Biomedical program of the ALTAIR french russian flight onboard the MIR station

One year after the achievemant of the 2 weeks ANTARES french-russian mission in the MIR station in July 1992, a 22 days ALTAÏR mission with a french cosmonaut has been performed in July 1993, making use of the scientific payload remaining on board. Taking benefit of the analysis of the previous mission, the experimental protocols were adapted to refine scientific objectives and gave to the scientists the opportunity to enhance quantitatively and qualitatively their results. The french biomedical program, conducted in close scientific cooperation with IMBP and associated laboratories, was composed of 8 experiments out of which 2 were new with regards to the ANTARES program. In the field of cardio-vascular physiology and fluid regulation, the experiments: ORTHOSTATISME, DIURESE have been renewed and complemented by the TISSU experiment (proposed by a german scientist) and a real-time tele-assistance program using US echography technic and ground support from the french CADMOS support control center located in Toulouse. With respect to neurosciences objectives, to the experiments VIMINAL (cognitive processes) and ILLUSIONS (study of proprioceptives cues), was added the SYNERGIES experiment to analyse the postural adjustements during movement. The IMMUNOLOGIE experiment carried on and the radiobiological experiment BIODOSE ended.

Adding the results of the 2 missions ANTARES and ALTAÏR, and the data obtained in between onboard with russian cosmonauts, the scientists have received a wealth of physiological data and gained reproducibility and confidence in their results.     

多级固体火箭飞行器的自动化设计

最佳多级固体火箭飞行器的设计是复杂的,因为它受到很多设计参数的控制,并受到现有技术和系统要求两者的约束。可以研究飞行器性能对发动机设计的敏感性,并导出一组描述飞行器的设计参数,而此飞行器对于特定的准则已最佳化了,如最高的性能或最低的成本。这种飞行器的研究表明,成本和性能对单个火箭发动机设计是敏感的。本文叙述在现有技术条件下有一套特定要求的最佳飞行器的设计方法,并且受到诸如成本、重量、几何形状、射程或有效载荷的约束。本最佳化是发动机和飞行器所有设计细节的规程,它由下述过程完成:设计单个发动机,将它们组装成飞行器,研究飞行器的性能并系统地修改发动机和飞行器的设计以得到最佳结果。这由准确地设计并组装一套协调的部件成为一台发动机的自动程序来完成。飞行器的所有发动机是序贯设计的,并以联接的级间结构、有效载荷、电缆管道和控制装置组成一个完整的飞行器说明。至于满足系统要求的飞行器的无限性,单一的最佳飞行器是所希望的。有一组设计参数满足所有约束条件以及使一些性能因子,如成本、重量、长度、射程或发射重量达到最大值或最小值。本文概述了完成此过程的方法。     

多路SAR高分辨率3-D成像

星载／机载合成孔径雷达(SAR)系统提供了高分辨率二维地形图像。本文提出一种组合多路SAR图像(在稍微偏离仰角方向的飞行航线上所得到的)来生成高分辨率三维图像的技术。可以把这项技术看作是干涉SAR(InSAR)的扩展，用这种技术能产生多维分辨率的地形图像。3-D多路SAR成像系统在仰角方向一般由相对比较短的模糊长度表征。为了使有关模糊度减至最小值，利用了一组图像内的相关相位信息来跟踪地面景物。然后，在以“主要”地形地面为中心的窄(仰角方向)体积范围内，采用非均匀DFT对SAR图像进行相干组合。本文详细介绍了该技术的基础理论，并提供了该技术可达到的分辨率和实验研究结果。     

固体推进剂发动机的热贮存寿命

借助于统计力学计算了受环境温度变化影响的固体推进剂火箭发动机的贮存寿命。考察了粘弹性效应、化学老化、累积损害和力学性能的统计变化。     

GPS/GLONASS组合接收机

美国和苏联都已研制出了各自的全球定位系统-GPS 和 GLONASS,预计它们在90年代初期将投入工作。本文讨论使用 GPS/GLONASS 组合接收机的优点。报道 GLONASS 系统运行状态的观测结果:对 GPS 和 GKONASS两系统做了比较,给出了两系统的覆盖情况。最后,介绍一台试验接收机,它使用两个系统卫星的信号,完成了导航、测绘及时间传输等实验。     

重新设计的航天飞机固体火箭助推器现场接头——锡奥科尔公司开始全尺寸试验

介绍了航天飞机固体助推器的一种新式现场接头设计,以及航天飞机恢复飞行前安排的各项必须试验。     

单通道SAR对任意运动目标的检测和成像

在合成孔径雷达（SAR）图像中，运动目标会引起散焦和／或移位之类的成像误差，这与目标运动方向有关。为了得到准确而清晰的运动目标的图像，目标位置和速度参数是必须知道的。这里提出了一种对任意方向运动的地面目标进行探测、参数估计和成像的算法。该算法主要是评估由常规单通道SAR雷达数据生成的一系列单视SAR图像。用两个观察模型来估计运动目标的位置和速度，考虑了由于运动导致多普勒频谱的混叠。用这种方法，运动目标可以不受其运动方向的影响而被检测到，估计参数被用来补偿SAR图像中的成像误差。最后，目标在场景中的真实运动情况可以在补偿过的图像序列中显现。     

Biosignatures from Earth-like planets around M dwarfs

Coupled one-dimensional photochemical-climate calculations have been performed for hypothetical Earth-like planets around M dwarfs. Visible/near-infrared and thermal-infrared synthetic spectra of these planets were generated to determine which biosignature gases might be observed by a future, space-based telescope. Our star sample included two observed active M dwarfs-AD Leo and GJ 643-and three quiescent model stars. The spectral distribution of these stars in the ultraviolet generates a different photochemistry on these planets. As a result, the biogenic gases CH4, N2O, and CH3Cl have substantially longer lifetimes and higher mixing ratios than on Earth, making them potentially observable by space-based telescopes. On the active M-star planets, an ozone layer similar to Earth's was developed that resulted in a spectroscopic signature comparable to the terrestrial one. The simultaneous detection of O2 (or O3) and a reduced gas in a planet's atmosphere has been suggested as strong evidence for life. Planets circling M stars may be good locations to search for such evidence.     

The flight experiment ANITA--a high performance air analyser for manned space cabins

Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air (ANITA) is a flight experiment as precursor for a permanent continuous trace gas monitoring system on the International Space Station (ISS). For over 10 years, under various ESA contracts the flight experiment was defined, designed, breadboarded and set up. For the safety of the crew, ANITA can detect and quantify quasi on-line and simultaneously 32 trace gases with ppm or sub-ppm detection limits. The self-standing measurement system is based on Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) technology. The system represents a versatile air monitor allowing for the first time the detection and monitoring of trace gas dynamics of a spacecraft atmosphere. It is envisaged to accommodate ANITA in a Destiny (US LAB) Express Rack on the ISS. The transportation to the ISS is planned with the first ATV 'Jules Verne'. The options are either the Space Shuttle or the Automated Transfer Vehicle.     

The feasibility of Doppler monitoring during EVA

During extravehicular activities (EVA) outside the spacecraft, astronauts have to work under reduced pressure in a space suit. This pressure reduction induces the risk of decompression sickness (DCS) by the formation of gas bubbles from excess nitrogen dissolved in the organism by breathing air at normal pressure. Under laboratory conditions the gas bubbles moving in the blood stream can be detected by the non-invasive ultrasonic Doppler method. By early detection of excessive bubble formation the development of DCS symptoms may be prevented by early application of preventative measures. The method could also be useful when applied in the space suit in order to compare the results of laboratory tests with operational results, because there is a discrepancy according to the DCS risk of laboratory experiments and actual EVA missions, where no symptoms have been reported yet. A prototype Doppler sensor has been developed and implemented in the Russian Orlan suit. To investigate the feasibility of this method under simulated space conditions, the equipment has been used in a series of 12 thermovacuum chamber tests with suited subjects, where intravenous bubble formation was compared to unsuited control experiments. In more than 50% of the suited tests good Doppler recordings could be achieved. In some cases with unsatisfying results the signal could be improved by breathholding. Although the results do not yet allow any conclusion about a possible difference between suited and unsuited subjects due to the small number of tests performed, the method proved its feasibility for use in EVA suits and should be further developed to enhance the safety of EVA procedures.