure and pore size on plant growth. Current work is focused on characterizing the physical operation of the system, examining the effects of solution aeration, and developing prototype configurations for the Plant Growth Unit (PGU), the flight system for the Shuttle mid-deck. Future developments will involve testing on KC-135 parabolic flights, the design of flight hardware and testing aboard the Space Shuttle.     

Radiation measurements on the flight of IML-2.

The second flight of the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) on Space Shuttle flight STS-65 provided a unique opportunity for the intercomparison of a wide variety of radiation measurement techniques. Although this was not a coordinated or planned campaign, by sheer chance, a number of space radiation experiments from several countries were flown on this mission. There were active radiation measuring instruments from Japan and US, and passive detectors from US, Russia, Japan, and Germany. These detectors were distributed throughout the Space Shuttle volume: payload bay, middeck, flight deck, and Spacelab. STS-65 was launched on July 8, 1994, in a 28.45 degrees x 306 km orbit for a duration of 14 d 17 hr and 55 min. The crew doses varied from 0.935 mGy to 1.235 mGy. A factor of two variation was observed between various passive detectors mounted inside the habitable Shuttle volume. There is reasonable agreement between the galactic cosmic ray dose, dose equivalent and LET spectra measured by the tissue equivalent proportional counter flown in the payload bay with model calculations. There are significant differences in the measurements of LET spectra measured by different groups. The neutron spectrum in the 1-20 MeV region was measured. Using fluence-dose conversion factors, the neutron dose and dose equivalent rates were 11 +/- 2.7 microGy/day and 95 +/- 23.5 microSv/day respectively. The average east-west asymmetry of trapped proton (>3OMeV) and (>60 MeV) dose rate was 3.3 and 1.9 respectively.     

Space Shuttle drops down the SAA doses on ISS

Long-term analysis of data from two radiation detection instruments on the International Space Station (ISS) shows that the docking of the Space Shuttle drops down the measured dose rates in the region of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) by a factor of 1.5–3. Measurements either by the R3DE detector, which is outside the ISS at the EuTEF facility on the Columbus module behind a shielding of less than 0.45 g cm⁻², and by the three detectors of the Liulin-5 particle telescope, which is inside the Russian PEARS module in the spherical tissue equivalent phantom behind much heavier shielding demonstrate that effect. Simultaneously the estimated averaged incident energies of the incoming protons rise up from about 30 to 45 MeV. The effect is explained by the additional shielding against the SAA 30–150 MeV protons, provided by the 78 tons Shuttle to the instruments inside and outside of the ISS. An additional reason is the ISS attitude change (performed for the Shuttle docking) leading to decreasing of dose rates in two of Liulin-5 detectors because of the East–West proton fluxes asymmetry in SAA. The Galactic Cosmic Rays dose rates are practically not affected.     

BBXRT observations of supernova remnants

The Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) was designed to perform sensitive, moderate resolution spectroscopy of cosmic X-ray sources in the 0.3–10 keV band from the Space Shuttle. During its nine-day flight in December, 1990, the BBXRT observed a variety of supernova remnants and related objects. We present results from some of these observations, emphasizing the ability of the BBXRT to perform spatially-resolved spectroscopy. The improved spectral resolution and efficiency over previous instruments makes possible measurements of previously undetectable lines, and the broad bandpass allows simultaneous measurements of lines from oxygen through iron.     

精密加工与精密测量技术的发展

从精密加工技术的范畴出发，介绍了精密加工技术的方法和特点。根据精密测量技术与精密加工技术的相互关系，从精密加工的角度着重介绍了精密测量技术的发展，特别是对几种常见的微／纳米级精密测量仪器进行了简单介绍。最后，根据精密加工技术和精密测量技术在发展中存在的问题，分别提出了精密加工技术和精密测量技术的发展设想。     

AXAF,a permanent orbiting X-ray observatory: Telescope and instrumentation plans

The Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) now under study is to be a long-lived X-ray observatory in space. It is to be launched by the Space Shuttle, maintainable on-orbit, and retrievable for ground re-furbishment. The AXAF is conceived as an X-ray telescope with 6 nested grazing incidence X-ray mirrors (with a maximum aperture of 1.2 m) and interchangeable and replaceable focal plane instruments. The optics will provide 0.5 arcsecond imagery over a several arcminute field and somewhat reduced resolution over 1 degree in the X-ray band from 0.1 to 10 keV (1.2 to 120 A). The characteristics and expected performance of the observatory are described.     

Approaches to detection of geochemical stress in vegetation

Work has been carried out to elucidate fundamental relationships between spectral properties of plants and geochemical stress, and a programme of field and laboratory work is in progress. The most significant results and conclusions at this stage are described and attention is focused on the new concepts for stress detection which have been generated. The applications of the research are relevant to the understanding of current remotely sensed data as well as relating to ideas for new instrumentation.     

Instrument and spacecraft faults associated with nuclear radiation in space.

A review is given which surveys the variety of faults and failures which have occurred in space due both to the effects of single, energetic nuclear particles, as well as effects due to the accumulated ionizing dose or the fluence of nuclear particles. The review covers a variety of problems with sensors, electronics, instruments and spacecraft from several countries.     

The extreme ultraviolet explorer and the local interstellar medium

The Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) mission is described with emphasis on the overall capabilities of the instrumentation and the relevance of the mission to determining parameters of the local interstellar medium. The primary purpose of the mission is to search the celestial sphere for astronomical sources of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation (100–1000Å). The search will be accomplished with the use of three EUV telescopes, sensitive to different segments of the EUV band. A fourth telescope will perform a high sensitivity search of a limited sample of the sky in the shortest wavelength bands. The all-sky survey will be carried out in the first six months of the mission. The second six months of the mission, conducted entirely by Guest Investigators selected by NASA, will be devoted to spectroscopic observations of selected EUV sources. The instrumentation is now well developed. The mirrors meet the requirements of the mission with the best mirror having a full-width half energy spread of 8 arc seconds and a surface finish of 20Å. Prototype thin film bandpass filters have been flown on the Space Shuttle and their performance optimized. Prototype detectors have been developed which have 600 by 600 pixel imaging capability and up to 80% quantum efficiency in parts of the EUV band. A newly invented, high efficiency, grazing incidence spectrometer using variable line space gratings is under development; prototype gratings have been fabricated which provide 75% of theoretical efficiency. An end-to-end (star to as-received flight data) model of the mission has been constructed. Hypothetical, but realistic, flux data from continuous astronomical sources absorbed by intervening material have been processed through this model and show the ability of the EUVE instrumentation to measure such parameters as the hydrogen to helium ratio of the local interstellar medium.     

嵌入式软件测试开发环境的框架设计

采用软件设计上的复用思想,对嵌入式软件仿真测试环境进行框架的设计,可以使测试环境在不做大幅度修改的情况下适应不同的被测软件,节省设计的时间和费用.论述了由框架开发软件的过程,并把此过程应用于测试环境;对嵌入式软件仿真测试环境进行总体分析,确定了它的3个主要组成部分;归纳出作为测试环境重要组成部分的测试开发环境的基本功能,并使用专门针对框架开发的UML-F建模语言设计了一个框架;对已开发成功的测试开发环境框架,提出了具体的框架适配方案.本设计已在实际工程中得到了应用.     

飞行控制软件测试中的插桩技术

插桩技术是软件测试中常用的关键技术之一.插桩技术应用在飞行控制软件测试中所遇到的一个严重的问题是其带来的额外开销将导致原程序的实时性下降甚至软件的失效.针对该问题,提出了一种基于布尔型存储数组的新的插桩方法.与传统方法相比,该方法优化了插桩的内容,降低了插桩对程序实时性的影响.搭建了一个仿真测试平台并以某型飞行控制软件为实验对象验证了该方法的有效性.实验结果表明该方法大大减少了插桩后程序的运行时间,保证了飞控软件的实时性要求.     

Recent space shuttle observations of the South Atlantic Anomaly and the radiation belt models.

Active instruments consisting of a tissue equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) and a proton and heavy ion detector (PHIDE) have been carried on a number of Space Shuttle flights. These instruments have allowed us to map out parts of the South Atlantic Particle Anomaly (SAA) and to compare some of its features with predictions of the AP-8 energetic proton flux models. We have observed that consistent with the generally observed westward drift of the surface features of the terrestrial magnetic field the SAA has moved west by about 6.9 degrees longitude between the epoch year 1970 of the AP-8 solar maximum model and the Space Shuttle observations made twenty years later. However, calculations indicate that except for relatively brief periods following very large magnetic storms the SAA seems to occupy the same position in L-space as in 1970. After the great storm of 24 March 1991 reconfiguration of the inner radiation belt and/or proton injection into the inner belt, a second energetic proton belt was observed to form at L approximately = 2. As confirmed by a subsequent flight observations, this belt was shown to persist at least for six months. Our measurements also indicate an upward shift in the L location of the primary belt from L = 1.4 to L = 1.5. In addition we confirm through direct real time observations the existence and the approximate magnitude of the East-West effect.     

The casting and mechanism of formation of semi-permeable polymer membranes in a microgravity environment

The National Electric Company of Venezuela, C.A.D.A.F.E., is sponsoring the development of this experiment which represents Venezuela's first scientific experiment in space.The apparatus for the automatic casting of polymer thin films will be contained in NASA's payload No. G-559 of the Get Away Special program for a future orbital space flight in the U.S. Space Shuttle.Semi-permeable polymer membranes have important applications in a variety of fields, such as medecine, energy, and pharmaceuticals, and in general fluid separation processes such as reverse osmosis, ultra-filtration, and electro-dialysis.The casting of semi-permeable membranes in space will help to identify the roles of convection in determining the strucutre of these membranes.     

铯束管测试仪研制

主要介绍了北京无线电计量测试研究所研制的铯束管测试仪整机工作原理、关键技术研究及与进口仪器测量对比实验结果。这项工作在铯束管测试方面做出了新的尝试,取得了比较满意的结果。     

Observations and predictions of secondary neutrons on Space Shuttle and aircraft.

The Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor has flown on six Shuttle flights between September 1991 and February 1995 covering the full range of inclinations as well as altitudes between 220 and 570 km, while a version has flown at supersonic altitudes on Concorde between 1988 and 1992 and at subsonic altitudes on a SAS Boeing 767 between May and August 1993. The Shuttle flights have included passive packages in addition to the active cosmic ray monitor which comprises an array of pin diodes. These are positioned at a number of locations to investigate the influence of shielding and local materials. Use of both metal activation foils and scintillator crystals enables neutron fluences to be inferred from the induced radioactivity which is observed on return to Earth. Supporting radiation transport calculations are performed to predict secondary neutron spectra and the energy deposition due to nuclear reactions in silicon pin diodes and the induced radioactivity in the various scintillator crystals. The wide variety of orbital and atmospheric locations enables investigation of the influence of shielding on cosmic ray, trapped proton and solar flare proton spectra.     

The natural background at shuttle altitudes

Optical measurements made from the Space Shuttle include several sources of emission, each modified according to viewing configuration, Shuttle altitude, solar activity, local time, and latitude. These sources include the atmospheric emissions and emissions of non-terrestrial origin (such as stellar, interstellar, and interplanetary), together with any contamination emission induced by the Shuttle itself. In order to make astronomical observations from the Shuttle, the observer needs good information on the intensities and spectral characteristics of these various sources. In this paper we present a model spectrum for one of these components, the natural airglow background. The spectrum is modeled over a wavelength range extending from the extreme ultraviolet to the near infrared. This model is based on our present knowledge of the upper atmosphere. The effect of different viewing configurations is illustrated, together with day to night variations. The results synthesized here assume an ideal vehicle in the sense that no contaminant emissions are induced by the Shuttle and payload. These spectra therefore represent a baseline which can be used to locate unanticipated or non-ambient features.     

Pigment composition and concentrations within the plant (Ceratophyllum demersum L.) component of the STS-89 C.E.B.A.S. Mini-Module spaceflight experiment.

The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (C.E.B.A.S.) Mini-Module, a Space Shuttle middeck locker payload which supports a variety of aquatic inhabitants (fish, snails, plants and bacteria) in an enclosed 8.6 L chamber, was tested for its biological stability in microgravity. The aquatic plant, Ceratophyllum demersum L., was critical for the vitality and functioning of this artificial mini-ecosystem. Its photosynthetic pigment concentrations were of interest due to their light harvesting and protective functions. "Post-flight" chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations within Ceratophyllum apical segments were directly related to the quantities of light received in the experiments, with microgravity exposure (STS-89) failing to account for any significant deviation from ground control studies.