利用TDRSS星上导航系统为地球观测卫星精密导航

地球观测系统卫星EOS—AM1的基本导航系统是TDRSS星上导航系统(TONS),为成象仪器标校和例行操作提供精密位置和速度信息。本文给出实时导航性能评价结果,看一下基于TONS的轨道和频率测定精度能否满足这一要求。给出了利用陆地—4卫星实际数据对EOS—AM1导航精度进行协方差分析和仿真研究的结果。研究了利用单向前向链路业务的局部(半圈)和全球(多圈)跟踪情况。还研究了利用比GEM—T3更精确重力模型提高导航精度的问题。本项研究的主要目的是评价额定性能、潜在敏感性并设法改进算法,例如TDRS星历加偏,电离层模型和重力过程噪声模型,这些都是已经准备采取的措施。结果表明TONS可以做得满足已明确的仪器导航精度要求—20m(3σ)。     

卫星激光测距中的大气折射修正

大气折射会使卫星激光测距(SLR)系统产生显著的误差。可用两种方法来修正这些误差。光线轨迹证明了基于地面压力、温度以及相对湿度测量值的大气模型,当仰角大于20°时,可精确到几个厘米以内。此模型中的残差主要是由折射率的水平梯度而产生的。尽管导出了几种模型来预测这种梯度影响,但初步研究表明它们对地形影响很敏感。大气湍流能使折射率产生随机起伏,但在仰角低于10°时仅产生厘米级的误差。双色脉冲系统能直接测量出卫星测距中的大气延迟。该系统需要用锁模多频激光器和基于高速扫描摄影机的接收机,目前可以0.5cm以上的精度测量大气延迟。     

孔、轮廓和表面(六)

第四章工程定位设备的准则(二) 热膨胀——当温度变化时,不同材料之间膨胀系数的差别是很大的。铝 12.3青铜 9.9钢 6.2铸铁 6.0碳化钨(硬质合金) 3.3因钢 1.5温度每变化华氏一度时,材料每时长度(25.4毫米)的线值膨胀量(以微时计,1微时=0.025微米)。热膨胀的重要性可以通过下面的例子得到验证:一个10时长的钢块规,在温度上升10°F时,其伸长量将大于万分之五时,这说明,这类变化在精密测量中确实是不容忽视的。     

Coronal mass ejection (CME) activity of low mass M stars as an important factor for the habitability of terrestrial exoplanets. I. CME impact on expected magnetospheres of Earth-like exoplanets in close-in habitable zones

Low mass M- and K-type stars are much more numerous in the solar neighborhood than solar-like G-type stars. Therefore, some of them may appear as interesting candidates for the target star lists of terrestrial exoplanet (i.e., planets with mass, radius, and internal parameters identical to Earth) search programs like Darwin (ESA) or the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph/Inferometer (NASA). The higher level of stellar activity of low mass M stars, as compared to solar-like G stars, as well as the closer orbital distances of their habitable zones (HZs), means that terrestrial-type exoplanets within HZs of these stars are more influenced by stellar activity than one would expect for a planet in an HZ of a solar-like star. Here we examine the influences of stellar coronal mass ejection (CME) activity on planetary environments and the role CMEs may play in the definition of habitability criterion for the terrestrial type exoplanets near M stars. We pay attention to the fact that exoplanets within HZs that are in close proximity to low mass M stars may become tidally locked, which, in turn, can result in relatively weak intrinsic planetary magnetic moments. Taking into account existing observational data and models that involve the Sun and related hypothetical parameters of extrasolar CMEs (density, velocity, size, and occurrence rate), we show that Earth-like exoplanets within close-in HZs should experience a continuous CME exposure over long periods of time. This fact, together with small magnetic moments of tidally locked exoplanets, may result in little or no magnetospheric protection of planetary atmospheres from a dense flow of CME plasma. Magnetospheric standoff distances of weakly magnetized Earth-like exoplanets at orbital distances 相似文献   

用于低轨卫星精密轨道确定的简化动力学法

全球定位系统(GPS)的测量量可促成一种简化动力学法,用于近地卫星的近厘米级定轨。利用这种方法,不同观测时刻的卫星状态问的转移由正规的动力学模型和由连续GPS载波相位数据以运动学法导出的卫星位置变化来完成。动力学信息和运动学信息间的相对权重可自由变化。协方差分析表明:当观测几何差而动力学模型好时,模型支配着状态转移的计算;动力模型差而观测几何好时,载波相位统治着状态转移的计算;而当运动学和动力学信息间没有明显优劣时,简化动力学联合法可显著提高轨道精度。本文给出简化动力学法中准最佳的择权准则,并研究了求解精度对权的敏感性。     

Scenarios which may lead to the rise of an asteroid-based technical civilisation

In a previous paper, the author described a hypothetical development path of technical civilisations which has the following stages: planet dwellers, asteroid dwellers, interstellar travellers, interstellar space dwellers. In this paper, several scenarios are described which may cause the rise of an asteroid-based technical civilisation. Before such a transition may take place, certain space technologies must be developed fully (now these exist only in very preliminary forms): closed-cycle biological life support systems, space manufacturing systems, electrical propulsion systems. After mastering these technologies, certain events may provide the necessary financial means and social impetus for the foundation of the first asteroid-based colonies. In the first scenario, a rich minority group becomes persecuted and they decide to leave the Earth. In the second scenario, a "cold war"-like situation exists and the leaders of the superpowers order the creation of asteroid-based colonies to show off their empires' technological (and financial) grandiosity. In the third scenario, the basic situation is similar to the second one, but in this case the asteroids are not just occupied by the colonists. With several decades of hard work, an asteroid can be turned into a kinetic energy weapon which can provide the same (or greater) threat as the nuclear arsenal of a present superpower. In the fourth scenario, some military asteroids are moved to Earth-centred orbits and utilised as "solar power satellites" (SPS). This would be a quite economical solution because a "military asteroid" already contains most of the important components of an SPS (large solar collector arrays, power distribution devices, orbit modifying rocket engine), one should add only a large microwave transmitter.     

New methods for microbial contamination monitoring: an experiment on board the MIR orbital station

Experiment T2, carried out during the Euromir'95 mission, was an important step toward innovative methods for spacecraft microbial contamination monitoring. A new standard sampling technique permitted samples to be analysed by different means. On board, two analysis methods were tested in parallel: Bioluminescence and Miniculture. In turn, downloaded samples are being analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a powerful and promising method for the rapid detection, identification and quantification of pathogens and biofouling agents in closed manned habitats.     

Conversations: with Carl Pilcher [interview by Johan Benson

An interview with Carl Pilcher, science program director for solar system exploration at NASA, examines NASA's past, present, and planned missions to explore the solar system. Specific questions relate to the status of current and planned missions, science results of the Pathfinder mission to Mars, cooperation with the Japanese space agency, the status of the search for extraterrestrial life in solar system meteoroids and asteroids, mission size for more in-depth exploration, reports of water on the moon, and the exploration of near-Earth objects.