Columbia: what went wrong?

The results of the Gehman board's exhaustive investigation of the Columbia accident (STS-107) will have far-reaching effects on the U.S. space program.     

KEY MEASUREMENTS IN THE FUTURE – Working Group Report

The experimental basis of cosmic-ray astrophysics consists of detailed measurements of the cosmic-ray intensity arriving near earth, of observations of photons in all wavelength bands generated by cosmic ray interactions in the interstellar medium or in the cosmic-ray sources, and of laboratory studies of high energy particle interactions. In addition, a large body of astronomical information on the composition of stellar atmospheres and of the interstellar medium, including interstellar dust grains, is required to bring cosmic-ray data into context with subjects such as nucleosynthesis and evolution of the galaxy. This report will summarize some of these observational questions, will discuss specific experimental needs in current research, and will review some of the key measurements that can be expected for the near future. This review will neither be complete nor attempt to establish observational priorities. However, it will illustrate the variety of observational activities that are required to achieve progress.     

Quantification of spatial structure of human proximal tibial bone biopsies using 3D measures of complexity

Changes in trabecular bone composition during development of osteoporosis are used as a model for bone loss in microgravity conditions during a space flight. Symbolic dynamics and measures of complexity are proposed and applied to assess quantitatively the structural composition of bone tissue from 3D data sets of human tibia bone biopsies acquired by a micro-CT scanner. In order to justify the newly proposed approach, the measures of complexity of the bone architecture were compared with the results of traditional 2D bone histomorphometry. The proposed technique is able to quantify the structural loss of the bone tissue and may help to diagnose and to monitor changes in bone structure of patients on Earth as well as of the space-flying personnel.     

Novel aquatic modules for bioregenerative life-support systems based on the closed equilibrated biological aquatic system (C.E.B.A.S.)

The closed equilibrated biological aquatic system (C.E.B.A.S) is a man-made aquatic ecosystem which consists of four subcomponents: an aquatic animal habitat, an aquatic plant bioreactor, an ammonia oxidizing bacteria filter and a data acquisition/control unit. It is a precursor for different types of fish and aquatic plant production sites which are disposed for the integration into bioregenerative life-support systems. The results of two successful spaceflights of a miniaturized C.E.B.A.S version (the C.E.B.A.S. MINI MODULE) allow the optimization of aquatic food production systems which are already developed in the ground laboratory and open new aspects for their utilization as aquatic modules in space bioregenerative life support systems. The total disposition offers different stages of complexity of such aquatic modules starting with simple but efficient aquatic plant cultivators which can be implemented into water recycling systems and ending up in combined plant/fish aquaculture in connection with reproduction modules and hydroponics applications for higher land plants. In principle, aquaculture of fishes and/or other aquatic animals edible for humans offers optimal animal protein production under lowered gravity conditions without the tremendous waste management problems connected with tetrapod breeding and maintenance. The paper presents details of conducted experimental work and of future dispositions which demonstrate clearly that aquaculture is an additional possibility to combine efficient and simple food production in space with water recycling utilizing safe and performable biotechnologies. Moreover, it explains how these systems may contribute to more variable diets to fulfill the needs of multicultural crews.     

High energy cosmic ray nuclei results on Ulysses: 1. Mission overview

The cosmic ray flux observed with the Kiel Electron Telescope on board the ULYSSES spaceprobe varies with solar activity as well as with heliospheric position. Determination of the latitudinal gradients requires a careful analysis of the influences of the current sheet tilt angle, the number of major solar flares, interplanetary shocks and interaction regions evolving in the expanding solar wind. In this paper we concentrate on nuclei with rigidity above 1 GV. We discuss the effects of the variable solar activity in the declining phase of the present solar cycle and the variation with radial distance as a basis for separating latitudinal effects. We show that during this phase of the solar cycle modulation of GV nuclei is ordered by temporal evolution, radial distance and negligible latitudinal effects even at latitudes between 30° and 50° South.     

Hard X-ray balloon observations of compact galactic and extragalactic X-ray sources

A balloon program in hard X-ray astronomy (20–200 keV) is jointly pursued by the Astronomisches Institut der Universität Tübingen (AIT) and the Max Planck-Institute für Extraterrestrische Physik in Garching (MPE). Since 1973 nine successful balloon flights have been performed from Texas and Australia. Here results on Centaurus A and on several galactic binary X-ray sources are summarized. In particular the high energy photon spectrum of Hercules X-1 and the evidence for the cyclotron line feature which was discovered by us in 1976 is reviewed.     

Sensitivity Discriminating Observer Design for Instrument Failure Detection

A procedure is presented for the design of a pair of sensitivity discriminating Luenberger observers for instrument failure detection (IFD). The proposed IFD scheme permits detection of instrument malfunctions with reduced sensitivity to process parameter variations. The efficiency of detecting instrument malfunctions and the influence of parameter variations are illustrated with an example.