The Interplanetary Internet: a communications infrastructure for Mars exploration

A strategy is being developed whereby the current set of internationally standardized space data communications protocols can be incrementally evolved so that a first version of an operational "Interplanetary Internet" is feasible by the end of the decade. This paper describes its architectural concepts, discusses the current set of standard space data communications capabilities that exist to support Mars exploration and reviews proposed new developments. We also speculate that these current capabilities can grow to support future scenarios where human intelligence is widely distributed across the Solar System and day-to-day communications dialog between planets is routine.     

具有实时图像形成能力的高分辨率、四波段SAR试验台

描述了在Sandia国家实验室研制的双水獭SAR试验台。该试验台很灵活、适应性强，能工作于四种频：Ka、Ku和VHF／UHF频带。这种SAR的特点是在聚束模式和条带测绘模式下具有高分辨实时图像形成能力。高质量的图像是采用重叠子孔径（OSA）图像形成算法和相位梯度自聚然（PGA）算法实时形成的。     

Bubble detector characterization for space radiation

In light of the importance of the neutron contribution to the dose equivalent received by space workers in the near-Earth radiation environment, there is an increasing need for a personal dosimeter that is passive in nature and able to respond to this neutron field in real time. Recent Canadian technology has led to the development of a bubble detector, which is sensitive to neutrons, but insensitive to low linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. By changing the composition of the bubble detector fluid (or “superheat”), the detectors can be fabricated to respond to different types of radiation. This paper describes a preliminary ground-based research effort to better characterize the bubble detectors of different compositions at various charged-particle accelerator facilities, which are capable of simulating the space radiation field.     

航天飞机的固体火箭发动机

本文介绍了航天飞机用的助推固体火箭发动机(SRM)。其类型分为三种:当前执行任务的标准SRM,空间飞行运输8号用的高性能SRM;以及计划在1985年飞行用的纤维缠绕壳体SRM。航天飞机的SRM是获得飞行状态中最大的固体推进剂发动机,其直径为146英寸,长度为125英尺,装有1111000磅固体推进剂,最大推力(真空条件下)为3115000磅力。在首次飞行前成功地进行了7次地面试车,随后的三次飞行试验满足了发动机的全部技术指标。计划提高航天飞机的性能,从东海岸发射的有效载荷达到65000磅,在西海岸发射时(极轨道)达到32000磅。航天飞机性能提高是由于:1.采用高性能的SRM使航天飞机的有效载荷增加3000磅。2.SRM使用纤维缠绕壳体结构使航天飞机的有效载荷增加6000磅。前者靠改变SRM的推力——时间曲线和提高喷管的膨胀比来实现;后者靠减少壳体的消极重量来实现。     

用于大型固体推进剂火箭发动机的独特点火系统试验

本文介绍了用于大型固体推进剂火箭发动机的组合式无喷管、无壳体点火器方案的设计、分析及试验结果。该点火方案的主要优点是可以把60%左右的点火器消极重量变成药柱有效载荷。点火系统的主装药由点火器周围的发动机前段装药所构成。这段装药又是发动机推进剂药柱的一部分,设计成象一个小的低压无喷管火箭发动机,给主发动机推进剂段提供足够的压力和热流输出以实现发动机点火。前段推进剂的点火由一个比较小的径向排气的BKNO_3烟火剂药片点火器来实现。试验计划需验证三个方面的设计问题:     

火箭发动点火器的MTV烟火药研究

本文叙述了 MTV(Magnesium-Teflon-Viton)烟火药的研究,其目的是为了研制和试验适用于火箭发动机点火器的配方。大量的热化学计算表明,组分比例和燃烧压力对 MTV 燃烧产物的热力学性能和组分有影响。用三种配方进行了热量、热分析、工艺和内弹道研究。配方中含有维通 A 4%及两种粒度的特氟隆。此配方满足密实要求。用压力范围在0.8～4.2MPa 的小型试验发动机进行管状药柱的点火试验。用含有镁58%MTV 的组分获得了非常良好的结果,其计算的燃烧产物中50%以上处于凝聚状态。在220 MPa 压力下这种密实的点火药的燃速定律为:γ(cm/sec)=1.69 P(MPa)~(0.22)在100 MPa 压力下密实,其燃速升高15%。用上述 MTV 烟火药制成的药柱进行了一系列的环境试验,并成功地用来点燃小型研究发动机及推进剂鉴定发动机。     

用X射线系统检测三叉戟火箭发动机

洛克希德公司研制了一种X射线实时显像系统,用于检测海军C4三叉戟固体火箭发动机。此法比普通X射线系统检测更完全、更均匀、效率高且费用明显降低。这一看法为生产三叉戟导弹第一级发动机的赛奥科尔公司、生产该导弹第二、三级发动机的赫克利斯公司和航空喷气战术系统公司的实验所证明。航空喷气公司利用该系统检测了陆军的霍克导弹发动机和海军通用动力标准导弹发动机。     

Mineralogical biosignatures and the search for life on Mars

If life ever existed, or still exists, on Mars, its record is likely to be found in minerals formed by, or in association with, microorganisms. An important concept regarding interpretation of the mineralogical record for evidence of life is that, broadly defined, life perturbs disequilibria that arise due to kinetic barriers and can impart unexpected structure to an abiotic system. Many features of minerals and mineral assemblages may serve as biosignatures even if life does not have a familiar terrestrial chemical basis. Biological impacts on minerals and mineral assemblages may be direct or indirect. Crystalline or amorphous biominerals, an important category of mineralogical biosignatures, precipitate under direct cellular control as part of the life cycle of the organism (shells, tests, phytoliths) or indirectly when cell surface layers provide sites for heterogeneous nucleation. Biominerals also form indirectly as by-products of metabolism due to changing mineral solubility. Mineralogical biosignatures include distinctive mineral surface structures or chemistry that arise when dissolution and/or crystal growth kinetics are influenced by metabolic by-products. Mineral assemblages themselves may be diagnostic of the prior activity of organisms where barriers to precipitation or dissolution of specific phases have been overcome. Critical to resolving the question of whether life exists, or existed, on Mars is knowing how to distinguish biologically induced structure and organization patterns from inorganic phenomena and inorganic self-organization. This task assumes special significance when it is acknowledged that the majority of, and perhaps the only, material to be returned from Mars will be mineralogical.     

MX导弹喷管用先进材料评论 Ⅱ 第一级喷管的先进材料

本文是评论MX导弹喷管先进材料的三篇文章中的第二篇。第一篇文章于1977年4月在SAMPE季刊中发表(译文见“固体火箭技术”1978年第二期第99—105页),综述了MX导弹喷管对材料的要求,叙述了石墨材料的结构、性质和性能之间的关系。本文继续对MX的第一级和第二级发动机喷管所用先进材料进一步进行评价。     

欧洲同步科学卫星用的远地点发动机

意大利斯尼亚粘胶公司和法国“欧洲推进公司”于1973年5月开始联合研制“GEOS”欧洲同步科学卫星的远地点发动机,前者负责计划管理,发动机设计,推进剂和绝热层研制,发动机的装配和试验;后者负责壳体、喷管和点火器的设计、制造和试验。计划于1976年1月完成,将成为欧洲首创的远地点发动机。发动机长1130毫米,直径684毫米,装端羧聚丁二烯推进剂267公斤,壳体材料用 Ti—6A1—4V 钛合金,绝热层用石棉乙丙橡胶,采用半潜入喷管,喉径67毫米,膨胀比37,高密度石墨喉衬,碳布缠绕扩散段。发动机总重303公斤,燃烧室平均压力23公斤/厘米~2,真空最大推力2360公斤,真空比冲286秒,使用温度范围-10~℃～+40℃,相应的燃烧时间为51和47秒。研制工作分初步设计、金属件设计,组件鉴定,研制试验,鉴定试验和验收试验六个阶段。研制、鉴定试验中全尺寸发动机试车4发,验收批4发,其中试车2发,交货2发,提出这个报告时,正进行鉴定试验工作,已经取得的试验结果都很好,但研制试验有一台发动机经 X 射线检查,发现装药有缺陷而未进行试车。