Global communication using a constellation of low Earth meridianorbits

The concept of meridian orbits is briefly reviewed. It is shown that, if a satellite in the meridian orbit makes an odd number (>1) of revolutions per day, then the satellite passes over the same set of meridians twice a day. Satellites in such orbits pass over the same portion of the sky twice a day and every day. This enables a user to adopt a programmed mode of tracking, thereby avoiding a computational facility for orbit prediction, look angle generation, and auto tracking. A constellation of 38 or more satellites placed in a 1200-km altitude circular orbit is favorable for global communications due to various factors. It is shown that appropriate phasing in right ascension of the ascending node and mean anomaly results in a constellation wherein each satellite appears over the user's horizon one satellite after another. Visibility and coverage plots are provided to verify the continuous coverage     

A non-earthcentric approach to life detection

The ultimate goal of a comprehensive life detection strategy is never to miss life when we encounter it. To accomplish this goal, we must define life in universal, that is, non-Earthcentric, measurable terms. Next, we must understand the nature of biosignatures observed from the measured parameters of life. And finally, we must have a clear idea of the end-member states for the search--what does life, past life, or no life look like (in terms of the measured parameters) at multiple spatial and temporal scales? If we can approach these problems both in the laboratory and in the field on Earth, then we have a chance of being able to detect life elsewhere in our solar system. What are the required limits of detection at each of those scales? What spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions are necessary to detect life? These questions are actively being investigated in our group, and in this report, we present our strategy and approach to non-Earthcentric life detection.     

Study of radiation conditions onboard the International space station by means of the Liulin-5 dosimeter

For estimating radiation risk in space flights it is necessary to determine radiation dose obtained by critical organs of a human body. For this purpose the experiments with human body models are carried out onboard spacecraft. These models represent phantoms equipped with passive and active radiation detectors which measure dose distributions at places of location of critical organs. The dosimetric Liulin-5 telescope is manufactured with using three silicon detectors for studying radiation conditions in the spherical tissue-equivalent phantom on the Russian segment of the International space station (ISS). The purpose of the experiment with Liulin-5 instrument is to study dynamics of the dose rate and particle flux in the phantom, as well as variations of radiation conditions on the ISS over long time intervals depending on a phase of the solar activity cycle, orbital parameters, and presence of solar energetic particles. The Liulin-5 dosimeter measures simultaneously the dose rate and fluxes of charged particles at three depths in the radial channel of the phantom, as well as the linear energy transfer. The paper presents the results of measurements of dose rate and particle fluxes caused by various radiation field components on the ISS during the period from June 2007 till December 2009.     

一种基于实体模型的三轴数控加工刀轨生成算法

实体模型是几何造型的高级模型,它具有完整的曲面拓扑关系,国内基本实体模型的数摈加工算法的需求日渐迫切,本文提出了一种适合实体模型的三轴数控加工刀位轨迹生成算法;首先根据加工行距作一组平行于刀轴的平面,与模型的待加工表面求交,得到一系列交线,再根据加工步长规划另一组与上述平面垂直且平行于刀轴的平面,与上述交线求交,得到一交点网格,判断刀具与数据点的位置关系从而得到刀位轨迹。     

提高电铸局部电沉积速率试验研究

电铸成型是采用离子沉积的方法制造复制件,具有很好的复制精度,因此电铸技术得到了广泛的应用。但由于受极限电流密度等多方面因素的影响,电铸速率一直是制约电铸技术发展的一个瓶颈,许多学者为此做了大量的理论和试验研究,但对如何提高极限电流密度还没有提供一个比较满意的答案,为提高电铸局部电沉积速率,本文在前人工作的基础上,讨论了影响电铸速率的因素,提出了一种新型的电铸方法－喷射式电铸,并通过两组试验分析了局部电沉积速率怀电铸液流量的关系以及局部铸速率与喷嘴口径的关系,试验结果表明,采用喷射式电铸可以大大提高局部极限电流密度,从而使电铸局部电沉积速率有一个较大范围的提高,为将电铸与快速成型结合奠定了试验基础。     

Control of an orbiting flexible square platform in the presence of solar radiation

A mathematical model for the solar radiation forces and moments acting on a square plate (platform) in orbit is obtained by considering the plate mode shapes as combinations of free-free beam shape functions. The moment expressions for a plate of arbitrary reflectivity coefficient are obtained as a function of the solar incidence angle. It is seen that only the first three flexible modes of the plate generate a first order net moment about the center of mass, and that the solar radiation pressure does not influence the flexible modes of the plate for small amplitude vibrations. The solar radiation disturbance model is then included in the dynamic model of a square plate nominally oriented along the local vertical and having the major surface of the plate normal to the orbital plane. The roll angle of the plate is seen to increase steadily due to the solar radiation pressure whereas the pitch and yaw motions oscillate with an amplitude of approximately 0.2° for a 100 m square thin aluminum plate in synchronous orbit. To control the shape and orientation of the plate two point actuators are assumed—one whose force axis is normal to the plane of the plate, the second with a force axis in the plane of the plate. The control law and the feedback gain values are obtained based on linear quadratic Gaussian methods. Transient responses and control requirements are simulated for local vertical and horizontal orientations.     

Production of neutrons from interactions of GCR-like particles

In order to help assess the risk to astronauts due to the long-term exposure to the natural radiation environment in space, an understanding of how the primary radiation field is changed when passing through shielding and tissue materials must be obtained. One important aspect of the change in the primary radiation field after passing through shielding materials is the production of secondary particles from the breakup of the primary. Neutrons are an important component of the secondary particle field due to their relatively high biological weighting factors, and due to their relative abundance, especially behind thick shielding scenarios. Because of the complexity of the problem, the estimation of the risk from exposure to the secondary neutron field must be handled using calculational techniques. However, those calculations will need an extensive set of neutron cross section and thicktarget neutron yield data in order to make an accurate assessment of the risk. In this paper we briefly survey the existing neutron-production data sets that are applicable to the space radiation transport problem, and we point out how neutron production from protons is different than neutron production from heavy ions. We also make comparisons of one the heavy-ion data sets with Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) calculations.