Biologically enhanced energy and carbon cycling on Titan?

With the Cassini-Huygens Mission in orbit around Saturn, the large moon Titan, with its reducing atmosphere, rich organic chemistry, and heterogeneous surface, moves into the astrobiological spotlight. Environmental conditions on Titan and Earth were similar in many respects 4 billion years ago, the approximate time when life originated on Earth. Life may have originated on Titan during its warmer early history and then developed adaptation strategies to cope with the increasingly cold conditions. If organisms originated and persisted, metabolic strategies could exist that would provide sufficient energy for life to persist, even today. Metabolic reactions might include the catalytic hydrogenation of photochemically produced acetylene, or involve the recombination of radicals created in the atmosphere by ultraviolet radiation. Metabolic activity may even contribute to the apparent youth, smoothness, and high activity of Titan's surface via biothermal energy.     

Psychological countermeasures for extended manned spaceflights

The authors examine psychological issues and countermeasures in extended space flight. Individual-oriented pre-flight countermeasures include basic psychological selection and training of astronaut candidates. Crew-oriented pre-flight countermeasures include crew composition based on psychological compatibility and psychological mission preparation. Psychological inflight support measures include those that address the emotional state and well-being of astronauts, performance efficiency, and prevention of task overload. Suggestions for an integrated approach to psychological countermeasures for extended flights are presented. Case reports examine psychological selection and training of German astronauts in preparation for the STS-55 mission.     

基于目标机动新模型的被动寻的导弹制导律

假设某些目标能作正交于其速度矢量的规避机动,提出一种新的随机动态目标模型.利用增益修正广义卡尔曼滤波器来估计目标状态和在线建立目标机动的角速率.推导出可使二次型性能指标极小化的制导律,对于二维的只有角测量的情况,数值仿真表明,所提出的目标模型会使目标状态的估计得到明显的改进.此外,还给出采用这种新制导方法对终端脱靶距离的影响,并与高斯-马尔可夫模型作了比较.     

Analysis of a spacecraft life support system for a Mars mission

This report summarizes a trade study conducted as part of the Fall 2002 semester Spacecraft Life Support System Design course (ASEN 5116) in the Aerospace Engineering Sciences Department at the University of Colorado. It presents an analysis of current life support system technologies and a preliminary design of an integrated system for supporting humans during transit to and on the surface of the planet Mars. This effort was based on the NASA Design Reference Mission (DRM) for the human exploration of Mars [NASA Design Reference Mission (DRM) for Mars, Addendum 3.0, from the world wide web: http://exploration.jsc.nasa.gov/marsref/contents.html.]. The integrated design was broken into four subsystems: Water Management, Atmosphere Management, Waste Processing, and Food Supply. The process started with the derivation of top-level requirements from the DRM. Additional system and subsystem level assumptions were added where clarification was needed. Candidate technologies were identified and characterized based on performance factors. Trade studies were then conducted for each subsystem. The resulting technologies were integrated into an overall design solution using mass flow relationships. The system level trade study yielded two different configurations--one for the transit to Mars and another for the surface habitat, which included in situ resource utilization. Equivalent System Mass analyses were used to compare each design against an open-loop (non-regenerable) baseline system.     

F-16XL为HSCT进行超音速层流试飞

目前一架F-16XL研究机已经被改装成一架超音速层流控制概念研究机。该机的左机翼被装上了一个带有很大的吸气表面翼套。这项试验将对美国高速民用运输机(HSCT),即下一代超音速民用飞机的研制具有重要的意义。装上新翼套的F-16XL已完成了首次飞行。为其制订的一系列试验计划将要验证仅仅使用目前的吸气技术是否能在超音速飞行下维持机翼表面的大部分区域为层流区,从理论上讲,通过对机翼前段翼型外形的正确设计,组     

NASA的先进地面站结构

本文描述了用于NASA地面网(GN)的一种新型地面站结构。该结构充分利用正在出现的各种新技术,显著地减小了体积、操作复杂性、操作和维护费用。此结构以空间通信先进系统计划办公室负责研制的新接收机为基础,可以在同一电子系统中综合进地面网和天基网的两种工作模式。通过软件以及电耦合器件(CCD)技术,使其具有极强的重组配能力,具备多种工作模式。而且,功能高度模块化,可根据任务任意选用,最终的系统包括先进的射频、数字和远控技术,能为大量NASA的通信和跟踪任务带来巨大的性能改善和操作及成本的降低。     

三次泛音石英谐振器

在频率达到并包含三次谐波厚度切变泛音时,解弹性片Lee-Nikodem运动方程可求出具有自由面和边的AT切石英晶片振动情况的解。     

增大表征振荡器能力的修正阿仑方差

阿仑方差σ_y~2(τ)事实上现在已经成为测量振荡器在时域中不稳定度的实用标准。振荡器的频率不稳定度常常可以用幂律谱S_y(f)～f~a拟出适当的模型,这里的y是归一化频率差,f是傅氏频率,a在某一傅氏频率范围内为常数。已经证明,用幂律谱,则有σ_y~2(τ)～τ~μ,当-3相似文献   

英国防部发起新型航空母舰的竞争

日前,英国国防部向全球航空航天制造商发起了价值244亿美元、为英国海军制造两艘航空母舰的竞标活动。有6家公司参与了竞标,它们是波音、英国宇航防御系统、洛克希德、马丁、马可尼电子系统、雷神和汤姆逊一CSF公司。这6家公司都具有较强的海军系统综合能力。但英国政府坚持,新型航空母舰必须在英国制造。计划的第一阶段是在今年秋季选出3家承包商进行初步研究,台问价值830万美元。然后再从中选出两家公司进行减少风险的研究,台同价值3300万美元。最终承包商的确定预计将在2001年,第一艘航空母舰计划于2012年投入使用。该项目由国防…