Results of cosmic radiation dose field measurements aboard the “Salyut-6” orbital station

During the 3rd main expedition on board the “Salyut-6” orbital station in 1979 the integral characteristics of cosmic radiation were measured in various positions inside the manned modules (experiment “Integral”). Measurements were performed with thermoluminescent dosimeters, photographic films and solid state plastic detectors supplied for the experiment by specialists of the USSR, Bulgaria, Hungary, GDR and Romania. The dose gradient inside the manned modules of the station amounted to 70 % for long intervals of time. During the experimental period the dose rate inside the station was 15 to 30 mrad per day. The mean flux of particles with z 6 and LET 200 keV/μm was found to be 0.22 cm⁻² day⁻¹.     

Globular cluster origin of X-ray bursters

X-ray bursters and galactic bulge x-ray sources, or the most luminous x-ray sources in the galaxy, are reasonably well constrained in their basic nature but not in their origin. We have suggested they may all have been produced by tidal capture in high density cores of globular clusters, which have now largely been disrupted by tidal stripping and shocking in the galactic plane. General arguments are presented for cluster disruption by the possible ring of giant molecular clouds in the Galaxy. Tests of the cluster disruption hypothesis are in progress and preliminary results are summarized here. The G-K star “companions” previously noted for at least 4 bursters have spectra (in the two cases observed) consistent with metal rich cluster giants. Several possibilities are discussed, including the formation of hierarchical triples in the dissolving cluster or in the galactic plane.     

Optical search for gamma-ray bursts

The preliminary results from optical search for light pulses associated with gamma ray bursts by means of the Czechoslovak Fireball Network plate collection at the Ondřejov observatory are given. Optical monitoring represents more than 7700 hours, but no real optical counterpart was found. Problems associated with the optical search for gamma ray bursts are discussed.     

Collection of cometary dust

Rendezvous Missions to Comets lead to low velocities at the nucleus of the comet. The resulting impact velocity of the cometary dust on a target will range between 10 and 400 m/s. The dust particle which impacts on a target can be collected for a subsequent in-situ analysis.

The collection efficiency of a target depends in addition to obvious geometrical conditions upon the surface of the target. The surface characteristics can be divided into two groups:

• “dirty” surfaces, covered with silicate or hydrocarbon compounds (for example vacuum grease),

• “clean” surfaces, like gold (with additional sputtering).

This paper deals with the experimental and theoretical investigation of the collection efficiency of “clean” targets. Laboratory experiments are described which were conducted at the Technische Universität München, Lehrstuhl für Raumfahrttechnik, and the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Heidelberg. In both experiments an electromagnetic accelerator is used to accelerate different types of dust in vacuum to velocities between 10 and 400 m/s.

The target is then examined under the microscope and a secondary ion mass spectrometer (which is a model of the laboratory carried on board of the spacecraft for “in situ” analysis). The adhesion of the dust grains at the target is evaluated experimentally in an ultracentrifuge.     

Advanced architectures for real-time Delay-Doppler Map GNSS-reflectometers: The GPS reflectometer instrument for PAU (griPAU)

In recent years Global Navigation Satellite System’s signals Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has stood as a potential powerful remote sensing technique to derive scientifically relevant geophysical parameters such as ocean altimetry, sea state or soil moisture. This has brought out the need of designing and implementing appropriate receivers in order to track and process this kind of signals in real-time to avoid the storage of huge volumes of raw data. This paper presents the architecture and performance of the Global Positioning System (GPS) Reflectometer Instrument for PAU (griPAU), a real-time high resolution Delay-Doppler Map reflectometer, operating at the GPS L1 frequency with the C/A codes. The griPAU instrument computes 24 × 32 complex points DDMs with configurable resolution (Δf_Dmin = 20 Hz, Δτ_min = 0.05 chips) and selectable coherent (minimum = 1 ms, maximum = 100 ms for correlation loss Δρ < 90%) and incoherent integration times (minimum of one coherent integration period and maximum not limited but typically <1 s). A high sensitivity (DDM peak relative error = 0.9% and DDM volume relative error = 0.03% @ T_i = 1 s) and stability (Δρ/Δt = −1 s⁻¹) have been achieved by means of advanced digital design techniques.     

The Emergence of Life

The Rosetta observations have greatly advanced our knowledge of the cometary nucleus and its immediate environment. However, constraints on the mission (both planned and unplanned), the only partially successful Philae lander, and other instrumental issues have inevitably resulted in open questions. Surprising results from the many successful Rosetta observations have also opened new questions, unimagined when Rosetta was first planned. We discuss these and introduce several mission concepts that might address these issues. It is apparent that a sample return mission as originally conceived in the 1980s during the genesis of Rosetta would provide many answers but it is arguable whether it is technically feasible even with today’s technology and knowledge. Less ambitious mission concepts are described to address the suggested main outstanding scientific goals.

     

The GOES-16 Spacecraft Science Magnetometer

Space Science Reviews - The Modular Multispectral Imaging Array (MMIA) is a suite of optical sensors mounted on an external platform of the European Space Agency’s Columbus Module on the...     

航天器柔性太阳翼最优PPF主动振动抑制方法

针对采用可变速控制力矩陀螺(VSCMG)进行柔性太阳翼振动抑制问题,提出一种基于求解非光滑 H∞ 综合问题的最优参数正位置反馈(PPF)控制方法。首先,建立考虑VSCMG和柔性太阳翼耦合的振动模型,得到了线性化的约束陀螺柔性板动力学模型,基于同位控制思想推导了以角度陀螺为测量装置的约束陀螺柔性板全阶状态空间模型。针对被控对象特性,确定最优PPF控制器的结构构型和待优化参数。进而,通过对约束陀螺柔性板全阶状态空间模型进行降阶、修正和加权处理,将PPF控制器参数优化问题转化为在PPF控制器构型约束条件下的非光滑H∞综合问题,并应用一阶下降算法进行寻优求解,实现最优PPF控制器的设计。该方法能够实现对各阶陀螺模态的独立控制,在保证快速性和鲁棒性的前提下,实现最优PPF参数的稳定高效求解。仿真结果表明,所提出的最优PPF控制方法能够快速、鲁棒地实现航天器柔性太阳翼的主动振动抑制。     

Sequences of Solar Events with Identical Decays as a Tool for Isolating Quasistationary States in the Interplanetary Space

Time profile of the fluxes of energetic solar particles generated by solar flares (including their phase of decline) is formed to a large extent by the structure of the interplanetary magnetic field and its irregularities that move away from the Sun with the solar wind velocity. When propagation is a pure diffusion, the solar particle fluxes decay after the maximum in a power-law manner. At the same time in many cases this decay is exponential, which is indicative of a considerable role played by the convective sweep of particles and their adiabatic deceleration in the expanding solar wind. In this paper we consider the events with long exponential decays and newly discovered series of successive events with identical exponential decays lasting for one to two weeks or more. They allow us to assume that the interplanetary space is stable and homogeneous during this period.