Theoretical and experimental study of a method for the protection of spacecraft from high–speed particles

In this paper, we perform numerical simulation and experimental determination of the limiting resistance of the spacecraft design elements used when developing anti-meteorite protection of spacecraft as well as protection against space debris. One possible way to increase the efficiency of protective shields and satisfy the requirements of the mass characteristics of the latter is the use of mesh barriers.     

Time delays in the nonthermal radiation of solar flares according to observations of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">CORONAS-F</Emphasis> satellite

In 2001–2003, the X-ray and microwave observations of ten solar flares of M- and X-classes were carried out by the CORONAS-F orbital station, the RSTN Sun service, and Nobeyama radio polarimeters. Based on these observations, a correlation analysis of time profiles of nonthermal radiation was performed. On average, hard X-ray radiation outstrips the microwave radiation in 9 events, i.e., time delays are positive. The appearance of negative delays is associated with effective scattering of accelerated electrons in pitch angles, where the length of the free path of a particle is less than the half-length of a flare loop. The additional indications are obtained in favor of the need to account for the effect of magnetic mirrors on the dynamics of energetic particles in the coronal arches.     

Numerical Results on the Convergence of Relative Efficiencies

This paper considers the detection of a known constant signal in an additive non-Gaussian noise under the assumptions of discrete time and statistically independent noise samples. The objective is to determine how large sample size must be before the easily computed asymptotic relative efficiency becomes a valid measure of performance. The exact small-sample error probabilities are calculated for a Neyman-Pearson optimal nonlinear detector consisting of a zeromemory nonlinearity followed by summation and threshold comparison. "Large-tailed" noise having a double exponential distribution is used as an example. The exact distribution of the test statistics for a linear detector and for the Neyman-Pearson optimal detector are calculated. Then the relative efficiency of the Neyman-Pearson optimal detector, as compared to a linear detector, is computed in order to study the rate of approach of the relative efficiency to its asymptotic value.     

Direct-Ranging Loran Model Identification and Performance Predictions

With the availability of modern data processing techniques and lowcost stable time references, the use of Loran in a direct-ranging mode offers certain potential advantages. In order to generate reliable direct-ranging Loran (DRL) performance projections and system designs, however, accurate system error models are required. This paper first describes the processing of airborne flight data from a DRL receiver to identify models for significant DRL system errors. These models are then used in a Kalman filter covariance simulation to generate performance predictions for an optimally integrated DRL system. Comparisons with conventional hyperbolic Loran are also given. DRL is shown to be capable of substantially improved position accuracy over that of conventional hyperbolic Loran, especially in regions of poor geometry. A stationary ground-align technique for improving DRL performance is also discussed.     

Hard Limiting in Synthetic Aperture Signal Processing

In synthetic aperture radar a large linear phased array is formed from the rapid movement of a single element through each position in the array. Storage and coherent combining of the successive radar echoes are central to the array-forming process. Optical processing is the most common technique because of the efficiency with which Fourier transformation may be accomplished with simple optics. Real-time operation, however, requires all-electronic processing, which is difficult to accomplish because of the huge quantity of data to be manipulated. Dynamic range compression by hard limiting may ease the problem by reducing the number of bits per frame. The effects of hard limiting are analyzed in this paper. It is shown that large targets simultaneously illuminated by the radar antenna will produce image targets or ghosts displaced in angle. Statistically homogeneous clutter will "linearize" the hard-limited receiver and suppress the ghosts without loss in contrast, as does thermal noise if it is larger than the target echoes. Pulse compression reduces the probability of images from prominent targets. Judicious choice of the pulse-compression waveform is a powerful tool for destroying coherent buildup of images from all large targets not in the same range resolution cell. Linear FM, the most common choice, unfortunately does not exhibit this desirable property.     

Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector for the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

The design of the Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector (LEND) experiment is presented, which was optimized to address several of the primary measurement requirements of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO): high spatial resolution hydrogen mapping of the Moon’s upper-most surface, identification of putative deposits of appreciable near-surface water ice in the Moon’s polar cold traps, and characterization of the human-relevant space radiation environment in lunar orbit. A comprehensive program of LEND instrument physical calibrations is discussed and the baseline scenario of LEND observations from the primary LRO lunar orbit is presented. LEND data products will be useful for determining the next stages of the emerging global lunar exploration program, and they will facilitate the study of the physics of hydrogen implantation and diffusion in the regolith, test the presence of water ice deposits in lunar cold polar traps, and investigate the role of neutrons within the radiation environment of the shallow lunar surface.     

Nonuniform array processing via the polynomial approach

A polynomial approach for maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation of superimposed signals in time-series problems and array processing was recently proposed. This technique was applied successfully to linear uniform arrays and to uniformly sampled complex exponential signals. However, uniformly spaced arrays are not optimal for minimum variance estimation of bearing, range or position, and uniform sampling of signals is not always possible in practice. The authors make use of the expectation-maximization algorithm to apply the polynomial approach to sublattice arrays and to missing samples in time-series problems     

Gravitation Maneuver Using the Families of Super-Unstable Orbits around the Libration Points

The families of periodic solutions to an autonomous Hamiltonian system in that part where the solutions are unstable have their specific field of influence. Under strong instability, the orbits that have fallen in such a field of influence are drawn into the family as in a whirlpool and then are thrown away from it. In the particular case of the restricted three-body problem, the orbits around the libration points L ₁ and L ₂ are super-unstable and the Keplerian elements in motion over these orbits change drastically. When the orbits fall into such a domain, for some time the motion is close to the motion around the libration point, and after being thrown out of this domain, the Keplerian orbital elements also change essentially.