Smallsats for METOP: Design definition, heritage and performance

The results of a study by MMS for BNSC and the UK Meteorological Office into the potential use of Smallsats to support METOP are reported. A risk of degradation or failure of a mission critical instrument during the METOP lifetime has been identified. The scenario proposed uses a Smallsat flying in formation with METOP to replace a failed instrument with data being returned to METOP via an inter-satellite link. An assessment of small launcher and small platform availability and instrument interface requirements indicates that such a scenario is feasible. Minor modifications to METOP and a relative pointing correction during ground processing would be required. It is concluded that a Smallsat could provide a significant improvement to METOP programme reliability with low design and cost risk. Scenario attractiveness depends upon whether a critical instrument failure would justify replacement.     

A technique for mapping environmental change using digital Landsat data

This paper describes a procedure for detecting and mapping changes in vegetation cover using LANDSAT digital analysis techniques, and demonstrates how the procedure can be used as an aid to environmental monitoring. Digital image analysis is used to perform a historical comparison, and a computerized colour plotter is used to map the changes in vegetation.     

Basic space sciences in Africa

Through space applications, a number of social and economic programmes in education, communications, agro-climatology, weather forecasting and remote sensing are being realized within the African continent. Regional and international organizations and agencies such as the African Remote Sensing Council, the Pan-African Telecommunication Union and the United Nations system have been instrumental in making Africa conscious of the impact and implications of space science and technology on its peoples.The above notwithstanding, discernible interests in space research, to date, in Africa, have been limited to the work on the solar system and on interplanetary matters including satellite tracking, and to the joint African-Indian proposal for the establishment of an International Institute for Space Sciences and Electronics (INISSE) and the construction, in Kenya, of a Giant Equatorial Radio Telescope (GERT).During this “Transport and Communications Decade in Africa,” Africa's basic space research efforts would need to initially focus on the appropriateness, modification and adaptation of existing technologies for African conditions with a view to providing economic, reliable and functional services for the continent. These should include elements of electronics, communications, structural and tooling industries, and upper-atmosphere research. The experience of and collaborative work with India, Brazil and Argentina, as well as the roles of African scientists, are examined.     

Temperature-Driven Segmentation for Autonomous Anti-Tank Weapons

In this paper we discuss a simple temperature-driven segmentation technique that can be used for autonomous terminal guidance of anti-tank munitions. A ratio between two images from different IR bands is taken to form an emissivity independent image that is a function of temperature only. Size and temperature discrimination can then be used to find hot spots of interest. Candidate targets are segmented from the image about the points of interest using an.algorithm that finds all regions in multi-region objects and does not require a priori intensity information. Size and gross shape features are used to determine if the segmented objects are to be classified as targets. The key to this approach is the initial hot spot extraction. The temperature dependent ratio image allows quick and confident screening of the entire field of view, so that only the regions of interest require further processing. The described techniques effectively found tanks in the presence of common battlefield clutter when used with synthetic IR imagery provided by Georgia Tech Research Institute. The simplicity, effectiveness and potential speed of this technique make it ideal for autonomous guidance of expendable anti-tank weapons, especially where only low resolution IR imagery is available.     

Source Region of High and Low Speed Wind during the Spartan 201-05 Flight

The large-scale coronal magnetic fields of the Sun are believed to play an important role in organizing the coronal plasma and channeling the high and low speed solar wind along the open magnetic field lines of the polar coronal holes and the rapidly diverging field lines close to the current sheet regions, as has been observed by the instruments aboard the Ulysses spacecraft from March 1992 to March 1997. We have performed a study of this phenomena within the framework of a semi-empirical model of the coronal expansion and solar wind using Spartan, SOHO, and Ulysses observations during the quiescent phase of the solar cycle. Key to this understanding is the demonstration that the white light coronagraph data can be used to trace out the topology of the coronal magnetic field and then using the Ulysses data to fix the strength of the surface magnetic field of the Sun. As a consequence, it is possible to utilize this semi-empirical model with remote sensing observation of the shape and density of the solar corona and in situ data of magnetic field and mass flux to predict values of the solar wind at all latitudes through out the solar system. We have applied this technique to the observations of Spartan 201-05 on 1–2 November, 1998, SOHO and Ulysses during the rising phase of this solar cycle and speculate on what solar wind velocities Ulysses will observe during its polar passes over the south and the north poles during September of 2000 and 2001. In order to do this the model has been generalized to include multiple streamer belts and co-located current sheets. The model shows some interesting new results. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Kinetic temperature and carbon dioxide from broadband infrared limb emission measurements taken from the TIMED/SABER instrument

The Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) experiment is one of four instruments on NASA’s Thermosphere–Ionosphere–Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) satellite. SABER measures broadband infrared limb emission and derives vertical profiles of kinetic temperature (Tk) from the lower stratosphere to approximately 120 km, and vertical profiles of carbon dioxide (CO₂) volume mixing ratio (vmr) from approximately 70 km to 120 km. In this paper we report on SABER Tk/CO₂ data in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region from the version 1.06 dataset. The continuous SABER measurements provide an excellent dataset to understand the evolution and mechanisms responsible for the global two-level structure of the mesopause altitude. SABER MLT Tk comparisons with ground-based sodium lidar and rocket falling sphere Tk measurements are generally in good agreement. However, SABER CO₂ data differs significantly from TIME-GCM model simulations. Indirect CO₂ validation through SABER-lidar MLT Tk comparisons and SABER-radiation transfer comparisons of nighttime 4.3 μm limb emission suggest the SABER-derived CO₂ data is a better representation of the true atmospheric MLT CO₂ abundance compared to model simulations of CO₂ vmr.     

Thrust chamber health monitoring

With the arrival of the reusable space propulsion systems, the new field of propulsion system health monitoring is emerging. Health monitoring consists of measuring and reviewing engine operating parameters which will warn of engine deterioration or abnormal operation well in advance of any failure. The health monitoring data can be used to establish that an engine should be repaired or replaced, thereby avoiding a future flight failure. This paper presents a status report on the development of a health monitoring system for regeneratively cooled thrust chambers. The system employs a single measurement with a simple nonintrusive sensor to monitor the operation of the engine. The basic measuring and sensor concept is explained and the results of both laboratory and engine firing tests with the health monitoring system are presented.