Cave biosignature suites: microbes,minerals, and Mars

Earth's subsurface offers one of the best possible sites to search for microbial life and the characteristic lithologies that life leaves behind. The subterrain may be equally valuable for astrobiology. Where surface conditions are particularly hostile, like on Mars, the subsurface may offer the only habitat for extant lifeforms and access to recognizable biosignatures. We have identified numerous unequivocally biogenic macroscopic, microscopic, and chemical/geochemical cave biosignatures. However, to be especially useful for astrobiology, we are looking for suites of characteristics. Ideally, "biosignature suites" should be both macroscopically and microscopically detectable, independently verifiable by nonmorphological means, and as independent as possible of specific details of life chemistries--demanding (and sometimes conflicting) criteria. Working in fragile, legally protected environments, we developed noninvasive and minimal impact techniques for life and biosignature detection/characterization analogous to Planetary Protection Protocols. Our difficult field conditions have shared limitations common to extraterrestrial robotic and human missions. Thus, the cave/subsurface astrobiology model addresses the most important goals from both scientific and operational points of view. We present details of cave biosignature suites involving manganese and iron oxides, calcite, and sulfur minerals. Suites include morphological fossils, mineral-coated filaments, living microbial mats and preserved biofabrics, 13C and 34S values consistent with microbial metabolism, genetic data, unusual elemental abundances and ratios, and crystallographic mineral forms.     

Optimization of Low-Thrust Interplanetary Transfers

A method for approximate analytical optimization of low-thrust transfers, described in [1] and based on linearization of the equations of motion, is considered. A more precise method of reducing the errors due to linearization is suggested. The method of optimization is generalized for the case of a mission to several celestial bodies.     

Exosemiotics: an inter-disciplinary approach

Over the past several hundred years, many ideas have been expressed as to how human beings might communicate with extraterrestrials. These ideas have been put forth by experts from a diverse range of fields including physical scientists, mathematicians, behavioral scientists, philosophers and creative writers who have widely differing views on how to express ourselves coherently with civilizations from other worlds.This paper will look at some of these differing viewpoints and stress the need for an inter-disciplinary approach to the challenges of sending and, perhaps most important, receiving messages. Could we decipher a message if we got one? Who is doing the listening and what advantages could an inter-disciplinary approach bring to these efforts? What are some inter-disciplinary approaches to sending messages to extraterrestrials?     

光纤嵌入法监测复合材料固化的研究

通过嵌入光纤对芳纶／五氧复合材料板及环氧树脂浇注体的固化进行初步研究，结果表明，光纤嵌入法能准确监测出浇注体及芳纶／环氧复合材料的瞬时固化情况。     

Success criteria and risk management for the new millennium program

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) New Millennium Program (NMP) is a technology development and validation program that will flight-validate advanced, new technologies with space flight applications. NMP's purpose is twofold. First, it will develop technologies that will enable future spacecraft to be smaller, more capable and reliable, and to be launched more frequently. Second, it will validate the technologies in flight to reduce the risks to future science missions that fly these technologies for the first time. To measure the program's success, NMP has devised a set of criteria that stresses the relevance of technologies selected for flight validation to NASA's 21st-century science mission needs. Also, NMP has instituted a ‘risk management’ policy, where, through a combination of adequate resources and early risk assessment and risk mitigation plans for the technologies, the overall risk of the NMP flights can be rendered acceptable.     

ESA's Biopan 1--"Vitamin" experiment preliminary results

The purpose of “Vitamin” experiment is to study the efficiency of protective substances on three biological acellular systems aqueous solutions exposed to cosmic radiation in space. The first system “LDL”is a low density lipoprotein. The second is “E2-TeBG complexe” in which estradiol (E2) is bound to its plasmatic carrier protein, testosterone-estradiol binding globulin (TeBG). The third is “pBR 322”, a plasmid. “Vitamin” experiment was accomodated in the Biopan which had been mounted on the outer surface of a Foton retrievable satellite. The experiment was exposed to space environment during 15 days. A stable temperature of about 20 °C was maintained throughout the flight. “Vitamin” experiment preliminary results are presented and discussed.     

Efficacy of Doppler ultrasound [correction of utrasound] for screening symptoms of decompression sickness during simulated extravehicular activities

Doppler ultrasound is frequently used for monitoring circulating microbubbles during decompression to assess the symptoms of Decompression Sickness (DCS). This analysis was carried out to evaluate its effectiveness for screening symptoms of DCS during simulated extravehicular activities (EVA). The information from various hypobaric chamber studies carried out at the NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX was used in this analysis (n = 516). The circulating microbubbles were detected in the precordial area in 42% (218/516), and symptoms were reported in 16% (81/516) of these exposures. The accuracy of Doppler-detectable bubbles (Spencer grades) on all symptoms of DCS was examined by calculating measures of sensitivity and specificity. The efficacy of Doppler as a screening device was examined by calculating their positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV). The results of these analyses indicated that the sensitivity of Doppler decreased, and the PPV increased with higher Spencer grades. However, the likelihood of detecting true negative cases (NPV) was consistently higher with all bubble grades. Due to the high false-positive rate and low prior probabilities of the risk of DCS, Doppler was found to be more useful to identify those who did not develop DCS, than to detect positive cases of DCS in the simulated EVA exposures.     

Ensuring equal access to the benefits of space technologies for all countries

There is a concern in the developing world that industrialized countries have not done all they might under Article 1 of the Outer Space Treaty to make the benefits of space technology available to all countries; some are now seeking codification of rights and responsibilities in this sphere. This article discusses recent debate on the issues by COPUOS and its Legal Subcommittee on whether an additional legal framework is necessary to ensure a fairer distribution of benefits. G77 countries were strongly in favour of some form of technology and information transfer, while industrialized countries favoured the existing practice of developing international cooperative space projects. The author believes that a new set of principles will be formulated in the next few years and that organizations like Intelsat and Inmarsat can provide valuable models for ensuring access through cooperative programmes.     

Thermal resistance in satellite mounting plates due to conductive heat transfer

The thermal resistance due to conductive heat transfer between two heat generating boxes mounted symmetrically on a thin mounting plate, one side of which is subjected to a constant heat flux and the opposite side is convectively cooled, is considered. The other two sides are maintained at constant temperature. A numerical solution for the temperature field is obtained and the heat transfer between the boxes is found by integrating between the critical heat flow lines. Various nondimensional parameters are identified and their influence on the thermal resistance is studied.     

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.