Determination of parameters of rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monitor-E</Emphasis> spacecraft from the telemetry data on solar batteries’ current

The Monitor-E spacecraft executed uncontrolled flight due to emergency situation, no telemetry information on parameters of the spacecraft’s attitude motion being available. So, the problem arose to determine the spacecraft’s rotational motion from the accessible indirect information—the electric current provided by solar batteries. In this paper the integrated statistical technique is described, that allows one to solve this problem. The values of current, obtained over the time interval some tens of minutes long, have been processed simultaneously by the least squares method using the integration of the equations of spacecraft’s rotational motion. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion were estimated, and the spacecraft’s moments of inertia were updated, as well as the angles, specifying solar batteries position in the spacecraft-fixed coordinate system. The results of processing of 12 data sets are presented, which allowed us to reconstruct the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft.     

The human cardiovascular system during space flight

Purpose of the work is to analyze and to summarize the data of investigations into human hemodynamics performed over 20 years aboard orbital stations Salyut-7 and Mir with participation of 26 cosmonauts on space flights (SF) from 8 to 438 days in duration. The ultrasonic techniques and occlusive plethysmography demonstrated dynamics of changes in the cardiovascular system during SF of various durations. The parameters of general hemodynamics, the pumping function of the heart and arterial circulation in the brain remained stable in all the space flights; however, there were alterations in peripheral circulation associated with blood redistribution and hypovolemie in microgravity. The anti-gravity distribution of the vascular tone decayed gradually as unneeded. The most considerable changes were observed in leg vessels, equally in arteries (decrease in resistance) and veins (increase in maximum capacity). The lower body negative pressure test (LBNP) revealed deterioration of the gravity-dependent reactions that changed for the worse as SF duration extended. The cardiovascular deconditioning showed itself as loss of descent acceleration tolerance and orthostatic instability in the postflight period.     

Harnessing functional food strategies for the health challenges of space travel—Fermented soy for astronaut nutrition

Astronauts face numerous health challenges during long-duration space missions, including diminished immunity, bone loss and increased risk of radiation-induced carcinogenesis. Changes in the intestinal flora of astronauts may contribute to these problems. Soy-based fermented food products could provide a nutritional strategy to help alleviate these challenges by incorporating beneficial lactic acid bacteria, while reaping the benefits of soy isoflavones. We carried out strain selection for the development of soy ferments, selecting strains of lactic acid bacteria showing the most effective growth and fermentation ability in soy milk (Streptococcus thermophilus ST5, Bifidobacterium longum R0175 and Lactobacillus helveticus R0052). Immunomodulatory bioactivity of selected ferments was assessed using an in vitro challenge system with human intestinal epithelial and macrophage cell lines, and selected ferments show the ability to down-regulate production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-8 following challenge with tumour necrosis factor-alpha. The impact of fermentation on vitamin B1 and B6 levels and on isoflavone biotransformation to agluconic forms was also assessed, with strain variation-dependent biotransformation ability detected. Overall this suggests that probiotic bacteria can be successfully utilized to develop soy-based fermented products targeted against health problems associated with long-term space travel.     

Amplitude modulation of VLF emission and absorption of cosmic noise by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pc</Emphasis>5 geomagnetic pulsations in the period of geomagnetic storms on October 30–31, 2003

Modulation of the VLF emission and riometric absorption by Pc5 geomagnetic pulsations is studied in the period of strong geomagnetic disturbances on October 30–31, 2003. Some conclusions about the regime of pitch-angular diffusion into the loss cone are made. The better coincidence of VLF emission modulation with geomagnetic pulsations in other longitude sectors is explained by the global character of excitation of the pulsations and by damping of their amplitudes at the meridian of observation of the VLF emission, which is associated with intensification of auroral electrojets.Translated from Kosmicheskie Issledovaniya, Vol. 42, No. 6, 2004, pp. 632–639.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Solovyev, Mullayarov, Baishev, Barkova, Samsonov.     

Structure of the earth’s magnetosheath at small fluctuations in the interplanetary magnetic field direction

Spatial structure of the magnetosheath of the Earth was studied under the conditions when no sharp (more than 40° during 5 min) changes in the interplanetary magnetic field direction were observed. On the basis of 24 flights of the Interball-1 satellite through the magnetosheath, it is found that three regions differing from each other by parameters of the field and plasma can be observed in the magnetosheath under the above-indicated conditions. These regions also differ from the solar wind region before front of the Earth’s magnetospheric bow shock. Empirical distributions of parameters were studied in each region. Taking into account the influence of the interplanetary magnetic field direction on the processes in the magnetosheath, the cases of quasi-perpendicular and quasi-parallel shock waves were considered separately. The study showed that the distribution of parameters in the selected regions (in the solar wind before front of the bow shock, in the magnetosheath behind the bow shock (post-shock), in the region of the magnetosheath with minimal fluctuations in the field, and in the inner magnetosheath) differ from each other at any interplanetary magnetic field direction.     

On the problem of lunar radiation environment

In connection with projects of manned bases on the Moon it becomes topical to estimate radiation danger for their inhabitants. In this paper we describe a method of evaluation of the radiation environment on the lunar surface produced by galactic and solar cosmic rays. The roles of both primary and secondary radiations generated in the depth of the lunar soil under the action of high-energy protons and nuclei are taken into account. Calculated fluxes of particles are used in order to estimate annual averaged absorbed and equivalent local dose rates in tissues. It is established that in the lunar rock the contribution of secondary neutrons to the dose rate exceeds that of protons. The contribution of the secondary particles generated by nuclei of galactic cosmic rays to the dose rate is estimated.     

An algorithm for computer-aided design calculation of aircraft stability and controllability parameters

An algorithm is proposed for computer-aided calculation of required values of aircraft controlling moments and aerodynamic moment coefficients for stable fulfillment of flight trajectories specified by design flight performance.     

Analysis of static loading of a helicopter tubular skid landing gear

A three-dimensional design model of a helicopter tubular skid landing gear based on the application of the large beam displacement theory is presented. The design model takes into account special features of constructive, physical and geometrical deformation nonlinearity. The analysis of a real helicopter structure is given that confirms sufficient validity of calculation results obtained using the model developed by comparing with the results of the finite element analysis.     

Antideuteron based dark matter search with GAPS: Current progress and future prospects

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) is a new approach to the indirect detection of dark matter. It relies on searching for primary antideuterons produced in the annihilation of dark matter in the galactic halo. Low energy antideuterons produced through Standard Model processes, such as collisions of cosmic-rays with interstellar baryons, are greatly suppressed compared to primary antideuterons. Thus a low energy antideuteron search provides a clean signature of dark matter. In GAPS antiparticles are slowed down and captured in target atoms. The resultant exotic atom deexcites with the emission of X-rays and annihilation pions, protons and other particles. A tracking geometry allows for the detection of the X-rays and particles, providing a unique signature to identify the mass of the antiparticle. A prototype detector was successfully tested at the KEK accelerator in 2005, and a prototype GAPS balloon flight is scheduled for 2011. This will be followed by a full scale experiment on a long duration balloon from Antarctica in 2014. We discuss the status and future plans for GAPS.