Remote assistance experiment during the manned space flight Altair

This remote assistance trial, performed within the framework of the manned space flight Altaïr, was carried out by CADMOS (CNES), with the cooperation of the Sub-directorate of CNES Operational Systems, Medes, LBM of Tours and Christol Consultants. It consisted of supplying the cosmonaut performing the Orthostatism experiment (echograph acquisition) on board the Mir station with realtime assistance by an expert (LBM of Tours) working from the ground on the CADMOS premises. The various steps of the approach followed during the preparation phase are described, as well as the technical means of communication used between the Mir station and CADMOS.     

Day-to-day variability of equatorial anomaly in GPS-TEC during low solar activity period

The ionospheric total electron content (TEC) in the northern hemispheric equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) crest region is investigated by using dual-frequency signals of the Global Positioning System (GPS) acquired from Rajkot (Geog. Lat. 22.29°N, Geog. Long. 70.74°E; Geom. Lat. 14.21°N, Geom. Long. 144.90°E), India. The day-to-day variability of EIA characteristics is examined during low solar activity period (F10.7∼83 sfu). It is found that the daily maximum TEC at EIA crest exhibits a day-to-day and strong semi-annual variability. The seasonal anomaly and equinoctial asymmetry in TEC at EIA is found non-existent and weaker, respectively. We found a moderate and positive correlation of daily magnitude of crest, Ic with daily F10.7 and EUV fluxes with a correlation coefficient of 0.43 and 0.33, respectively indicating an existence of a short-term relation between TEC at EIA and the solar radiation even during low solar activity period. The correlation of daily Ic with Dst index is also moderate (r = −0.35), whereas no correlation is found with the daily Kp index (r = 0.14) respectively. We found that the magnitude of EIA crest is moderately correlated with solar flux in all seasons except winter where it is weakly related (0.27). The magnitude of EIA crest is also found highly related with EEJ strength in spring (r = 0.69) and summer (r = 0.65) than autumn (0.5) and winter (r = 0.47), though EEJ is stronger in autumn than spring.     

Using computer graphics to enhance astronaut and systems safety.

Computer graphics is being employed at the NASA Johnson Space Center as a tool to perform rapid, efficient and economical analyses for man-machine integration, flight operations development and systems engineering. The Operator Station Design System (OSDS), a computer-based facility featuring a highly flexible and versatile interactive software package, PLAID, is described. This unique evaluation tool, with its expanding data base of Space Shuttle elements, various payloads, experiments, crew equipment and man models, supports a multitude of technical evaluations, including spacecraft and workstation layout, definition of astronaut visual access, flight techniques development, cargo integration and crew training. As OSDS is being applied to the Space Shuttle, Orbiter payloads (including the European Space Agency's Spacelab) and future space vehicles and stations, astronaut and systems safety are being enhanced. Typical OSDS examples are presented. By performing physical and operational evaluations during early conceptual phases. supporting systems verification for flight readiness, and applying its capabilities to real-time mission support, the OSDS provides the wherewithal to satisfy a growing need of the current and future space programs for efficient, economical analyses.     

Polish radar technology

Polish radar research and development since 1953 is reviewed, covering the development and production of surveillance radars, height finders, tracking radars, air traffic control (ATC) radars and systems, and marine and Doppler radars. Some current work, including an L-band ATC radar for enroute control, a weather channel for primary surveillance radar, signal detection in non-Gaussian clutter, adaptive MTI filters and postdetection filtering, and a basic approach to radar polarimetry, is examined.<>     

Buckling of composite panels: A criterion for optimum stiffener design

In this paper a linear, closed-form analysis of the buckling behavior of an orthotropic plate with elastic clamping and edge reinforcement under uniform compressive load is presented. This is a typical structural situation found in aerospace engineering for instance as stiffeners in wings or the fuselage. All governing equations are transformed in a dimensionless system using common characteristic quantities to gain good analytical access. The buckling behavior is analyzed and generic buckling diagrams are presented. The solutions show excellent agreement with results from literature and numerical analyses.The minimum bending stiffness of the edge reinforcement needed to withstand buckling is examined and a minimum stiffness criterion is presented. Furthermore an absolute minimum bending stiffness is found which is sufficient to enable the reinforcement to act as a near-rigid support for arbitrarily long plates. These criteria are of interest for optimized lightweight design of stringers and stiffeners.     

Subgravity states: key to understanding the role of terrestrial gravity in human behaviour

The early orbital flights, although undertaken with considerable confidence, involved some uncertainty because of the impossibility of simulating under terrestrial conditions all of the conditions encountered in space. However, space-flight achievements by both the American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts have firmly established that man, if appropriately selected, trained, and protected by suitable life-support systems, can perform efficiently for long periods of time in the hostile environment of space. We know that the side effects of vestibular origin pose important problems in space exploration, and the neurophysiological effects of any extensive, rapid adaptation processes in subgravity states have enabled a better understanding of man's compensatory capabilities. With the successful establishment of orbiting research laboratories, an unparalleled opportunity exists that will undoubtedly enable better understanding of the role played by gravity in normal terrestrial activity, not only as it affects our vestibular physiology, but also as it may or may not concern other systems and at different organizational levels in the body.     

Aerodynamics of smart flap under ground effect

Aerodynamic characteristics of two-dimensional smart flap under the ground effect have been assessed by a numerical simulation. In this process, a pressure-based implicit procedure to solve Navier–Stokes equations on a nonorthogonal mesh with collocated finite volume formulation is used. The boundedness criteria for this procedure are determined from the Normalized Variable Diagram (NVD) scheme. The procedure incorporates the k–ε eddy–viscosity turbulence model. Cantilever beam with uniformly varying load with roller support at the free end is considered for the configuration of the smart flap. The method is first validated against experimental data. Then, the algorithm is applied for turbulent aerodynamic flows around airfoil with smart and conventional flaps for different attack angle, flap angle and ground clearance where the results of two flaps are compared. The comparisons show that the quality of the solution is considerable.     

Dynamics and de-spin control of massive target by single tethered space tug

This paper investigates the dynamics and de-spin control of a massive target by a single tethered space tug in the post-capture phase. The dynamic model of the tethered system is derived and simplified to a dimensionless form. Further, a decoupled PD controller is proposed, and the local stability of the controller is analyzed by linearization technique. Parametric studies of the dynamics and de-spin control of a massive target are conducted to characterize the dynamic process of de-spin with the proposed control law. It is shown that the massive target can be de-span by a single and small space tug with limited thrust within finite time. The thrust tangent with the tether de-spins the target while the thrust normal to the tether prevents the tether from winding up the target. The tether length has a positive contribution to the de-spin of a target. The longer tether leads to a faster de-spin process.     

Fe/O Ratios in Interplanetary Shock Accelerated Particles

It is widely accepted that diffusive shock acceleration is an important process in the heliosphere, in particular in producing the energetic particles associated with interplanetary shocks driven by coronal mass ejections. In its simplest formulation shock acceleration is expected to accelerate ions with higher mass to charge ratios less efficiently than those with lower mass to charge. Thus it is anticipated that the Fe/O ratio in shock-accelerated ion populations will decrease with increasing energy above some energy. We examine the circumstances of five interplanetary shocks that have been reported to have associated populations in which Fe/O increases with increasing energy. In each event, the situation is complex, with particle contributions from other sources in addition to the shock. Furthermore, we show that the Fe/O ratio in shock-accelerated ions can decrease even when the shock is traveling through an Fe-rich ambient ion population. Thus, although shock acceleration of an Fe-rich suprathermal population has been proposed to explain large Fe-rich solar particle events, we find no support for this proposal in these observations.