Neutral buoyancy and sleep-deprived serum factors alter expression of cytokines regulating osteogenesis

We examined expression of genes associated with cytokine production, and genes implicated in regulating bone metabolism, in bone stromal and osteoblast cells incubated under standard ground conditions and under conditions of neutral buoyancy, and in the presence/absence of serum from normal or sleep-deprived mice. We observed a clear interaction between these two conditions (exposure to neutral buoyancy and serum stimulation) in promoting enhanced osteoclastogenesis. Both conditions independently altered expression of a number of cytokines implicated in the regulation of bone metabolism. However, using stromal cells from IL-1 and TNFx cytokine(r) KO mice, we concluded that the increased bone loss under microgravity conditions was not primarily cytokine mediated.     

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.     

Orbit determination of BDS-3 satellite based on regional ground tracking station and inter-satellite link observations

The BeiDou global navigation satellite system (BDS-3) has established the Ka-band inter-satellite link (ISL) to realize a two-way ranging function between satellites, which provides a new observation technology for the orbit determination of BDS-3 satellites. Therefore, this study presents a BDS satellite orbit determination model based on ground tracking station (GTS) observations and ISL ranging observations firstly to analyze the impact of the ISL ranging observations on the orbit determination of BDS-3 satellites. Subsequently, considering the data fusion processing, the variance component estimation (VCE) algorithm is applied to the parameter estimation process of the satellite orbit determination. Finally, using the measured data from China’s regional GTS observations and BDS-3 ISL ranging observations, the effects of ISL ranging observations on the orbit determination accuracy of BDS-3 satellites are analyzed. Moreover, the impact of the VCE algorithm on the fusion data processing is evaluated from the aspects of orbit determination accuracy, Ka-band hardware delay parameter stability, and ISL ranging observation residuals. The results show that for China’s regional GTSs, the addition of BDS-3 ISL ranging observations can significantly improve the orbit determination accuracy of BDS-3 satellites. The observed orbit determination accuracy of satellite radial component is improved from 48 cm to 4.1 cm. In addition, when the initial weight ratio between GTS observations and ISL ranging observations is not appropriate, the various indicators which include orbit determination accuracy, ISL hardware delay, and ISL observation residuals were observed to have improved after the adjustment of the VCE algorithm. These results validate the effectiveness of the VCE algorithm for the fusion data processing of the GTS observations and ISL ranging observations.     

A method of estimating GPS instrumental biases with a convolution algorithm

This paper presents a method of deriving the instrumental differential code biases (DCBs) of GPS satellites and dual frequency receivers. Considering that the total electron content (TEC) varies smoothly over a small area, one ionospheric pierce point (IPP) and four more nearby IPPs were selected to build an equation with a convolution algorithm. In addition, unknown DCB parameters were arranged into a set of equations with GPS observations in a day unit by assuming that DCBs do not vary within a day. Then, the DCBs of satellites and receivers were determined by solving the equation set with the least-squares fitting technique. The performance of this method is examined by applying it to 361?days in 2014 using the observation data from 1311 GPS Earth Observation Network (GEONET) receivers. The result was crosswise-compared with the DCB estimated by the mesh method and the IONEX products from the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE). The DCB values derived by this method agree with those of the mesh method and the CODE products, with biases of 0.091?ns and 0.321?ns, respectively. The convolution method's accuracy and stability were quite good and showed improvements over the mesh method.     

无缆飞行器的电能和信息一体化无线传输技术研究

针对航天飞行器电气设备间连接电缆网复杂沉重的问题，提出了一种面向无缆飞行器的电能和信息一体化无线传输技术方案，该方案能够实现飞行器舱内仪器设备间无线互联和器地间的无线互联；分析了其在飞行器型号工程应用所面临的关键技术，并阐述了其应用前景，为未来航天飞行器电气系统的快速集成设计提供了新的思路和解决途径。     

面向空间天线的TWF复合材料性能研究

利用碳纤维三向编织物（triaxial woven fabric，TWF）作为增强材料，与柔性基体材料硅橡胶复合，制成兼具一定柔性和刚性的复合材料壳膜结构，用于卫星天线反射器，是一种新型的高精度可展开天线实现方案。采用复合材料细观方法，对碳纤维增强硅橡胶TWF复合材料进行了力学性能的研究。首先由纤维和基体的材料特性得到均质纤维束的材料特性；接下来考虑纤维束交织情况（起伏波动）建立由纤维束组成的单胞实体有限元模型；然后对单胞实体有限元模型进行均匀化分析，施加周期性边界条件，最终得到等效的均质材料特性；为满足天线反射器高性能需求，分析了碳纤维种类、纤维体积分数对单胞等效性能的影响规律。对该材料力学性能的研究，可以为其未来应用于大型高精度可展开天线反射器提供一定的理论依据。     

高能(450 kV)X射线参考辐射场附加过滤研究

利用MCNP程序对450kV X光机建立模型，计算各参考辐射质下的原级谱、平均光子能量。对ISO 4037-1中已有范围的管电压与附加过滤片厚度关系曲线进行二次拟合，确定模拟厚度范围。利用MCNP计算各附加过滤组合下的平均光子能量值，并与外推法得出的平均光子能量值进行对比，将相对偏差最小时的附加过滤作为最终确定值。从部分能量点的模拟与测量结果的对比可看出，模拟得出的平均光子能量在2%以内与PTB及中国计量院测量结果保持一致，附加过滤最大相对偏差为18%。     

DZ22B高温合金定向凝固叶片铸造缺陷的形成机理研究

采用SEM、EDS等分析手段研究了DZ22B镍基高温合金定向凝固涡轮叶片不同区域铸造缺陷的特点及其形成原因。结果表明,裂纹缺陷主要分布在叶身的中上部位,其形成机理主要归因于叶片在凝固过程中的共晶组织过多;而疏松缺陷分布在叶身和缘板部位,产生在枝晶间共晶组织附近。枝晶间距小补缩不足和反应生成的CO气体未及时排除是疏松形成的两大原因。     

高超声速风洞流场非均匀性对气动力试验影响研究

高超声速风洞流场品质是气动力试验主要误差的决定因素,常规高超声速风洞流场均匀性虽然满足国军标GJB4399-2002《高超声速风洞气动力试验方法》对风洞流场品质的要求,但其风洞流场严格意义上说是“非均匀”的,这种流场非均匀性会对模型气动力特性存在不同程度的影响。为此,在CARDC常规高超声速风洞中开展了某升力体模型和某通气模型“多位置试验”,验证了风洞流场的非均匀性对飞行器气动力(特别是力矩特性)试验结果有显著影响,这种影响量已远超过常规的风洞重复性试验误差,甚至大于国内现有的在AIAA-S071A-1999标准上建立的不确定度评估方法所获取的“不确定度”。     

双燃式冲压发动机中超燃燃烧室冷态流场数值模拟

采用Ｍａｃ Ｃｏｒｍ ａｃｋ 矢通分裂格式, 求解雷诺平均的Ｎ－Ｓ方程组, 采用Ｂａｌｄｗ ｉｎ－Ｌｏ－ｍ ａｘ 代数湍流模型和混合长度模型, 模拟超燃燃烧室内两股平行超声速来流的冷态流场, 取得了与试验相一致的结果, 计算表明回流区和射流流动参数对超燃燃烧室流场内波系的变化有着较大的影响。