Estimating the spin axis orientation of the Echostar-2 box-wing geosynchronous satellite

For the first time, the spin axis orientation of an inactive box-wing geosynchronous satellite has been estimated from ground-based optical photometric observations of Echostar-2’s specular reflections. Recent photometric light curves obtained of Echostar-2 over four years suggest that unusually bright and brief specular reflections were occurring twice within an observed spin period. These bright and brief specular reflections suggested two satellite surfaces with surface normals separated by approximately 180°. The geometry between the satellite, the Sun, and the observing location at the time of each of the brightest observed reflections, was used to estimate Echostar-2’s equatorial spin axis orientation coordinates. When considering prograde and retrograde rotation, Echostar-2’s spin axis orientation was estimated to have been located within 30° of either equatorial coordinate pole. Echostar-2’s spin axis was observed to have moved approximately 180° in right ascension, within a time span of six months, suggesting a roughly one year spin axis precession period about the satellite’s angular momentum vector.     

Impact of rain on wave retrieval from Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar images in tropical cyclones

The main objective of our work was to investigate the impact of rain on wave observations from C-band (~5.3 GHz) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in tropical cyclones. In this study, 10 Sentinel-1 SAR images were available from the Satellite Hurricane Observation Campaign, which were taken under cyclonic conditions during the 2016 hurricane season. The third-generation wave model, known as Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) (version 41.31), was used to simulate the wave fields corresponding to these Sentinel-1 SAR images. In addition, rainfall data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite passing over the spatial coverage of the Sentinel-1 SAR images were collected. The simulated results were validated against significant wave heights (SWHs) from the Jason-2 altimeter and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts data, revealing a root mean square error (RMSE) of ~0.5 m with a 0.25 scatter index. Winds retrieved from the VH-polarized Sentinel-1 SAR images using the Sentinel-1 Extra Wide-swath Mode Wind Speed Retrieval Model after Noise Removal were taken as prior information for wave retrieval. It was discovered that rain did indeed affect the SAR wave retrieval, as evidenced by the 3.21-m RMSE of SWHs between the SAR images and the SWAN model, which was obtained for the ~1000 match-ups with raindrops. The raindrops dampened the wave retrieval when the rain rate was < ~5 mm/hr; however, they enhanced wave retrieval for higher rain rates. It was also found that the portion of the rain-induced ring wave with a wave number > 0.05 rad/m (~125 m wavelength) was clearly observed in the SAR-derived wave spectra.     

Late Stages of Stellar Evolution

A large fraction of ISO observing time was used to study the late stages of stellar evolution. Many molecular and solid state features, including crystalline silicates and the rotational lines of water vapour, were detected for the first time in the spectra of (post-)Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars. Their analysis has greatly improved our knowledge of stellar atmospheres and circumstellar environments. A surprising number of objects, particularly young planetary nebulae with Wolf-Rayet (WR) central stars, were found to exhibit emission features in their ISO spectra that are characteristic of both oxygen-rich and carbon-rich dust species, while far-IR observations of the PDR around NGC 7027 led to the first detections of the rotational line spectra of CH and CH⁺. Based on observations with ISO, an ESA project with instruments funded by ESA Member States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom), and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.     

The Electron Radiation Belt

Electron radiation belts can change dramatically in a few seconds or slowly over years. Important issues in understanding such changes are: (1) What is the source of electrons in the radiation belts? (2) How important is radial diffusion compared to other radial transport mechanisms? (3) What are the detailed changes in the magnetosphere that produce radial diffusion? (4) Why is the response of the electron radiation belt to changes in the solar wind different from that of substorms and of the ring current? (5) Are processes other than radial transport, such as wave-particle interactions, important in energizing electrons in the radiation belts?     

A bioreactor system for the nitrogen loop in a Controlled Ecological Life Support System.

As space missions become longer in duration, the need to recycle waste into useful compounds rises dramatically. This problem can be addressed by the development of Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) (i.e., Engineered Closed/Controlled Eco-Systems (ECCES)), consisting of human and plant modules. One of the waste streams leaving the human module is urine. In addition to the reclamation of water from urine, recovery of the nitrogen is important because it is an essential nutrient for the plant module. A 3-step biological process for the recycling of nitrogenous waste (urea) is proposed. A packed-bed bioreactor system for this purpose was modeled, and the issues of reaction step segregation, reactor type and volume, support particle size, and pressure drop were addressed. Based on minimization of volume, a bioreactor system consisting of a plug flow immobilized urease reactor, a completely mixed flow immobilized cell reactor to convert ammonia to nitrite, and a plug flow immobilized cell reactor to produce nitrate from nitrite is recommended. It is apparent that this 3-step bioprocess meets the requirements for space applications.     

Managing foreign participation in government-funded applied space research and product development

Using the example of the USA, this article examines the economics of foreign participation in applied R&D space projects, with an emphasis on those with the goal of commercializing technology. Following an overview of the arguments within applied high-tech research in general — fear of subsidizing other countries economies and jeopardizing national prestige; benefits from nationally unavailable skills, reducing government costs and increasing domestic incentives for innovation — the authors consider specific characteristics of markets for space technology in the light of these arguments. They conclude with a discussion of policy options, such as the use of licenses or levy of royalties, to preserve the virtues of foreign competition while addressing concerns about ‘underwriting’ foreign competitors.     

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.     

Radar Performance with Multipath Using the Complex Angle

The complex angle (CA) method for resolving a low angle target from its multipath signal is evaluated in the presence of system noise. It is shown that standard deviation improvements of around 3-to-1 can be achieved at a 20-dB signal-to-noise power ratio relative to a normal monopulse system without the CA. It is also shown that the CA method is unbiased, giving bias improvements of as much as 100 times relative to normal monopulse. Evaluation of the assumptions in the technique shows very little sensitivity to knowledge of the reflecting surface's conductivity or dielectric constant. However, the method is somewhat sensitive to knowledge of surface roughness.     

Expectations for Infrared Spectroscopy of 9P/Tempel 1 from Deep Impact

The science payload on the Deep Impact mission includes a 1.05–4.8 μm infrared spectrometer with a spectral resolution ranging from R∼200–900. The Deep Impact IR spectrometer was designed to optimize, within engineering and cost constraints, observations of the dust, gas, and nucleus of 9P/Tempel 1. The wavelength range includes absorption and emission features from ices, silicates, organics, and many gases that are known to be, or anticipated to be, present on comets. The expected data will provide measurements at previously unseen spatial resolution before, during, and after our cratering experiment at the comet 9P/Tempel 1. This article explores the unique aspects of the Deep Impact IR spectrometer experiment, presents a range of expectations for spectral data of 9P/Tempel 1, and summarizes the specific science objectives at each phase of the mission.