Lunar precursor missions for human exploration of Mars--III: studies of system reliability and maintenance

Discussions of future human expeditions into the solar system generally focus on whether the next explorers ought to go to the Moon or to Mars. The only mission scenario developed in any detail within NASA is an expedition to Mars with a 500-day stay at the surface. The technological capabilities and the operational experience base required for such a mission do not now exist nor has any self-consistent program plan been proposed to acquire them. In particular, the lack of an Abort-to-Earth capability implies that critical mission systems must perform reliably for 3 years or must be maintainable and repairable by the crew. As has been previously argued, a well-planned program of human exploration of the Moon would provide a context within which to develop the appropriate technologies because a lunar expedition incorporates many of the operational elements of a Mars expedition. Initial lunar expeditions can be carried out at scales consistent with the current experience base but can be expanded in any or all operational phases to produce an experience base necessary to successfully and safely conduct human exploration of Mars.     

Production of neutrons from interactions of GCR-like particles

In order to help assess the risk to astronauts due to the long-term exposure to the natural radiation environment in space, an understanding of how the primary radiation field is changed when passing through shielding and tissue materials must be obtained. One important aspect of the change in the primary radiation field after passing through shielding materials is the production of secondary particles from the breakup of the primary. Neutrons are an important component of the secondary particle field due to their relatively high biological weighting factors, and due to their relative abundance, especially behind thick shielding scenarios. Because of the complexity of the problem, the estimation of the risk from exposure to the secondary neutron field must be handled using calculational techniques. However, those calculations will need an extensive set of neutron cross section and thicktarget neutron yield data in order to make an accurate assessment of the risk. In this paper we briefly survey the existing neutron-production data sets that are applicable to the space radiation transport problem, and we point out how neutron production from protons is different than neutron production from heavy ions. We also make comparisons of one the heavy-ion data sets with Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) calculations.     

Radial velocity search for low mass companions of nearby stars

The detection of substellar companions of nearby stars is very difficult, because these objects are very faint and are located close to their bright parent stars. One way to attack this problem is to look for small periodic motion of the bright star, induced by the gravitational attraction exerted by the unseen small companion. Over the past decade stellar spectroscopy has been used by a few teams to monitor the radial velocities of several samples of stars, with a threshold for detection of companions well below the substellar limit of about 0.08 M. So far, only a few possible spectroscopic binaries have been identified where the unseen companions might be substellar.Recently, radio observers discovered that the millisecond pulsar PSR B1257+12 displays periodic variations in the pulse arrival times, indicating the existence of at least three unseen companions in circular orbits around the pulsar. This is the first convincing case for an extra-solar planetary system. This discovery suggests that planetary systems can form in very different situations, and therefore may prove to be common.     

One hundred US EVAs: a perspective on spacewalks

In the 36 years between June 1965 and February 2001, the US human space flight program has conducted 100 spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), as NASA officially calls them. EVA occurs when astronauts wearing spacesuits travel outside their protective spacecraft to perform tasks in the space vacuum environment. US EVA started with pioneering feasibility tests during the Gemini Program. The Apollo Program required sending astronauts to the moon and performing EVA to explore the lunar surface. EVA supported scientific mission objectives of the Skylab program, but may be best remembered for repairing launch damage to the vehicle and thus saving the program. EVA capability on Shuttle was initially planned to be a kit that could be flown at will, and was primarily intended for coping with vehicle return emergencies. The Skylab emergency and the pivotal role of EVA in salvaging that program quickly promoted Shuttle EVA to an essential element for achieving mission objectives, including retrieving satellites and developing techniques to assemble and maintain the International Space Station (ISS). Now, EVA is supporting assembly of ISS. This paper highlights development of US EVA capability within the context of the overarching mission objectives of the US human space flight program.     

正确认识山农信道容量定理

山农信道容量定理公式中的信道带宽恒为信源所发出的消息信号的带宽 ,是信道带宽的理论最小极限 ;它不同于现代通信工程中传输已调制信号时所需要的信道带宽。这是本文所证明的基本结论。这一结论将限制信道容量定理的普适性和实用性。     

LISA — a study of the ESA cornerstone mission for observing gravitational waves

The primary objective of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is to detect and observe gravitational waves from massive black holes and galactic binaries in the frequency range 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻¹ Hz. This low-frequency range is inaccessible to ground-based interferometers because of the unshieldable background of local gravitational noise and because ground-based interferometers are limited in length to a few km. LISA is an ESA cornerstone mission and recently had a system study (Ref. 1) carried out by a consortium led by Astrium, which confirmed the basic configuration for the payload with only minor changes, and provided detailed concepts for the spacecraft and mission design. The study confirmed the need for a drag-free technology demonstration mission to develop the inertial sensors for LISA, before embarking on the build of the flight sensors. With a technology demonstration flight in 2005, it would be possible to carry out LISA as a joint ESA-NASA mission with a launch by 2010 subject to the funding programmatics. The baseline for LISA is three disc-like spacecraft each of which consist of a science module which carries the laser interferometer payload (two in each science module) and a propulsion module containing an ion drive and the hydrazine thrusters of the AOCS. The propulsion module is used for the transfer from earth escape trajectory provided by the Delta II launch to the operational orbit. Once there the propulsion module is jettisoned to reduce disturbances on the payload. Detailed analysis of thermal and gravitational disturbances, a model of the drag-free control and of the interferometer operation confirm that the strain sensitivity of the interferometer will be achieved.     

着陆缓冲技术综述

着陆缓冲技术是空间飞行器返回技术的重要组成部分。利用着陆缓冲装置可以明显降低降落伞的面积、减小回收系统的重量,同时大幅度降低飞行器着陆时的冲击载荷。近些年来,着陆缓冲技术有了些新的发展。文中对已有的着陆缓冲装置进行了分类,对每种类型的技术性能、使用范围作了评述。     

腐蚀对sic/Al(L2)和sic/Al-Ni复合丝力学性能的影响~①

本文对SiC/Al(L2)和SiC/A1-Ni复合丝在蒸馏水和在3.5％NaCl溶液中的耐腐蚀性能进行了研究。通过测试腐蚀前后复合丝的抗拉强度,利用气相色谱、发射光谱、X射线衍射等手段分析腐蚀气体和腐蚀产物,观察金相和扫描电镜下形貌的变化,发现SiC/A1复合丝在室温蒸馏水中36天、50℃和75℃蒸馏水中各15天浸泡后,其抗拉强度基本保持不变,说明该类复合材料对潮湿环境具有良好的耐腐蚀性能;SiC/A1-Ni复合丝在3.5％NaC1溶液中浸泡后,其抗拉强度随溶液温度升高和时闻延长而逐渐下降;其腐蚀主要是选择性腐蚀,其次是孔蚀和缝隙蚀。     

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.     

态势评估领域知识的表示方法研究

从分析态势评估专家系统的结构出发,研究战场态势评估知识库的构建,进而对态势评估的领域知识进行归纳,并通过示例探讨对态势评估领域知识的表示方法,同时把可信度方法引入态势评估不确定性知识的表示,给出了复合条件可信度的计算方法。