可延伸喷管出口锥的缩比级间分离加载试验

级间分离试验的目的是改善关于在收叠位置的可延伸喷管出口锥(以下简称“ENEC”)在级分离期间的受载情况予测。缩比的固体火箭试验发动机系统带有收叠的 ENEC 和模拟级间分离的试验设备。海平面实验数据由发动机的短时间静态点火中获得。试验测到的点火瞬变状态和初始条件被输入到计算机编码,以模拟级间分离影响,用于与试验数据进行比较。结果表明,级间段平均压力、发动机推力,以及两级的相对轴向位移相当接近。测量的级间压力峰值高于计算值10%,作用在 ENEC 内外表面上的最大平均压力差是5磅/英寸~2。在缩比的级间分离环境中,通过 ENEC 载荷和级间压力的明显波动,指出了与气体流动现象有关 ENCE重要的动态加载条件。     

Increased urinary excretion rates of serotonin and metabolites during bedrest

Astronauts are often on a voluntarily reduced energy intake during space missions, possibly caused by a metabolic or emotional stress response with involvement of the central serotonergic system (SES). We investigated 24 h urinary excretion (24 h-E) of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindol acidic acid as indicators of the SES in healthy males under two different normocaloric conditions: normal physical activity (NPA) and -6 degree head-down-tilt (HDT). HDT or NPA were randomly arranged with a recovery period of 6 months in between. 24 h-E of hormones varied widely among individuals. Values were higher in HDT compared to NPA. Assuming that the 24 h-E values are, beside being indicators for alterations in the number and metabolism of platelets. Also indicators of central SES, HDT condition seems to activate central SES in a higher degree compared to NPA. Therefore, changes in central SES might be involved in the mechanisms associated with space flight or microgravity, including possible maladaptations such as voluntary undernutrition.     

Vanguard--a European robotic astrobiology-focussed Mars sub-surface mission proposal

We present a new European Mars mission proposal to build on the UK-led Beagle2 Mars mission and continue its astrobiology-focussed investigation of Mars. The small surface element to be delivered to the Martian surface--Vanguard--is designed to be carried by a Mars Express-type spacecraft bus to Mars and adopts a similar entry, descent and landing system as Beagle2. The surface element comprises a triad of robotic devices--a lander, a micro-rover of the Sojourner class for surface mobility, and three ground-penetrating moles mounted onto the rover for sub-surface penetration to 5 m depth. The major onboard instruments on the rover include a Raman spectrometer/imager, a laser plasma spectrometer, an infrared spectrometer--these laser instruments provide the basis for in situ "remote" sensing of the sub-surface Martian environment within a powerful scientific package. The moles carry the instruments' sensor head array to the sub-surface. The moles are thus required to undergo a one-way trip down the boreholes without the need for recovery of moles or samples, eliminating much of the robotic complexity invoked by such operations.     

Immobilization induces a very rapid increase in osteoclast activity

We studied in a randomized, strictly controlled cross-over design, the effects of 6 days 6 degrees head-down tilt bed rest (HDT) in eight male healthy subjects in our metabolic ward. The study consisted of two periods (phases) of 11 days each in order to allow for the test subjects being their own controls. Both study phases were identical with respect to environmental conditions, study protocol and diet. Two days before arriving in the metabolic ward the subjects started with a diet. The diet was continued in the metabolic ward. The metabolic ward period (1l days) was divided into three parts: 4 ambulatory days, 6 days either HDT or control and 1 recovery day. Continuous urine collection started on the first day in the metabolic ward to analyze calcium excretion and bone resorption markers. On the 2nd ambulatory day in the metabolic ward and on the 5th day in HDT or control blood was drawn to analyze serum calcium, parathyroid hormone, and bone formation markers. Urinary calcium excretion was, as early as the first day in immobilization, increased (p<0.01). CTX- and NTX-excretion stayed unchanged in the first 24 h in HDT compared to the control. But already on the 2nd day of immobilization, both bone resorption markers significantly increased. We conclude from these results--pronounced rise of bone resorption markers--that already 24 h of immobilization induce a significant rise in osteoclast activity in healthy subjects. Thus, it appears possible to use short-term bed rest studies as a first step for the development of countermeasures to immobilization.     

Research on Biolab, a multi-user facility for APM

A study carried out by a team of seven scientists appointed by ESA resulted in the design of a biological laboratory "Biolab" for Columbus APM. The basis for the study were four pre-Phase A studies performed by industry on the assumption that 15 racks would be available to biology and biotechnology in the APM. Due to the constraints newly imposed by the Columbus project, only five racks are now allocated. The tasks of the Biolab scientific team were: (i) to define the scientific objectives of biological research in Columbus; (ii) to review the requirements of the industrial studies; and (iii) to design a multi-purpose facility compatible with the present constraints and satisfying the requirements of the biological investigations considered in the four studies. The Biolab team was able to define a facility capable of accommodating in five racks the following biological objects: small plants (up to 40 cm), insects like drosophila, frog eggs, single cells from animals, bacteria, slime molds and protozoa, as well as human physiology, but restricted to general diagnostic needs. The Biolab facility includes instruments and devices providing the capacity of holding and/or growing the organisms as well as to perform basic experimentation and a minimum essential diagnostic inflight. Within the growth unit the growth chambers/incubators are exchangeable, permitting the use of growth chambers of different sizes. The temperature will be adjustable to the requirements of the objects under investigation, i.e. either 20 or 37 degrees C. Thus a considerable level of flexibility will permit to investigate a broad spectrum of living systems.     

Short-wave infrared reflectance investigation of sites of paleobiological interest: applications for Mars exploration

Rover missions to the rocky bodies of the Solar System and especially to Mars require lightweight, portable instruments that use minimal power, require no sample preparation, and provide suitably diagnostic mineralogical information to an Earth-based exploration team. Short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectroscopic instruments such as the Portable Infrared Mineral Analyser (PIMA, Integrated Spectronics Pty Ltd., Baulkham Hills, NSW, Australia) fulfill all these requirements. We describe an investigation of a possible Mars analogue site using a PIMA instrument. A survey was carried out on the Strelley Pool Chert, an outcrop of stromatolitic, silicified Archean carbonate and clastic succession in the Pilbara Craton, interpreted as being modified by hydrothermal processes. The results of this study demonstrate the capability of SWIR techniques to add significantly to the geological interpretation of such hydrothermally altered outcrops. Minerals identified include dolomite, white micas such as illite-muscovite, and chlorite. In addition, the detection of pyrophyllite in a bleached and altered unit directly beneath the succession suggests acidic, sulfur-rich hydrothermal activity may have interacted with the silicified sediments of the Strelley Pool Chert.     

各推力级霍尔推力器研究现状与展望

介绍了霍尔推力器原理的基础上,推导分析了霍尔推力器推力的影响因素,总结了改变其推力的主要方法。概述了微牛级、毫牛级和牛级等不同推力级适用的航天任务类型,按照3个级别对国内外霍尔推力器型号进行了分类,分别对3个推力级各系列型号的发展及趋势进行了梳理与分析。对各推力级霍尔推力器发展的关键技术进行了展望。针对其中的技术瓶颈与发展趋势进行了总结分析。全面、系统地针对各推力级霍尔推力器进行了综述。结果表明:毫牛级发展最为成熟的推力级,而随着航天任务类型逐渐丰富,微牛级和牛级霍尔推力器发展潜力愈发突出;研究结果提出了霍尔推进器应提升整体性能、扩展推力覆盖范围,强化多模式工作能力,发展空心阴极以及探究不同推进剂等建议。该研究结果对于霍尔电推进的进一步发展具有参考价值。      

密集型空气雾化流场破碎特征数学模型研究

低速液体射流在高速湍流气体作用下的气液同轴射流雾化流场是瞬态密集型喷雾场,高速湍流中影响和控制雾化的因素很多。针对空气雾化流场液核分布与特征进行分析,开发了模拟液核的随机浸入体模型,结合大涡模拟方法对同轴射流空气雾化喷嘴下游流场进行数值模拟。模拟结果与实验结果对比表明：随机浸入体模型可快速捕捉液核的长度和位置信息。当气液动量比M为3~10000时,能够较准确地预测液核长度,当M>10时,其预测结果远优于唯象模型;该模型能够捕捉回流区、大尺度涡等流场结构。同时,可以准确地预测喷嘴附近的液滴粒径,特别是在气流速度较大（>60m/s）时,液滴平均直径预测误差<10%。     

一种新型多普勒噪声抑制技术对BepiColombo任务无线电科学实验的性能提升

在欧洲空间局和日本宇宙开发机构联合开展的BepiColombo水星任务中,将开展水星轨道器无线电科学实验,包括估计水星的引力场及其旋转状态,并对广义相对论进行验证。目前地面系统和星上设备的主流配置可以在无线电科学实验中建立X/X、X/Ka和Ka/Ka多个频段的链路,测速精度可达3 um/s（1 000 s积分）,测距精度为20 cm。提出了基于时延机械噪声对消技术提高无线电科学实验性能的方案。时延机械噪声对消技术需要处理在两个测站不同时刻的测量数据,一个测站实施双向多普勒测距,对另一个单收测站的要求较为严格,该测站需要具有较好的对流层条件。这种方法能够显著降低Ka频段双向链路的主要测量噪声,包括由对流层和天线机械系统震动引起的噪声。我们给出了端到端的仿真性能,并估计了在使用时延机械噪声对消技术前提下的水星引力场和旋转状态。考虑使用NASA位于美国本土戈尔德斯敦的DSS-25天线或欧空局位于阿根廷马拉圭的DSA-3天线作为双程测量站,并考虑使用位于智力的APEX天文观测天线作为单收站。分析结果表明在最好的噪声条件下,使用DSA-3天线作为双程测量站时,时延机械噪声对消技术可将待估计的全局和局部参数的估计精度提升一倍。对于无线电科学实验的目标,这一可能的性能提升对行星地质物理学很有意义,它将有益于研究水星内部的结构。