Understanding metabolic alterations in space flight using quantitative models: fluid and energy balance

This report summarizes many of the results obtained during the Skylab program, on metabolic changes during weightlessness. The examination of the data was conducted following an integrated multi-disciplinary and multi-experimental approach. Emphasis is given on several major aspects of metabolic adaptation to space flight: fluid-electrolyte regulation, mechanisms of hormone disturbances, energy balance and etiology of weight loss. The aim is to obtain a composite picture of the fluid, electrolyte and energy response to weightlessness.     

On the anthropogenic and natural injection of matter into Earth’s atmosphere

Every year, more and more objects are sent to space. The increasing number of countries with space programs, advancing commercialization, and ambitious satellite constellation projects raise concerns about space debris and the increase of mass flux into the atmosphere due to deorbiting of satellites and rocket bodies. A comparison of this anthropogenic influx to the natural influx due to meteoroids is presented giving detailed information about the mass, composition and ablation of the entering matter. Currently, anthropogenic material does make up about 2.8% compared to the annual injected mass of natural origin. For two different future scenarios considering planned and already partially installed large satellite constellations this fraction increases to nearly 13%, respectively 40%. For these cases, the anthropogenic injection of several metals prevails the injection by natural sources by far. Considering different ablation products, we find that the anthropogenic injection of aerosols into the atmosphere increases disproportionately. Today, they make up about 1% compared to the injected aerosol mass of natural origin, increasing to 30% and 94% for the two future scenarios, respectively. Considering the injection of atoms, the natural injection is dominant by far. For the two future scenarios, the anthropogenic injection is only at 5%, respectively 15% compared to the annual natural atom injection. The predicted strong increase in anthropogenic injection will make it significant in comparison to the natural injection which can have yet unknown effects on Earth’s atmosphere and the terrestrial habitat.     

Past and future of radio occultation studies of planetary atmospheres

Measurements of radio waves that have propagated through planetary atmospheres have provided exploratory results on atmospheric constituents, structure, dynamics, and ionization for Venus, Mars, Titan, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. Highlights of past results are reviewed in order to define and illustrate the potential of occultation and related radio studies in future planetary missions.     

Radio occultation by Saturn's rings: Observations of structure and particle size with Voyager 1

Voyager 1 radio occultation study of Saturn's rings gives detailed information regarding the rings' radial structure and particle sizes. Structure within the rings is mapped to a radial resolution of few hundred m in the tenuous parts of ring C and the Cassini Division, and few km over ost of ring A. Fine resolution profiles reveal extremely sharp edges, very narrow gaps, and a host of wave phenomena. Particle size distributions obtained from occultation data within several ring regions are roughly consistent with an inverse cube power law with upper size cutoff in the 5 to 10 m radius range.     

Surgery benefits from defense technology: dual use applications ofWright Laboratory Avionics technologies to Computer Assisted MinimallyInvasive Surgery (CAMIS)

Wright Laboratory Avionics Directorate is helping to assemble a team of defense and civilian researchers to transition defense avionics and related technologies to the medical community with the goal of improving the Computer Assisted Minimally invasive Surgery (CAMIS) concept. Key partners include Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI), a not-for-profit state-chartered agency, Cleveland Clinic Foundation hospital, and Picker International, medical equipment manufacturer. The CAMIS concept is in response to the fact that despite technical advances, most excision surgeries are exploratory rather than remedial. As a result, large incisions are required so the surgeon can first search for the “target” tissue and then, more cutting is needed to remove or destroy the “target”. CAMIS is an opportunity to transition defense avionics technologies to help tackle a critical non-defense issue on the national agenda, health care     

NASA's in-space technology experiments program: Status and plans

Experience with the Shuttle and free-flying satellites as technology test beds has shown the feasibility and desirability of using space assets as facilities for technology development. Thus, by the time the space station era arrives, technologists will be ready for an accessible engineering facility in space. Along with the scientific and commercial space development communities, the technology development community has been participating in defining requirements for this in-space facility. As the 21st century is approached, it is expected that many flights to the Space Station Freedom will carry one or more RT&E experiments. The experiments are likely to utilize both the pressurized volume, and the external payload attachment facilities. Based on the success of instrumenting the Shuttle itself to obtain ascent and descent aerothermodynamic data a unique, but extremely important, class of experiments will use the space station itself as an experimental vehicle.     

Simplified Calculation of a Covariance Given by Levin

An expression valid for large values of a signal-to-noise ratio is obtained for the covariance of a particular least squares estimate. The quantity estimated is a vector ? embodying the direction and speed of a plane wave impinging upon an array of sensors. The method used for calculation differs from that suggested by Levin [1], is thought to be more straightforward, and yields the same results.