On the possibility of Earth-type habitable planets in the 55 Cancri system

We discuss the possibility of Earth-type planets in the planetary system of 55 Cancri, a nearby G8 V star, which is host to two, possibly three, giant planets. We argue that Earth-type planets around 55 Cancri are in principle possible. Several conditions are necessary. First, Earth-type planets must have formed despite the existence of the close-in giant planet(s). In addition, they must be orbitally stable in the region of habitability considering that the stellar habitable zone is relatively close to the star compared to the Sun because of 55 Cancri's low luminosity and may therefore be affected by the close-in giant planet(s). We estimate the likelihood of Earth-type planets around 55 Cancri based on the integrated system approach previously considered, which provides a way of assessing the long-term possibility of photosynthetic biomass production under geodynamic conditions.     

The challenges and opportunities of a commercial human spaceflight mission to the ISS

ESA astronauts' ISS flight opportunities are considered as a vital source to meet the utilisation, operation and political objectives that Europe has established for participating in the International Space Station programme. Recent internal ESA assessments have demonstrated that a rate of three flights per year for European Astronauts should be maintained as a minimum objective. The current flight rate is lower than this. In order to improve this situation, in the context of the activation of the ESA ISS Commercialisation programme, ESA is developing the conditions for the establishment of commercially based human spaceflights with the financial support of both ESA and the private sector or, in the future, only the latter. ESA is working in a Partnership with the space industry to facilitate the implementation of such projects and support customers with a range of end-to-end commercial services. The opportunities and challenges of a "commercial human spaceflight", involving a member of the European Astronaut Corps, or a privately employed flight participant, are discussed here.     

Archaeal genome organization and stress responses: implications for the origin and evolution of cellular life

For DNA to be used as an informational molecule it must exist in the cell on the edge of stability because all genomic processes require local controlled melting. This presents mechanistic opportunities and problems for genomic DNA from hyperthermophilic organisms, whose unpackaged DNA could melt at optimal temperatures for growth. Hyperthermophiles are suggested to employ the novel positively supercoiling topoisomerase enzyme reverse gyrase (RG) to form positively supercoiled DNA that is intrinsically resistant to thermal denaturation. RG is presently the only archaeal gene that is uniquely found in hyperthermophiles and therefore is central to hypotheses suggesting a hypothermophilic origin of life. However, the suggestion that RG has evolved by the fusion of two pre-existing enzymes has led to hypotheses for a lower temperature for the origin of life. In addition to the action of topoisomerases, DNA packaging and the intracellular ionic environment can also manipulate DNA topology significantly. In the Euryarchaeota, nucleosomes containing minimal histones can adopt two alternate DNA topologies in a salt-dependent manner. From this we hypothesize that since internal salt concentrations are increased following an increase in temperature, the genomic effects of temperature fluctuations could also be accommodated by changes in nucleosome organization. In addition, stress-induced changes in the nucleoid proteins could also play a role in maintaining the genome in the optimal topological state in changing environments. The function of these systems could therefore be central to temperature adaptation and thus be implicated in origin of life scenarios involving hyperthermophiles.     

Eye light flashes on the Mir space station

The phenomenon of light flashes (LF) in eyes for people in space has been investigated onboard Mir. Data on particles hitting the eye have been collected with the SilEye detectors, and correlated with human observations. It is found that a nucleus in the radiation environment of Mir has roughly a 1% probability to cause an LF, whereas the proton probability is almost three orders of magnitude less. As a function of LET, the LF probability increases above 10 keV/micrometer, reaching about 5% at around 50 keV/micrometer.     

Prolonged weightlessness, reference frames and visual symmetry detection

We evaluated the influence of prolonged weightlessness on the performance of three cosmonauts to bilateral symmetry detection in the course of a 15-day-long Russian-French mission CASSIOPEE 96 aboard the MIR station. We tested the influence of weightlessness on subjects' performance as a function of the retinal orientation of axis of symmetry. as a function of type of stimuli (closed versus multi-elements shapes) and as a function of visual field presentation (at fixation, left visual field. right visual field). The results indicate firstly a difference between presentation at fixation versus away of fixation. Away of fixation, no effect of microgravity on performance was shown. A hypothesis of hemispheric specialization for symmetry detection was not supported as well. At fixation, an effect of micro-gravity was shown and more interestingly, the effect was quite different as a function of type of shapes used. suggesting that symmetry detection is a multiple-stage process.     

The Kinelite Project: a new powerful motion analyser for Spacelab and space station

The goal of the Kinelite Project is to develop a space qualified motion analysis system to be used in space by the scientific community, mainly to support neuroscience protocols. The measurement principle of the Kinelite is to determine, by triangulation mean, the 3D position of small, lightweight, reflective markers positioned at the different points of interest. The scene is illuminated by Infra Red flashes and the reflected light is acquired by up to 8 precalibrated and synchronized CCD cameras. The main characteristics of the system are: Camera field of view: 45 degrees; Number of cameras: 2 to 8; Acquisition frequency: 25, 50, 100, or 200 Hz; CCD format: 256 x 256; Number of markers: up to 64; 3D accuracy: 2mm; Main dimensions: 45 cm x 45 cm x 30 cm; Mass: 23 kg; Power consumption: less than 200 W. The Kinelite will first fly aboard the NASA Spacelab; it will be used, during the NEUROLAB mission (4/98), to support the "Frames of References and Internal Models" (Principal Investigator: Pr. A. Berthoz, Co Investigators: J. McIntyre, F. Lacquaniti).     

游标测距数据在导弹事后精度鉴定中的应用

Rockwell公司为奥基丹(Ogden)空军后勤中心对选定的民兵导弹试验飞行进行了精度鉴定。其中一部份工作是对“制导-雷达”斜距比对进行回归分析。一般有六或七部雷达跟踪装有C波段相干应答机的被动段飞行器(PBV)。这些雷达中有几部还能测得距离变化率数据。最近的民兵Ⅲ试验飞行中,Rockwell可以得到联邦电子公司录取的实验性距离游标器磁带。该磁带只记录了一个站的数据,在事后鉴定中与标准的雷达磁带联合使用。本报告以实例叙述了采用游标测距数据的作用。     

复合材料层板纯剪实验

本文提出一个测量复合材料层板面内剪切性质的方板纯剪试验法。首先对方法的可靠性进行试验检验,然后对两种复合材料层板的剪切行为进行试验。     

COMRING：一个适用于地球观测任务和空间站的小卫星数据中继系统

ＣＯＭＲＩＮＧ（通信环）是一种适用于低轨卫星的数据中继系统新设想，该系统可在低轨迹这航天器与地面间连续传递数据（典型的可传便时间为８０～１００％）该系统可提供连续的全球覆盖而无需大规模的地面站网和不可靠的星上数据记录仪，ＣＯＭＲＩＮＧ采用７～９颗小卫星（每颗重１６０ｋｇ）以等间隔配置在用户星同一轨道上，数据的中继经由星际链路完成，用户星可以是一颗遥感卫星或一颗军用侦察卫星，用于空间站的ＣＯＭＲＩＮ     

基于模型的载人航天器研制方法研究与实践

载人航天器具有系统规模大、技术难度高、单件小批量、无法通过多次飞行持续完善设计、可靠性要求高等特点。当前载人航天器研制中仍存在着参数化和模型化程度不高、基于模型的系统综合仿真验证不足、研制各环节缺乏数字化集成等问题，传统基于文本的系统工程方法已无法满足研制需求，亟需采用基于模型的系统工程方法。本文针对载人航天器的研制现状和应用需求，提出了面向载人航天器全生命周期的模型体系，定义了需求模型、功能模型、产品模型、工程模型、制造模型、实做模型等六类模型，提出了基于模型的研制流程，包含系统设计闭环验证、产品设计闭环验证、实做产品闭环验证3个验证环节，并深入探索了各研制环节中不同模型间的传递与关联关系。以某型号载人航天器为应用基础，系统地验证了提出的方法。