LIFE: Life Investigation For Enceladus A Sample Return Mission Concept in Search for Evidence of Life

Abstract Life Investigation For Enceladus (LIFE) presents a low-cost sample return mission to Enceladus, a body with high astrobiological potential. There is ample evidence that liquid water exists under ice coverage in the form of active geysers in the "tiger stripes" area of the southern Enceladus hemisphere. This active plume consists of gas and ice particles and enables the sampling of fresh materials from the interior that may originate from a liquid water source. The particles consist mostly of water ice and are 1-10?μ in diameter. The plume composition shows H(2)O, CO(2), CH(4), NH(3), Ar, and evidence that more complex organic species might be present. Since life on Earth exists whenever liquid water, organics, and energy coexist, understanding the chemical components of the emanating ice particles could indicate whether life is potentially present on Enceladus. The icy worlds of the outer planets are testing grounds for some of the theories for the origin of life on Earth. The LIFE mission concept is envisioned in two parts: first, to orbit Saturn (in order to achieve lower sampling speeds, approaching 2 km/s, and thus enable a softer sample collection impact than Stardust, and to make possible multiple flybys of Enceladus); second, to sample Enceladus' plume, the E ring of Saturn, and the Titan upper atmosphere. With new findings from these samples, NASA could provide detailed chemical and isotopic and, potentially, biological compositional context of the plume. Since the duration of the Enceladus plume is unpredictable, it is imperative that these samples are captured at the earliest flight opportunity. If LIFE is launched before 2019, it could take advantage of a Jupiter gravity assist, which would thus reduce mission lifetimes and launch vehicle costs. The LIFE concept offers science returns comparable to those of a Flagship mission but at the measurably lower sample return costs of a Discovery-class mission. Key Words: Astrobiology-Habitability-Enceladus-Biosignatures. Astrobiology 12, 730-742.     

中俄联合火星电离层星-星掩星探测

中俄联合火星星-星掩星探测是人类首次在火星空间环境进行此类的联合试验。用于探测火星电离层的星-星掩星技术较以前星地间的探测技术相比,有可接收高信噪比信号,反演精度高,可探测火星上太阳天顶角大于43°,或者小于138°的区域电离层等优点。本文介绍了中俄联合火星星-星掩星探测方案、基本原理,给出了主要技术指标、地面模拟测试结果。     

Recurrent isolation of hydrogen peroxide-resistant spores of Bacillus pumilus from a spacecraft assembly facility

While the microbial diversity of a spacecraft assembly facility at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) was being monitored, H2O2-resistant bacterial strains were repeatedly isolated from various surface locations. H2O2 is a possible sterilant for spacecraft hardware because it is a low-temperature process and compatible with various modern-day spacecraft materials, electronics, and components. Both conventional biochemical testing and molecular analyses identified these strains as Bacillus pumilus. This Bacillus species was found in both unclassified (entrance floors, anteroom, and air-lock) and classified (floors, cabinet tops, and air) locations. Both vegetative cells and spores of several B. pumilus isolates were exposed to 5% liquid H2O2 for 60 min. Spores of each strain exhibited higher resistance than their respective vegetative cells to liquid H2O2. Results indicate that the H2O2 resistance observed in both vegetative cells and spores is strain-specific, as certain B. pumilus strains were two to three times more resistant than a standard Bacillus subtilis dosimetry strain. An example of this trend was observed when the type strain of B. pumilus, ATCC 7061, proved sensitive, whereas several environmental strains exhibited varying degrees of resistance, to H2O2. Repeated isolation of H2O2-resistant strains of B. pumilus in a clean-room is a concern because their persistence might potentially compromise life-detection missions, which have very strict cleanliness and sterility requirements for spacecraft hardware.     

边界层对可调节进气道性能的影响

给出了马赫数2-6、单位雷诺数（0．8-6．0）×10^7／m时下吹式风洞中可调节三维进气道的试验研究结果。研究了前缘前掠和后掠方案以及进气道人口前边界层的影响。测量了内流道内的压力分布、质量流量和总压恢复系数;确定了进气道启动与马赫数和流动工况的关系。研究结果表明：边界层对流场结构和模型进气道的性能有着决定性影响,相对简单的进气道调节方案可以增大其稳定运行范围。     

热塑塑料在宇航结构中的应用

介绍热塑塑料及其复合物的种类和在宇航领域中的应用;其潜力能否充分挖掘取决于是否能经济有效地设计和制造这些材料.正涌现出的热塑塑料在竞争激烈的工程领域有可能满足宇航应用的要求.添加合适的纤维加强物使中空成微球状来减小密度和个电特性,“塑性”材料就能广泛应用,热塑塑料当然是其中之一.但热塑塑料也不会完全取代热固性材料,它们只是相互取长补短.     

降阶脉冲发动机的点火控制逻辑

本文研究脉冲发动机在战术导弹,特别是空空导弹上的应用.因为其飞行任务要求对能量消耗作仔细地监控.一般的中程空空导弹使用助推-主发动机作为动力.除了接近交会之外,发射时导弹雷达导引头并不知道目标.一般的中程空空导弹使用比例导航或者在终段制导使用改进的比例导航,同时为了使导弹在较高的高度飞行以减小阻力,在中段附加了预编程的     

增程中程空空导弹特征结构的配置

特征结构配置适用于中程空空技术（ＥＭＲＡＡＴ）导弹自动驾驶仪的设计。通过选择一些在模型去耦基础上的理想特征矢量，来计算特征结构配置的反馈增益，并用Ａｎｄｒｙ等人建议的正交投影解法来计算特征矢量。将这种解法与Ｂｏｓｓｉ和Ｌａｎｇｅｈｏｕｇｈ提出的线性二次调节设计方法作一比较。     

预测固体推进剂火箭发动机侵蚀燃烧的数值法

对于固体推进剂火箭燃烧可采用一维模型预测固体推进剂火箭发动机的侵蚀燃烧特性。用取决于不同燃烧速率的速度来表示固体推进剂的侵蚀燃烧。数值积分控制偏微分方程就可得到分析结果。使用非定常公式预测固体推进剂侵蚀燃烧特性。计算了各种不同药形的复合推进剂和双基推进剂的侵蚀燃烧特性。测出了各种不同药形装填密度(药柱初始通孔面积与喉面积之比)对压力时间曲线的影响。现有分析指出,装填密度是确定某一特定药形及化学成分的推进剂侵蚀燃烧特性的最重要参数之一。研究表明低燃速推进剂比高燃速推进剂反映出具有较大的侵蚀燃烧效应。同时也表明长方药形与圆柱药形相比具有较大的初始压力峰,相反压力很快就稳定到一般与装填密度无关的平衡压力。     

固体推进剂点火研究评述

为了确定最新的固体推进剂点火工艺,对有关点火方面的文献作了广泛的评述,严格地检查了各种点火理论、实验方法和点火准则,并以简明的表格形式进行了总结,便于对各种不同的研究作比较。讨论了各种重要参数对点火过程的影响,指出了技术上的主要不足之处,以及今后的研究方向。