The effects of microgravity on the skeletal system--a review

Exposure of astronauts to microgravity leads to the loss of calcium from weightbearing bones. Prolonged exposure, e.g., during a journey to Mars, may present problems on return to Earth, with increased risk of fractures and premature osteoporosis in later life. The precise mechanisms of calcium loss have yet to be determined although a key feature is the absence of mechanical loading. Countermeasures aimed at reducing calcium loss to acceptable levels include the use of exercise, drugs, dietary modifications and inertia suits such as the Soviet "Penguin" suit. Missions of a number of years may, however, require the development of artificial gravity on a spacecraft. The country that first solves the physiological problems of man in space and, in particular, skeletal calcium loss, will almost certainly be the first to be able to put a man on Mars.     

Electrostatic Noise Spectrum at the Electron Cyclotron Frequency and Electromagnetic Emission in the Inhomogeneous Plasma of the Topside Ionosphere

Measurements of the wave emission of the topside ionosphere made onboard the APEX satellite using the electric component of the wave field in the 0.1–10 MHz frequency band are presented. At middle latitudes a wave intensity decrease was observed in the broad-band spectrum of the electrostatic noise at the electron cyclotron frequency. It is shown that a break in the spectrum of electrostatic modes at the electron cyclotron frequency (the absence of the plasma eigen-frequencies) may be a cause of the observed effect. The increase of the intensity at the electron cyclotron frequency in the ionospheric trough and at latitudes above the trough region as compared to middle latitudes may be explained by the capture by plasma irregularities of the electromagnetic emission of the auroral electron fluxes.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 3, 2005, pp. 201–208.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Izhovkina, Prutensky, Pulinets, Kiraga, Klos, Rothkael.     

A new method of determining the spectral index for protons in the energy range about 10<Superscript>13</Superscript> eV

We consider a relationship between the difference in spectral indices of the spectra of single hadrons and all hadrons (_sngl – _h) and the difference in the indices of the spectra of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) protons and nuclei. It is demonstrated that at the mountain level the ratio (_p – _Z)/(_sngl – _h) is always larger than unity, if (_sngl – _h) > 0.1. From the experimental value _sngl – _h = 0.4 ± 0.05 we derive that, in the vicinity of E = 10 TeV, _p – _Z 0.49 ± 0.06 , i.e., _p 3.09 ± 0.06.__________Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 43, No. 2, 2005, pp. 83–87.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Grigorov, Tolstaya.     

Exercise response to simulated weightlessness

Two bed rest analog studies of space flight were performed; one 14 d and the other 28 d in duration. Exercise response was studied in detail during the 28 d study and following both the 14 d and 28 d studies. This paper relates the results of these studies to physiologic changes noted during and following space flight. The most consistent change noted after both bed rest and space flight is an elevated heart rate during exercise. A second consistent finding is a postflight or postbed rest reduction in cardiac stroke volume. Cardiac output changes were variable. The inability to simulate inflight activity levels and personal exercise makes a direct comparison between bed rest and the results from specific space flights difficult.     

Mineral and nitrogen balance study: results of metabolic observations on Skylab II 28-day orbital mission

Prediction that the various stresses of flight, particularly weightlessness, would bring about significant derangements in the metabolism of the musculoskeletal system has been based on various observations of long-term immobilized or inactive bed rest. The only attempt at controlled measurement of metabolic changes in space prior to Skylab, a study during the 14-day Gemini VII flight, revealed rather modest losses of important elements. The three astronauts of Skylab II consumed a planned day-by-day, quite constant, dietary intake of major metabolic elements in mixed foods and beverages and provided virtually complete collections of excreta for 31 days preflight, during the 28 days inflight, and for 17 days postflight. Analyses showed that, in varying degree among the crewmen, urinary calcium increased gradually during flight in a pattern similar to that observed in bed-rest studies: the mean plateau peak of urinary calcium excretion in the latter part of flight was double preflight levels. Fecal calcium excretion did not change significantly, but calcium balance, owing to the urinary calcium rise, became either negative or less positive than in preflight measurement. Increased excretion and negative balance of nitrogen and phosphorus indicated appreciable loss of muscle tissue in all three crewmen. Significant losses also occurred inflight in potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Based on the similarity in pattern and degree between these observations and those in bed rest of the losses in calcium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, musculoskeletal integrity would not be threatened in space flights of up to at least 3 months. However, if similar changes occur, indicative of continuing losses of these elements, in the planned Skylab flights for considerably more than 28 days, concern for capable musculoskeletal function should be serious for flights of very many months' duration, and greater research attention will need to be given to development of protective counter-measures.     

小议接地技术的应用

随着民航空管基础设施的发展,大量的电子、电气、通信设备系统获得了越来越广泛的应用。运行中的电子、电气、通信设备大多伴有电磁能量的转换,高密度、宽频谱的电磁信号充满了我们周围的环境,构成了极其复杂的电磁环境。为了确保通信系统、控制系统和计算机系统在这样的电磁环     

塞式喷管多参数性能优化计算

从影响塞式喷管推力性能的因素中总结出内喷管倾角，内膨胀比、总膨胀比，燃气总压和飞行高度这五个主要因素，并以推力最大为目标函数运用枚举和逐层优化的方法对上述五个参数的取值进行优化计算，提出了对这五个参数进行优化取值的方法并得到了相关结论，其结论可为实际的塞式喷管发动机设计研制提供部分的理论依据。指导相关设计参数的确定。     

最少燃料消耗的固定推力共面轨道变轨研究

本文研究了推力固定条件下，从圆轨道进入共面圆轨道一次入轨最节省燃料的推力方向控制策略。这类问题都可归结为两点边值问题，对自由初值的选取作了讨论，并采用打靶法迭代求解。计算了从停泊轨道到同步转移道以及两个过地圆轨道之间的最优转移，获得满意的结果。     

蜂窝夹层结构常见制造缺陷分析

蜂窝夹层结构已成为卫星结构设计中广泛应用的重要材料。基于蜂窝夹层结构制造过程的复杂性和不可逆性，注重工艺控制对产品质量的保证是非常重要的。文章对蜂窝夹层结构制造过程中，由于工艺条件不当造成的缺陷和改进方法进行了分析。     

离心加速声中液态浸渗纤维预制体动力学分析

在将纤维预制体视为“毛细管束”的基础上,采用达西定律建立了离心加速场中金属液浸渗纤维预制体的浸渗动力学模型。采用该模型分析了离心加速场中金属液浸渗纤维预制体的临界转速,考察了金属液浅注量、设备转速、铸件高度、金属液原如外半径以及纤维预制体孔隙率对离心加速场中金属 浸润纤维预制体的影响。结果表明,金属液浸润纤维预制体的临界转速只与临界压力、金属液的浇注量、铸件高度以及纤维预制休性质有关;增加金属液浇注量、设备转速及金属液原始外半径,降低铸件高度、预制体纤维体积分数,有利于金属液的浸渗。