The face inversion effect in microgravity: is gravity used as a spatial reference for complex object recognition?

Complex objects are better recognized under a specific orientation. When presented upside down, a face, even very familiar, is recognized with greater difficulty than when presented upright ("Inversion effect"). Up to now it was not possible to decide whether the direction provided by gravity or the one provided by the retina and the body constitutes the spatial reference involved in this "Inversion effect". Three cosmonautes learned photographed faces on the ground and had to recognize them both on ground and on flight. Other photographed faces were learned in flight and where presented for recognition on flight. Results show that the Inversion effect is still present on flight for faces that have been learned on ground as well as for those learned on flight. Persistence of the inversion effect in 0-G shows that gravity is not involved as a spatial reference in recognition of faces. Learning and recognition performances of faces learned in flight were significantly lower than performances for faces learned on ground. A possible role of gravity in configural processing, but not in the Inversion effect, is suggested.     

Effects of repeated long duration +2Gz load on man's cardiovascular function

Usefulness of a short-arm human centrifuge is expected when it is used in space as a countermeasure against cardiovascular deconditioning, problem of bone-calcium metabolism, etc. However, nothing is solidly established regarding the most desirable program for artificial G application. Accordingly, this study was designed to analytically evaluate the effects of repeated long duration +Gz load on human cardiovascular function. Recently heart rate spectral analysis has been recognized as a powerful tool for quantitatively evaluating parasympathetic and sympathetic activity separately in human. It is reported that power of the high frequency component (HF-p) is mediated selectively by parasympathetic activity and the power ratio of low to high frequency components(LF/HF) is indicative of cardiac sympathetic activity or cardiac sympathovagal balance. Sequence method is developed to examine spontaneous baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS). We studied cardiovascular control function by using these methods in 9 healthy men before and after 7 days of daily repeated 1hour +2Gz load. When compared with the data of pre-G load period, post-G load period, decrease of HR, increases of HF-p and BRS were statistically significant. SBP, DBP and LF/HF tended to decrease, however, these changes were not statistically significant. This results indicate that repeated +2Gz load increases parasympathetic activity and arterial baroreceptor-cardiac reflex sensitivity. In recent years, many investigators suggest that space flight and head-down bedrest leads to impaired baroreceptor-cardiac reflex responses and decrease of parasympathetic activity, which may contribute to orthostatic intolerance. So our results suggest that daily repeated 1hour +2Gz load would be useful in preventing post-flight orthostatic intolerance.     

欧洲空间操作中心的精密轨道确定

目前,欧洲空间操作中心正在进行着一项需4年时间的开发计划,以支持未来的需要高精度轨道确定的ESA近地飞行任务。该工作是围绕着欧洲空间操作中心已开发的供轨道确定和误差分析用的一个软件系统进行的,该软件含有适合于各种轨道摄动和测量类型的先进模型。除了卫星轨道参数外,它还能对地球物理参数和测地参数进行估计和误差分析。     

广角目视模拟技术的新评价

前言1970年召开了两次飞行模拟技术会议(AIAA 于三月在佛里罗达州卡纳维拉尔角召开,RAES 于十月在英国伦敦召开),但对广角目视模拟技术没有作出客观的评价。在1967年第二届海军训练装置中心和工业会议、1968年3月于洛杉矶召开的 AIAA 会议上,威廉、埃贝林提供了对窄视场目视系统的简要评述。     

Pre-adaptation to shiftwork in space

Astronauts are often required to work in shift schedules. To test pre-mission adaptation strategies and effects on the circadian system, a study was performed using microgravity simulation by head-down bedrest. Eight male subjects were studied over 4 control days, and 7 days each for pre-mission adaptation, bedrest, and readjustment. The circadian system was assessed by monitoring ECG and temperature, and by collecting urine for determination of hormones and electrolytes. Rhythms did not achieve complete adjustment within the adaptation period when the sleep-wake cycle was shortened by 1 h/day, but resynchronization continued during bedrest. After the bedrest period when the time shift was reversed by a 7-h delay within 2 days, resynchronization was achieved satisfactorily only within 7 days. From the results it is concluded that a sleep-wake cycle advance as used in this study is insufficient to keep the circadian system in pace. Under operational conditions the circadian system of astronauts may become longer and more destabilized than under controlled laboratory conditions.     

下一代数字式GPS接收机

讨论由 collins 公司制造的下一代(NGR)数字化 GPS 接收机的结构和技术特点。该计划的目的是开发一种具有较高抗干扰能力的高级 GPS 接收机单片设备(chipset)。计划始于1985年,为不载人和载人飞行器提供小型化接收机技术。目前用于战术导弹的两通道接收机的研制工作已全面开展,用来替换标准高动态接收机 RCVR-3A 型的五通道接收机正在测试和评估中。NGR 设计是从国防高级研究计划机构(DARPA)开发手提式 GPS 接收机使用的数字信号处理体系结构入手的,改进后可提高抗干扰和信号捕获性能。使用可生产、合格及便宜的硅单片微波集成电路(MMIC)和半商品化的数字技术开发 GPS 核心单片设备。另外,所采用的系统设计方法允许重复使用成熟的和确认过的 GPS 软件。     

用于SAR、GMTI和海上监视的X波段宽带试验机载雷达

加拿大渥太华的防务研究和发展部门已完成了一种新型多模X波段宽带试验机载雷达（XWEAR）第一阶段的研制工作，这是对合成孔径雷达（SAR）成像、逆合成孔径雷达（ISAR）、地面动目标显示（GMTI）雷达和海上监视雷达的支持研究，特别集中在对小型目标的探测和远距离的面上目标监视。特别关注的领域有：静止和运动目标的SAR成像技术、海上和陆地动目标的时间一频率分析、用于GMTI的空时自适应处理、对海面电磁后向散射特性的研究、自动目标识别和特征提取的特征产生、以及宽带系统对付电子干扰的抗干扰性分析。第一阶段是以SAR和海上监视模式的飞行试验结束的。第二阶段将进行大范围监视GMTI（WASGMTI）和综合SAR-GMTI模式的飞行试验。简述了试验雷达并介绍了它的数据采集能力。区别特征包括X波段的运行、SAR和海上监视的单通道运行以及WAS-GMTI和综合SAR-GMTI的双通道运行。该新型雷达将现有的数字扫描转换器的用途扩大为控制器，已有的商用元件有：发射机、A／D转换器和计算机电路板。定时电路、波形产生器、单通道和双通道的接收机可以按用户需要定制。     

白沙导弹靶场的相差跟踪测量系统

这种相差测量系统(PDM)是一种射频干涉仪目标跟踪系统,它利用目标所辐射的遥测功率谱进行跟踪。为了增强靶场测量系统现有位置测量的能力,白沙导弹靶场正在自行研制一种PDM系统,作为高机动电子测角系统。该系统由二个远距离数据获取站(RDAS)和一个余弦数据变换设备(CCF)组成。每一个远距离数据获取站由二个正交基线配置的天线阵组成。对远距离数据获取站的硬设备利用了高速射频时分转换开关,以减少远站产生方向余弦所需的硬设备量。方向余弦变换设备收集每个远距离数据获取站的二个方向余弦,然后把方向余弦转换成位置数据,接着传输到靶场控制中心。本文将给出该系统的基本原理,叙述所提出的天线射频切换技术,以及两天线对组成的基线的计算机仿真分析。     

军用靶场在航天运输系统任务中的实际应用

军用靶场历来服务于武器和武器系统性能的鉴定以及改进其设计。可那些已经卷入飞行和大气层外活动的靶场也已经具备了保障正在进行的航天和导弹计划的实际能力。本文阐述了军用靶场保障航天运输系统的能力和一些具体的保障工作。主要着重于C波段雷达跟踪和数据流程,而不是较为熟悉的靶场保障问题。