Regolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) Aboard the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission

The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is the student collaboration experiment proposed and built by an MIT-Harvard team, launched aboard NASA’s OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. REXIS complements the scientific investigations of other OSIRIS-REx instruments by determining the relative abundances of key elements present on the asteroid’s surface by measuring the X-ray fluorescence spectrum (stimulated by the natural solar X-ray flux) over the range of energies 0.5 to 7 keV. REXIS consists of two components: a main imaging spectrometer with a coded aperture mask and a separate solar X-ray monitor to account for the Sun’s variability. In addition to element abundance ratios (relative to Si) pinpointing the asteroid’s most likely meteorite association, REXIS also maps elemental abundance variability across the asteroid’s surface using the asteroid’s rotation as well as the spacecraft’s orbital motion. Image reconstruction at the highest resolution is facilitated by the coded aperture mask. Through this operation, REXIS will be the first application of X-ray coded aperture imaging to planetary surface mapping, making this student-built instrument a pathfinder toward future planetary exploration. To date, 60 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels have been involved with the REXIS project, with the hands-on experience translating to a dozen Master’s and Ph.D. theses and other student publications.     

Predicting performance in manually controlled rendezvous and docking through spatial abilities

Manually controlled rendezvous and docking (manual RVD) is a challenging space task for astronauts. This study aims to identify spatial abilities that are critical for accomplishing manual RVD. Based on task analysis, spatial abilities were deduced to be critical for accomplishing manual RVD. 15 Male participants performed manual RVD task simulations and spatial ability tests (the object-manipulation spatial ability and spatial orientation ability). Participants’ performance in the test of visualization of viewpoints (which measures the spatial orientation ability) was found to be significantly correlated with their manual RVD performance, indicating that the spatial orientation ability in the sense of perspective taking is particularly important for accomplishing manual RVD.     

Analysis on Output Power for Multi-direction Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester

To predict the performance of multi-direction piezoelectric vibration energy harvester,an equation for calculating its output power is obtained based on elastic mechanics theory and piezoelectricity theory.Experiments are performed to verify theoretical analysis.When the excitation direction is along Y direction,a maximal output power about 0.139 mW can be harvested at a resistive load of 65kΩ and an excitation frequency of 136 Hz.Theoretical analysis agrees well with experimental results.Furthermore,the performance of multi-direction vibration energy harvester is experimentally tested.The results show that the multi-direction vibration energy harvester can harvest perfect energy as the excitation direction changes in XY plane,YZ plane,XZ plane and body diagonal plane of the harvester.     

基于子阵级非周期的有限扫描阵列研究

对基于子阵级非周期的有限扫描阵列进行研究,采用数值仿真和遗传算法对基于不同子阵规模的非周期阵列进行优化设计,分析4?4和2?2两种子阵规模对接收多波束应用中伴随波束方向图的影响,研究表明子阵规模过大会引起伴随波束方向图的旁瓣抬升,通过减小子阵规模可以避免该问题,论证了设计的基于2?2子阵的非周期八角阵可应用于有限视场扫描相控阵中。     

Orbit determination and prediction of GEO satellite of BeiDou during repositioning maneuver

In order to establish a continuous GEO satellite orbit during repositioning maneuvers, a suitable maneuver force model has been established associated with an optimal orbit determination method and strategy. A continuous increasing acceleration is established by constructing a constant force that is equivalent to the pulse force, with the mass of the satellite decreasing throughout maneuver. This acceleration can be added to other accelerations, such as solar radiation, to obtain the continuous acceleration of the satellite. The orbit determination method and strategy are illuminated, with subsequent assessment of the orbit being determined and predicted accordingly. The orbit of the GEO satellite during repositioning maneuver can be determined and predicted by using C-Band pseudo-range observations of the BeiDou GEO satellite with COSPAR ID 2010-001A in 2011 and 2012. The results indicate that observations before maneuver do affect orbit determination and prediction, and should therefore be selected appropriately. A more precise orbit and prediction can be obtained compared to common short arc methods when observations starting 1 day prior the maneuver and 2 h after the maneuver are adopted in POD (Precise Orbit Determination). The achieved URE (User Range Error) under non-consideration of satellite clock errors is better than 2 m within the first 2 h after maneuver, and less than 3 m for further 2 h of orbit prediction.     

Electron density inversed by plasma lines induced by suprathermal electron in the ionospheric modification experiment

Incoherent scatter radar (ISR) is the most powerful ground-based measurement facility to study the ionosphere. The plasma lines are not routinely detected by the incoherent scatter radar due to the low intensity, which falls below the measured spectral noise level of the incoherent scatter radar. The plasma lines are occasionally enhanced by suprathermal electrons through the Landau damping process and detectable to the incoherent scatter radar. In this study, by using the European Incoherent Scatter Association (EISCAT) UHF incoherent scatter radar, the experiment observation presents that the enhanced plasma lines were observed. These plasma lines were considered as manifest of the suprathermal electrons generated by the high-frequency heating wave during the ionospheric modification. The electron density profile is also obtained from the enhanced plasma lines. This study can be a promising technique for obtaining the accurate electron density during ionospheric modification experiment.     

Electrochemical micromachining of micro-dimple arrays on cylindrical inner surfaces using a dry-film photoresist

The application of surface textures has been employed to improve the tribological performance of various mechanical components. Various techniques have been used for the application of surface textures such as micro-dimple arrays, but the fabrication of such arrays on cylindrical inner surfaces remains a challenge. In this study, a dry-film photoresist is used as a mask during through-mask electrochemical micromachining to successfully prepare micro-dimple arrays with dimples 94 lm in diameter and 22.7 lm deep on cylindrical inner surfaces, with a machining time of 9 s and an applied voltage of 8 V. The versatility of this method is demonstrated, as are its potential low cost and high efficiency. It is also shown that for a fixed dimple depth, a smaller dimple diameter can be obtained using a combination of lower current density and longer machining time in a passivating sodium nitrate electrolyte.     

飞机锁类机构性能退化可靠性分析方法综述

随着航空航天装备的快速发展,对飞行器装备的可靠性要求逐渐提高,飞机锁类机构的可靠性对飞机起降的安全至关重要。以飞机舱门锁机构为研究对象,首先通过文献调研了大量舱门锁机构并分析了锁机构的特点和失效模式,阐述了锁机构的工作原理。其次综述了锁机构失效机理建模、机构渐变损伤的研究现状以及目前存在的问题,分析了国内外有关锁机构可靠性的研究现状;并针对多连杆机构可靠性分析和锁机构可靠性分析进行了分类梳理。最后对锁机构的可靠性分析研究思路进行总结,并对目前复杂锁机构的可靠性分析存在的问题及其研究趋势进行了展望。     

以可用度为目标的民用飞机不完全预防性维修间隔优化

民用飞机制造商推荐的初始预防性维修间隔通常不考虑运营环境和维修能力的差异,在满足飞机安全性要求的同时,难以达到可用性的最优状态。基于不完全维修理论,采用役龄回退因子修正部件的可靠性模型,以反映维修工作对于部件性能的影响;结合航空公司运行实际情况,以部件可用度为目标函数,可靠度阈值为约束条件,提出不完全维修策略下的预防性维修间隔优化模型,并以某型飞机的空气起动机航线故障数据进行实例验证。结果表明：在满足可靠度阈值的约束条件下,所建立的维修间隔优化模型得出的最优维修间隔与实际相符,该模型合理可行。