Navigation Solution to Maneuver a Spacecraft Relative to a Sphere Centered on a Cooperative Satellite

A differential correction algorithm is presented to deliver an impulsive maneuver to a satellite to place it within a sphere, with a user defined radius, centered around a non-maneuvering satellite within a constrained time. The differential correction algorithm develops and utilizes the State Transition Matrix along with the Equations of Motion and multiple satellite?s state information to determine the optimum trajectory to achieve the desired results. The results from the differential correction algorithm are very accurate for prograde orbits, as presented. The results allow for orbit design trade-offs, including satellites? initial inclinations, semi-major axes, as well as the ballistic coefficients. The results also provide an empirical method to determine the optimum ΔV$\mathrm{\Delta }V$ solution for the provided problem. Understanding that the minimum fuel solution lies with a semi-major axis ratio of 1, a very accurate empirical approximation is presented for semi-major axis ratio values less than and greater than 1. This work ultimately provides the generalized framework for applying the algorithm to a unique user defined maneuvering spacecraft scenario.     

High-resolution simulations of the final assembly of Earth-like planets. 2. Water delivery and planetary habitability

The water content and habitability of terrestrial planets are determined during their final assembly, from perhaps 100 1,000-km "planetary embryos " and a swarm of billions of 1-10-km "planetesimals. " During this process, we assume that water-rich material is accreted by terrestrial planets via impacts of water-rich bodies that originate in the outer asteroid region. We present analysis of water delivery and planetary habitability in five high-resolution simulations containing about 10 times more particles than in previous simulations. These simulations formed 15 terrestrial planets from 0.4 to 2.6 Earth masses, including five planets in the habitable zone. Every planet from each simulation accreted at least the Earth's current water budget; most accreted several times that amount (assuming no impact depletion). Each planet accreted at least five water-rich embryos and planetesimals from the past 2.5 astronomical units; most accreted 10-20 water-rich bodies. We present a new model for water delivery to terrestrial planets in dynamically calm systems, with low-eccentricity or low-mass giant planets-such systems may be very common in the Galaxy. We suggest that water is accreted in comparable amounts from a few planetary embryos in a " hit or miss " way and from millions of planetesimals in a statistically robust process. Variations in water content are likely to be caused by fluctuations in the number of water-rich embryos accreted, as well as from systematic effects, such as planetary mass and location, and giant planet properties.     

Cassini-Huygens Investigations of Satellite Surfaces and Interiors

The Saturnian system contains 18 known satellites ranging from 10 km to 2575 km in radius. In bulk properties and surface appearance these objects show less regularity than the sparser Jupiter system. The Galilean-sized moon Titan sports a dense atmosphere of nitrogen and methane which renders surface observations difficult, but also makes this moon intriguing from the standpoints of climate change and exobiology. The Cassini-Huygens mission will make extensive observations of the satellites over a range of wavelengths, as well as using in-situ sampling of satellite environments (and in the case of Titan, sampling of atmosphere and surface). The goals of these extensive investigations are to understand the bulk properties of the satellites, their surface compositions and evolution through time, as well as interactions with the magnetosphere and rings of Saturn. This knowledge in turn should provide a deeper understanding of the origin of the Saturnian system as a whole and underlying causes for the distinctive differences from the Jovian satellite system. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

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.     

Origin of Molecular Oxygen in Comets: Current Knowledge and Perspectives

The Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis (ROSINA) instrument onboard the Rosetta spacecraft has measured molecular oxygen (O₂) in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P/C-G) in surprisingly high abundances. These measurements mark the first unequivocal detection of O₂ in a cometary environment. The large relative abundance of O₂ in 67P/C-G despite its high reactivity and low interstellar abundance poses a puzzle for its origin in comet 67P/C-G, and potentially other comets. Since its detection, there have been a number of hypotheses put forward to explain the production and origin of O₂ in the comet. These hypotheses cover a wide range of possibilities from various in situ production mechanisms to protosolar nebula and primordial origins. Here, we review the O₂ formation mechanisms from the literature, and provide a comprehensive summary of the current state of knowledge of the sources and origin of cometary O₂.     

Satellite communications' role in national development : Policy and regulatory aspects

This paper examines the way in which satellite communication can assist development in the Third World — through improvement of access to education, integration, especially of remote areas, increased market opportunities and as a tool to attract investment — with particular reference to Indinesia. Future trends, eg the expansion of satellite capability, introduction of new services, liberalization and a shift in satellite utilization towards broadcasting, are discussed, as are the regulatory reforms that will be needed to accommodate them.     

Remote sounding of atmospheric gravity waves with satellite limb and nadir techniques

Recent advances in satellite techniques hold great potential for mapping global gravity wave (GW) processes at various altitudes. Poor understanding of small-scale GWs has been a major limitation to numerical climate and weather models for making reliable forecasts. Observations of short-scale features have important implication for validating and improving future high-resolution numerical models. This paper summarizes recent GW observations and sensitivities from several satellite instruments, including MLS, AMSU-A, AIRS, GPS, and CLAES. It is shown in an example that mountain waves with horizontal wavelengths as short as 30 km now can be observed by AIRS, reflecting the superior horizontal resolution in these modern satellite instruments. Our studies show that MLS, AMSU-A and AIRS observations reveal similar GW characteristics, with the observed variances correlated well with background winds. As a complementary technique, limb sounding instruments like CRISTA, CLAES, and GPS can detect GWs with better vertical but poorer horizontal resolutions. To resolve different parts of the broad GW spectrum, both satellite limb and nadir observing techniques are needed, and a better understanding of GW complexities requires joint analyses of these data and dedicated high-resolution model simulations.     

Game theory and the law and policy of outer space

Cooperation is a major theme of international space law but the law and history also recognize the existence of competition and conflict. What are the trend lines in terms of promoting collective goods, commercialization and new military uses of space? An overview of selected major laws and policies, as they relate to cooperation, competition and conflict, combined with a theoretical examination of game theory (zero-sum and non-zero sum games), will enable us to obtain an overall understanding of the space age and the choices that space lawyers and policy makers face in the future.     

Evaluation of three high-resolution satellite precipitation estimates: Potential for monsoon monitoring over Pakistan

Multi-sensor precipitation datasets including two products from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) and estimates from Climate Prediction Center Morphing Technique (CMORPH) product were quantitatively evaluated to study the monsoon variability over Pakistan. Several statistical and graphical techniques are applied to illustrate the nonconformity of the three satellite products from the gauge observations. During the monsoon season (JAS), the three satellite precipitation products captures the intense precipitation well, all showing high correlation for high rain rates (>30 mm/day). The spatial and temporal satellite rainfall error variability shows a significant geo-topography dependent distribution, as all the three products overestimate over mountain ranges in the north and coastal region in the south parts of Indus basin. The TMPA-RT product tends to overestimate light rain rates (approximately 100%) and the bias is low for high rain rates (about ±20%). In general, daily comparisons from 2005 to 2010 show the best agreement between the TMPA-V7 research product and gauge observations with correlation coefficient values ranging from moderate (0.4) to high (0.8) over the spatial domain of Pakistan. The seasonal variation of rainfall frequency has large biases (100–140%) over high latitudes (36N) with complex terrain for daily, monsoon, and pre-monsoon comparisons. Relatively low uncertainties and errors (Bias ±25% and MAE 1–10 mm) were associated with the TMPA-RT product during the monsoon-dominated region (32–35N), thus demonstrating their potential use for developing an operational hydrological application of the satellite-based near real-time products in Pakistan for flood monitoring.     

A facility for long-term Mars simulation experiments: the Mars Environmental Simulation Chamber (MESCH)

We describe the design, construction, and pilot operation of a Mars simulation facility comprised of a cryogenic environmental chamber, an atmospheric gas analyzer, and a xenon/mercury discharge source for UV generation. The Mars Environmental Simulation Chamber (MESCH) consists of a double-walled cylindrical chamber. The double wall provides a cooling mantle through which liquid N(2) can be circulated. A load-lock system that consists of a small pressure-exchange chamber, which can be evacuated, allows for the exchange of samples without changing the chamber environment. Fitted within the MESCH is a carousel, which holds up to 10 steel sample tubes. Rotation of the carousel is controlled by an external motor. Each sample in the carousel can be placed at any desired position. Environmental data, such as temperature, pressure, and UV exposure time, are computer logged and used in automated feedback mechanisms, enabling a wide variety of experiments that include time series. Tests of the simulation facility have successfully demonstrated its ability to produce temperature cycles and maintain low temperature (down to -140 degrees C), low atmospheric pressure (5-10 mbar), and a gas composition like that of Mars during long-term experiments.