Frequency fluctuations of coherent signals from spacecraft observed during dual-frequency radio sounding of the circumsolar plasma in 2004–2008

We have performed spectral processing of the data of experiments on radio sounding of circumsolar plasma by coherent S- and X-band signals from the spacecraft Ulysses, Mars Express, Rosetta, and Venus Express carried out from 1991 to 2009. The experiments were realized in the mode of coherent response, when a signal stabilized by the hydrogen standard is transmitted from the ground station to a spacecraft, received by the onboard systems, and retransmitted to the Earth with conserved coherence. Thus, the signal sounding the coronal plasma passes twice through the medium: on the propagation path ground station — spacecraft and on the same path in the opposite direction. The spectra of frequency fluctuations in both the bands are obtained and, using them, the radial dependences of fluctuation intensities are found, which can be approximated by a power law. It is shown that the ratio of intensities of frequency fluctuations in the S- and X-bands is comparable with the theoretical value and characterizes the degree of correlation of irregularities of the electron density along the propagation path ground station — spacecraft and back. Analysis of the correlation of frequency fluctuations on the two paths allows one to get a lower estimate of the outer scale of the circumsolar plasma turbulence. For heliocentric distances R = 10 solar radii (R _S ) the outer scale is larger than 0.25R _S .     

Pilots for space tourism

This article sheds light on the key player needed for any space tourism adventure: the pilot who flies the spacecraft. The paper addresses the potential benefits of including a pilot at the controls when designing a space tourism spacecraft. It examines the basic qualifications and advanced skills required of space tourism pilots and discusses key training requirements for selected pilots and space pilots' pay and benefits. In addition, the research concludes that, just as the pioneers of passenger transport in aviation entertained and captured the interest of their passengers, the space pilot should have the skills of a tour guide.     

Mercury’s Weather-Beaten Surface: Understanding Mercury in the Context of Lunar and Asteroidal Space Weathering Studies

Mercury’s regolith, derived from the crustal bedrock, has been altered by a set of space weathering processes. Before we can interpret crustal composition, it is necessary to understand the nature of these surface alterations. The processes that space weather the surface are the same as those that form Mercury’s exosphere (micrometeoroid flux and solar wind interactions) and are moderated by the local space environment and the presence of a global magnetic field. To comprehend how space weathering acts on Mercury’s regolith, an understanding is needed of how contributing processes act as an interactive system. As no direct information (e.g., from returned samples) is available about how the system of space weathering affects Mercury’s regolith, we use as a basis for comparison the current understanding of these same processes on lunar and asteroidal regoliths as well as laboratory simulations. These comparisons suggest that Mercury’s regolith is overturned more frequently (though the characteristic surface time for a grain is unknown even relative to the lunar case), more than an order of magnitude more melt and vapor per unit time and unit area is produced by impact processes than on the Moon (creating a higher glass content via grain coatings and agglutinates), the degree of surface irradiation is comparable to or greater than that on the Moon, and photon irradiation is up to an order of magnitude greater (creating amorphous grain rims, chemically reducing the upper layers of grains to produce nanometer-scale particles of metallic iron, and depleting surface grains in volatile elements and alkali metals). The processes that chemically reduce the surface and produce nanometer-scale particles on Mercury are suggested to be more effective than similar processes on the Moon. Estimated abundances of nanometer-scale particles can account for Mercury’s dark surface relative to that of the Moon without requiring macroscopic grains of opaque minerals. The presence of nanometer-scale particles may also account for Mercury’s relatively featureless visible–near-infrared reflectance spectra. Characteristics of material returned from asteroid 25143 Itokawa demonstrate that this nanometer-scale material need not be pure iron, raising the possibility that the nanometer-scale material on Mercury may have a composition different from iron metal [such as (Fe,Mg)S]. The expected depletion of volatiles and particularly alkali metals from solar-wind interaction processes are inconsistent with the detection of sodium, potassium, and sulfur within the regolith. One plausible explanation invokes a larger fine fraction (grain size <45 μm) and more radiation-damaged grains than in the lunar surface material to create a regolith that is a more efficient reservoir for these volatiles. By this view the volatile elements detected are present not only within the grain structures, but also as adsorbates within the regolith and deposits on the surfaces of the regolith grains. The comparisons with findings from the Moon and asteroids provide a basis for predicting how compositional modifications induced by space weathering have affected Mercury’s surface composition.     

肋角度对气膜冷却特性的影响

在光滑二次流通道的基础上,分析对比了两种带肋通道(135°肋和45°肋)对气膜冷却特性的影响.采用瞬态液晶测试技术获得了气膜孔下游表面传热系数比与气膜冷却效率分布.使用Fluent软件RANS数值方法对相应结构进行了数值模拟,并使用了realizable k-ε湍流模型.光滑二次流通道模型中,气膜孔内流线呈螺旋状分布,导致较大的孔内速度分离与流动损失.冷气射流分成两部分,其中一股形成一对偏斜的对转涡.135°肋结构中,二次流通道上部分的旋转涡为顺时针方向,使得气流易于流入气膜孔,气膜孔内流线呈直线分布.45°肋结构中,二次流通道上部分旋转涡为逆时针方向,增强了气膜孔内旋转涡.45°肋结构中冷气流入气膜孔之后的流动结构与光滑二次流通道结构相似.135°肋结构气膜冷却效率最大而表面传热系数比最低.     

激光陀螺四位置寻北仪提高精度方法

为消除激光陀螺零偏和常值漂移的影响,采用四位置方案来实现高精度寻北。本文简述了单轴激光陀螺四位置寻北方案,给出了陀螺敏感轴与机体系前向偏差角标定方法,研究了寻北仪在倾斜基座下数据补偿算法。本文研究了由于在四个位置上电机转动不到位所引起的误差补偿算法。通过对寻北仪系统测试,采用电机转动不到位补偿后数据标准差降低了0.02º,激光陀螺寻北仪系统达到了高精度快速寻北的要求。     

基于人因工程学的民用直升机驾驶舱布置

民用直升机驾驶舱布置在局方审查的过程中,暴露了不少问题,主要体现在人机功效上。通过对人因工程学在驾驶舱布置中所涉及的学科的研究,系统地梳理了驾驶舱布置需要考虑的因素及遵循的原则,从而提高驾驶员满意度并确保飞行安全。     

Surface Composition of Vesta: Issues and Integrated Approach

The instruments on the Dawn spacecraft are exceptionally well suited to characterize and map the surface composition of Vesta in an integrated manner. These include a framing camera with multispectral capabilities, a high spectral resolution near-infrared imaging spectrometer, and a gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer. Three examples of issues addressed at Vesta are: (1) What is the composition of Vesta??s interior and differentiation state as exposed by the Great South Crater? (2) How has space weathering affected Vesta, both globally and at a local scale? and (3) Are volatiles or hydrated material present on Vesta??s surface? We predict that Dawn finds many surprises, such as an olivine-bearing mantle exposed near the south-pole, a weakly or un-weathered surface that has been relatively recently resurfaced, and a very thin layer of surficial volatiles derived from interaction with the solar wind.     

Advanced materials for next generation NiMH portable, HEV and EVbatteries

While Ovonic NiMH batteries are already in high volume commercial production for portable applications, advances in materials technology have enabled performance improvements in specific energy (100 Wh/kg), specific power (600-1000 W/kg), high temperature operation, charge retention, and voltage stability. Concurrent with technology advances, Ovonic NiMH batteries have established performance and commercial milestones in electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, as well as scooter, motorcycle and bicycle applications. As important as these advances, significant manufacturing cost reductions have also occurred which allow continued growth of NiMH technology. In this paper, advances in performance, applications and cost reduction are discussed with particular emphasis on the improved proprietary metal hydride and nickel hydroxide materials that make such advances possible     

Influence of microgravity on mitogen binding and cytoskeleton in Jurkat cells.

The effects of microgravity on Jurkat cells--a T-lymphoid cell line--was studied on a sounding rocket flight. An automated pre-programmed instrument permitted the injection of fluorescent labelled concanavalin A (Con A), culture medium and/or fixative at given times. An in-flight 1 g centrifuge allowed the comparison of the data obtained in microgravity with a 1 g control having the same history related to launch and re-entry. After flight, the cells fixed either at the onset of microgravity or after a or 12 minute incubation time with fluorescent concanavalin A were labelled for vimentin and actin and analysed by fluorescence microscopy. Binding of Con A to Jurkat cells is not influenced by microgravity, whereas patching of the Con A receptors is significantly lower. A significant higher number of cells show changes in the structure of vimentin in microgravity. Most evident is the appearance of large bundles, significantly increased in the microgravity samples. No changes are found in the structure of actin and in the colocalisation of actin on the inner side of the cell membrane with the Con A receptors after binding of the mitogen.