Energy deposition rates by charged particles measured during the energy budget campaign

Measurements of the precipitation of electrons and positive ions (in the keV to MeV range) detected aboard eight rockets launched from Northern Scandinavia are reported together with corresponding satellite data. The downgoing integral fluxes indicate the temporal fluctuations during each flight. Height profiles of the energy deposition into the atmosphere at different levels of geomagnetic disturbance are given.     

Some recent advances in energetic ion mass spectrometry

New techniques are being developed which will extend the capability of spacecraft-borne ion mass spectrometers into previously unexplored momentum regimes. These instruments include time-of-flight mass spectrometers and large laboratory class spectrometers suitable for Spacelab applications. Their characteristics, strengths and weaknesses are reviewed.     

Hydrodynamic shock wave formation in the solar chromosphere and corona during flares

Basic mechanisms of the hydrodynamic shock wave formation in the solar atmosphere during flares are considered. Hydrodynamic plasma flows during flares arise due to fast energy release which is accumulated in the magnetic field of currents in the solar atmosphere. Shock waves arise as a result of rapid heating of the chromospheric upper layers from accelerated particles or heat fluxes. Powerful hydrodynamic phenomena can also arise due to explosive current sheet disruption in the region of strong magnetic field reconnection. Fundamental questions of shock wave formation and propagation in a non-homogeneous emitting solar atmosphere are discussed.An invited paper presented at STIP Workshop on Shock Waves in the Solar Corona and Interplanetary Space, 15–19 June, 1980, Smolenice, Czechoslovakia.     

Direct-Ranging Loran Model Identification and Performance Predictions

With the availability of modern data processing techniques and lowcost stable time references, the use of Loran in a direct-ranging mode offers certain potential advantages. In order to generate reliable direct-ranging Loran (DRL) performance projections and system designs, however, accurate system error models are required. This paper first describes the processing of airborne flight data from a DRL receiver to identify models for significant DRL system errors. These models are then used in a Kalman filter covariance simulation to generate performance predictions for an optimally integrated DRL system. Comparisons with conventional hyperbolic Loran are also given. DRL is shown to be capable of substantially improved position accuracy over that of conventional hyperbolic Loran, especially in regions of poor geometry. A stationary ground-align technique for improving DRL performance is also discussed.     

High-Accuracy Sounding Rocket Attitude Estimation Using Star Sensor Data

A three-axis attitude reconstitution scheme for spin stabilized sounding rockets is presented, using star transit pulse intormation from a single slit all solid state star sensor. The method, based on Kalman filtering and smoothing, gives accuracies in the arcminute range and has been successfully tested on four different missions in the Swedish sounding rocket program.     

Communicating bioastronautics research to students, families and the nation

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) is supporting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) education mission through a comprehensive Education and Public Outreach Program (EPOP) that communicates the excitement and significance of space biology to schools, families, and lay audiences. The EPOP is comprised of eight academic institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston, Rice University, and the University of Washington. This paper describes the programs and products created by the EPOP to promote space life science education in schools and among the general public. To date, these activities have reached thousands of teachers and students around the US and have been rated very highly.     

Application of GFP technique for cytoskeleton visualization onboard the International Space Station

Cytoskeleton recently attracted wide attention of cell and molecular biologists due to its crucial role in gravity sensing and trunsduction. Most of cytoskeletal research is conducted by the means of immunohistochemical reactions, different modifications of which are beneficial for the ground-based experiments. But for the performance onboard the space vehicles, they represent quite complicated technique which requires time and special skills for astronauts. In addition, immunocytochemistry provides only static images of the cytoskeleton arrangement in fixed cells while its localization in living cells is needed for the better understanding of cytoskeletal function. In this connection, we propose a new approach for cytoskeletal visualization onboard the ISS, namely, application of green fluorescent protein (GFP) from Aequorea victoria, which has the unique properties as a marker for protein localization in vivo. The creation of chimerical protein-GFP gene constructs, obtaining the transformed plant cells possessed protein-GFP in their cytoskeletal composition will allow receiving a simple and efficient model for screening of the cytoskeleton functional status in microgravity.