VentureStar… reaping the benefits of the X-33 program

Major X-33 flight hardware has been delivered, and assembly of the vehicle is well underway in anticipation of its flight test program commencing in the summer of 1999. Attention has now turned to the operational VentureStar^TM, the first single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle. Activities are grouped under two broad categories: (1) vehicle development and (2) market/business planning, each of which is discussed. The mission concept is presented for direct payload delivery to the International Space Station and to low Earth orbit, as well as payload delivery with an upper stage to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and other high energy orbits. System requirements include flight segment and ground segment. Vehicle system sizing and design status is provided including the application of X-33 traceability and lessons learned. Technology applications to the VentureStar^TM are described including the structure, propellant tanks, thermal protection system, aerodynamics, subsystems, payload bay and propulsion. Developing a market driven low cost launch services system for the 21st Century requires traditional and non-traditional ways of being able to forecast the evolution of the potential market. The challenge is balancing both the technical and financial assumptions of the market. This involves the need to provide a capability to meet market segments that in some cases are very speculative, while at the same time providing the financial community with a credible revenue stream. Furthermore, the market derived requirements need to be assessed so as not to impose unnecessary requirements on the vehicle design that add unreasonable cost to the development of the system, yet provides the right capabilities for new markets that could be triggered by dramatically lower space transportation prices.     

Representing a stable environment by egocentric updating and invariant representations

To represent a stable environment despite the experience of changes during self movements, one can either develop an invariant allocentric representation, or update the egocentric representations as one moves. Using a disorientation paradigm, three sets of studies investigated these mechanisms in human navigation and scene recognition. Accuracy in the configuration of multiple object localization is impaired by disorientation, an effect not due to artifacts such as memory deterioration over time, intervening physical activities, uncertainty in self position and orientation, etc., suggesting one can locate objects primarily by updating their egocentric positions as she or he moves. Disorientation also impaired the judgment of changes to a scene after viewer movements, suggesting a similar egocentric updating process. On the contrary, representation of the shape of the surroundings is invariant and persists through disorientation. The coexistence of multiple mechanisms may increase the flexibility and robustness of the system.     

带充液腔的自旋卫星稳定性问题

本文应用Pfeiffer的思想讨论带轴对称充液腔的卫星系统自旋稳定性。本方法的基本思想为将轴对称腔内的液体旋度平均化,使之与空间位置无关,由此将液体的无限自由度问题离散化为有限自由度问题,从而用线性理论讨论系统的自旋稳定性。用这方法,本文讨论了带充液腔的非轴对称卫星系统、带充液腔的双自旋卫星系统的自旋稳定性,给出了它们的自旋稳定性判据。此外,本文还给出了一些带有不同形状腔体的卫星系统自旋稳定域图,为实际工程设计人员提供理论参考。     

再入体激波层和近尾流热辐射实验研究

本文介绍了在弹道靶设备上对再入速度下模型的热辐射进行的实验研究工作。铝、高硅氧和聚碳酸酯三种材料的模型在速度为4.5～6.0(km/s),压力为600—8000Pa条件下做了实验,在258nm—1100nm光谱范围内完成了九个波段的辐射测量,给出了三种材料模型的辐射光谱分布曲线。结果表明辐射量除了受环境条件影响外,还强烈地依赖于模型材料;由烧蚀产物引起的辐射通量主要在可见光和近红外区(465nm以上)。估算了烧蚀产物引起的辐射加热率,对头部和近尾流辐射通量做了比较。     

捷联式定位定向系统中动力调谐陀螺误差实时补偿

恶劣的工作环境给进一步提高捷联系统的性能带来了较大的困难，究其所有误差源，系统中的动力调谐陀螺误差对系统的精度影响较大。为此，本文主要对“捷联式定位定向系统”中动力调谐陀螺的误差作分析与研究。本文结合“捷联式定位定向系统”的特点，对动力调谐陀螺的主要漂移误差进行了分析，接着根据推得的动力调谐陀螺的静态、动态误差模型，提出了相应的误差补偿算法，并设计了误差实时补偿软件。最后经仿真计算，证明其补偿效果较好。     

遥测时间零点的分析

本文分析了引起遥测时间零点延时的各种因素,提出了数据处理中四种时间零点方案,并给出了遥测时间零点之前数字量脉冲的修正方法。用本方法处理的数据,使制导工具误差系数分离结果有了较大改进。     

含碳酸钙的负压强指数复合固体推进剂燃烧机理

本文采用激光阴影高速摄影、扫描电子显微镜、X光电子能谱,对含和不含CaCO_(3)的三种夹心件及SO4-5A PU复合推进剂的燃烧过程、燃面形貌、化学成分和覆盖分数分别进行了研究和测定。结果表明:CaCO_(3)在低压下(〈1.96MPa)提高AP的燃速,在高压下(〉1.96MPa)起降速作用;CaCO_(3)与AP反应生成CaCl_2,并促使AP熔化;燃面上CaCl_2含量随压强上升而增加;PU熔化流动对AP表面的覆盖在mesa区内随压强而升高,在非mesa区的低压区也存在。基于以上实验结果,对含CaCO_(3)的PU负压强指数推进剂的燃烧机理进行了讨论。     

两相毛细泵环中蒸发器的工作特性的实验研究

在两相毛细泵环的反向式蒸发器初步研究的基础上,对同一蒸发器进行了改进的实验研究,改进措施为:在作为毛细结构的复合金属网上加压一块带有纵向和横向槽道的金属平板。对不同倾角下该蒸发器的工作特性的实验结果进行了分析和比较。     

宁强陨石（CV3）稀有气体的研究

宁强陨石的岩石学、矿物学及化学组成的研究表明,宁强陨石属于异常的CV3碳质球粒陨石,稀有气体和宇宙射线暴露年龄的测定结果与岩石学及化学组成的研究结果是一致的,宁强陨石的宇宙射线暴露年龄为42.2Ma,在CV3球粒陨石中是最高的,U/Th-4He及40K-40Ar气体保存年龄分别为4170±160Ma和4260±70Ma,这与碳质球粒陨石的气体保存年龄为4200Ma是一致的.     

十块中国球粒陨石元素丰度特征研究

利用仪器中子活化分析方法,对宁强、随州、枣阳、南通、肇东、广南、东台、清镇、武安、导河等陨石进行了多元素分析测定.给出了近40种元素含量结果.并对各类球粒陨石微量元素丰度特征、REE丰度特征以及宁强陨石元素丰度特征进行了讨论.