Optimization of transfers under constraints on the thrust direction: I

Transfers with a low thrust are considered under constraints imposed on the thrust vector direction. These constraints can be caused by peculiarities of the attitude control system and the mode of stabilization of a spacecraft, and, in the general case, they are functions of the time and state vector. The constraints specified by equalities and inequalities are investigated. It is shown that the optimal thrust is directed along the projection of the Lawden’s primer vector onto the restricting set.     

Accommodating controller malfunctions through fault tolerant control architecture

In previous work we have proposed a supervised globalized dual heuristic programming (GDHP) controller as a solution to the fault tolerant control (FTC) problem of nonlinear plants subject to abrupt and incipient faults capable of drastically modifying the system dynamics to maintain stability and performance. The neural network (NN) based adaptive critic controller presented the best choice for the flexibility and power necessary to accomplish the task, however no success guarantees can be made for the online training of neural weights for the unrestricted fault recovery problem. Built on the existing framework, we propose a novel supervisory system capable of detecting controller malfunctions before the stability of the plant is compromised. Furthermore, due to its ability to discern between controller malfunctions and faults within the plant, the proposed supervisor acts in a specific fashion in the event of a controller malfunction to provide new avenues with a greater probability of convergence using information from a dynamic model bank. The classification and distinction of controller malfunctions from the faults in the plant itself is achieved through an advanced decision logic based on three independent quality indexes. Proof-of-the-concept simulations over a nonlinear plant demonstrate the validity of the approach.     

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.     

快速加热下铜再结晶织构的形成模型与模拟

基于形核的Gibbs-Thomson关系理论和由晶粒尺寸效应引起的优势生长机制。综合各种理论，建立了铜再结晶织构解析式数学分析模型。计算机模拟结果表明，在较慢的加快速度下，完全再结晶时织构为单一的立方组分；在快速加热条件下，完全再结晶时织构可由立方织构组分和保留的冷轧织构组分所组成；再结晶织构受加热速度的影响。     

多(全)电发动机

简要介绍了磁性轴承、整体式起动／发电机和燃气涡轮发动机分布式控制系统的工作原理、发展状况和关键技术。     

Role of ionospheric effects and plasma sheet dynamics in the formation of auroral arcs

At the ionospheric level, the substorm onset (expansion phase) is marked by the initial brightening and subsequent breakup of a pre-existing auroral arc. According to the field line resonance (FLR) wave model, the substorm-related auroral arc is caused by the field-aligned current carried by FLRs. The FLRs are standing shear Alfvén wave structures that are excited along the dipole/quasi-dipole lines of the geomagnetic field. The FLRs (that can cause auroral arc) thread from the Earthward edge of the plasma sheet and link the auroral arc to the plasma sheet region of 6–15 R _E. The region is associated with magnetic fluctuations that result from the nonlinear wave-wave interactions of the cross-field current-instability. The instability (excited at the substorm onset) disrupts the cross-tail current which is built up during the growth phase of the substorms and results in magnetic fluctuations. The diversion of the current to polar regions can lead to auroral arc intensification. The current FLR model is based on the amplitude equations that describe the nonlinear space-time evolution of FLRs in the presence of ponderomotive forces exerted by large amplitude FLRs (excited during substorms). The present work will modify the FLR wave model to include the effects arising from magnetic fluctuations that result from current disruption near the plasma sheet (6–15 R _E). The nonlinear evolution of FLRs is coupled with the dynamics of plasma sheet through a momentum exchange term (resulting from magnetic fluctuations due to current disruption) in the generalized Ohm's law. The resulting amplitude equations including the effects arising from magnetic fluctuations can be used to study the structure of the auroral arcs formed during substorms. We have also studied the role of feedback mechanism (in a dipole geometry of the geomagnetic field) in the formation of the discrete auroral arc observed on the nightside magnetosphere. The present nonlinear dispersive model (NDM) is extended to include effects arising from the low energy electrons originating from the plasma sheet boundary layer. These electrons increase the ionospheric conductivity in a localized patch and enhance the field-aligned current through a feedback mechanism. The feedback effects were studied numerically in a dipole geometry using the the NDM. The numerical studies yield the magnitude of the field-aligned current that is large enough to form a discrete auroral arc. Our studies provide theoretical support to the observational work of Newell et al. that the feedback instability plays a major role in the formation of the discrete auroral arcs observed on the nightside magnetosphere.     

The evolutionary status of eta Car based on historical and modern optical and infrared photometry

We present a photometric study of the luminous early-type star Car. The star's secular brightness increase is due largely to the expansion of the Homunculus. Car is a LBV with a possible B0.5V companion. The combined effect of Balmer-line emission, and of warm and cold dust radiation explains the star's other light variations.     

Artificial equilibrium points and bi-impulsive maneuvers to observe 243 Ida

In the restricted three-body problem, the traditional Lagrange points L₁ and L₂ are the only equilibrium points near the asteroid 243 Ida. The thrust generated by a solar sail over a spacecraft enables the existence of new artificial equilibrium points, which depend on the position of the spacecraft with respect to the asteroid and the attitude of the solar sail. Such equilibrium points generate new spots to observe the body from above or below the plane of motion. Such points are very good observational locations due to their stationary condition. This work provides a preliminary analysis to observe Ida through the use of artificial equilibrium points as spots combined with transfer maneuvers between them. Such combination can be used to observe the asteroid from more different points of view in comparison to fixed ones. The analyses are made for a spacecraft equipped with a solar sail and capable of performing bi-impulsive maneuvers. The solar radiation pressure is used both to maintain the equilibrium condition and to reduce the costs of the transfers and/or to create transfers with longer duration. This is a new aspect of the present research, because it combines the continuous thrust with initial and final small impulses, which are feasible for most of the spacecraft, because the magnitudes of the impulses are very low. These combined maneuvers may reduce the transfer times of the maneuvers in most of the cases, compared with the maneuvers based only on continuous thrust. Several options involved in these transfers are shown, like to minimize the fuel spent ($\mathrm{\Delta }\mathit{v}$) as a function of the transfer time or to extend the duration of the travel between the points. Extended transfer times can be useful when observations are required during the transfers.     

导航星座整网自主定轨的动力学短弧段伪逆平差法

针对传统静态自由网平差进行自主定轨存在的秩亏问题,提出一种卫星动力学短弧段定轨和自由网伪逆平差理论相结合的自主定轨算法。该算法以导航星座星间链路(ISL)双向测距为基础,利用伪逆平差法,解决整网位置解算起算数据不足带来的秩亏问题;同时,利用轨道动力学建立不同历元之间状态转移关系,解决单历元平差无法对速度分量进行有效估计的问题。仿真结果表明,自主运行90天,平均用户测距精度（URE）小于1 m（2σ）,优于导航星座自主运行指标要求,验证了本文算法的有效性。