Statistical validation of HZETRN as a function of vertical cutoff rigidity using ISS measurements

Measurements taken in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) onboard the International Space Station (ISS) and transit vehicles have been extensively used to validate radiation transport models. Primarily, such comparisons were done by integrating measured data over mission or trajectory segments so that individual comparisons to model results could be made. This approach has yielded considerable information but is limited in its ability to rigorously quantify and differentiate specific model errors or uncertainties. Further, as exploration moves beyond LEO and measured data become sparse, the uncertainty estimates derived from these validation cases will no longer be applicable. Recent improvements in the underlying numerical methods used in HZETRN have resulted in significant decreases in code run time. Therefore, the large number of comparisons required to express error as a function of a physical quantity, like cutoff rigidity, are now possible. Validation can be looked at in detail over any portion of a flight trajectory (e.g. minute by minute) such that a statistically significant number of comparisons can be made. This more rigorous approach to code validation will allow the errors caused by uncertainties in the geometry models, environmental models, and nuclear physics models to be differentiated and quantified. It will also give much better guidance for future model development. More importantly, it will allow a quantitative means of extrapolating uncertainties in LEO to free space. In this work, measured data taken onboard the ISS during solar maximum are compared to results obtained with the particle transport code HZETRN. Comparisons are made at a large number (∼77,000) of discrete time intervals, allowing error estimates to be given as a function of cutoff rigidity. It is shown that HZETRN systematically underestimates exposure quantities at high cutoff rigidity. The errors are likely associated with increased angular variation in the geomagnetic field near the equator, the lack of pion production in HZETRN, and errors in high energy nuclear physics models, and will be the focus of future work.     

边界层吸气对压气机叶栅角区分离损失的控制

压气机角区的大范围回流通常会引起叶片通道中的三维阻塞现象,并伴随有强烈的掺混流动损失。采用德国航空航天中心(DLR)开发的TRACE程序,在其推进技术研究所的高速压气机叶栅试验台(包含5个NACA65K48直叶片)上,研究了位于端壁上的边界层吸气措施——叶片弦中近尾缘吸气槽(MTE)对该直压气机叶栅通道的角区分离进行控制,减小二次流动损失,进而削弱其对总损失的影响。通过基于定常雷诺平均Navier-Stokes(RANS)方法的数值模拟研究与相应的试验研究对比,端壁边界层吸气能够较好地重新组织角区气流流动,减弱附着于叶片吸力面尾缘的集中脱落涡,使得角区分离涡强度显著降低,由此引起的二次流损失也明显降低,与无吸气状态相比最大降幅可达81.2%;在设计状态下采用吸气流量率为1%的MTE,总压损失有很大程度的降低:在数值计算中,降幅为15.2%;试验测量中为9.7%。     

Behavioral and biological effects of autonomous versus scheduled mission management in simulated space-dwelling groups

Logistical constraints during long-duration space expeditions will limit the ability of Earth-based mission control personnel to manage their astronaut crews and will thus increase the prevalence of autonomous operations. Despite this inevitability, little research exists regarding crew performance and psychosocial adaptation under such autonomous conditions. To this end, a newly-initiated study on crew management systems was conducted to assess crew performance effectiveness under rigid schedule-based management of crew activities by Mission Control versus more flexible, autonomous management of activities by the crews themselves. Nine volunteers formed three long-term crews and were extensively trained in a simulated planetary geological exploration task over the course of several months. Each crew then embarked on two separate 3–4 h missions in a counterbalanced sequence: Scheduled, in which the crews were directed by Mission Control according to a strict topographic and temporal region-searching sequence, and Autonomous, in which the well-trained crews received equivalent baseline support from Mission Control but were free to explore the planetary surface as they saw fit. Under the autonomous missions, performance in all three crews improved (more high-valued geologic samples were retrieved), subjective self-reports of negative emotional states decreased, unstructured debriefing logs contained fewer references to negative emotions and greater use of socially-referent language, and salivary cortisol output across the missions was attenuated. The present study provides evidence that crew autonomy may improve performance and help sustain if not enhance psychosocial adaptation and biobehavioral health. These controlled experimental data contribute to an emerging empirical database on crew autonomy which the international astronautics community may build upon for future research and ultimately draw upon when designing and managing missions.     

Survival of Deinococcus radiodurans against laboratory-simulated solar wind charged particles

In this experimental study, cells of the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans were exposed to several different sources of radiation chosen to replicate the charged particles found in the solar wind. Naked cells or cells mixed with dust grains (basalt or sandstone) differing in elemental composition were exposed to electrons, protons, and ions to determine the probability of cell survival after irradiation. Doses necessary to reduce the viability of cell population to 10% (LD(10)) were determined under different experimental conditions. The results of this study indicate that low-energy particle radiation (2-4?keV), typically present in the slow component of the solar wind, had no effect on dehydrated cells, even if exposed at fluences only reached in more than 1000 years at Sun-Earth distance (1 AU). Higher-energy ions (200?keV) found in solar flares would inactivate 90% of exposed cells after several events in less than 1 year at 1 AU. When mixed with dust grains, LD(10) increases about 10-fold. These results show that, compared to the highly deleterious effects of UV radiation, solar wind charged particles are relatively benign, and organisms protected under grains from UV radiation would also be protected from the charged particles considered in this study.     

A new rationale for returning to the Moon? Protecting civilization with a sanctuary

A process is well underway in which the scientific, technical and cultural information vital to our society is stored in digital form within a limited number of computer facilities. This practice is vulnerable to a variety of catastrophes which would destroy our knowledge base in addition to the losses they caused to population and structures. The Alliance to Rescue Civilization (ARC) proposes that a staffed data backup facility be constructed in a secure location, with the Moon as the site of choice. If Earth's population were destroyed entirely, the lunar sanctuary could serve to repopulate the planet.     

Dust Near The Sun

We review the current knowledge and understanding of dust in the inner solar system. The major sources of the dust population in the inner solar system are comets and asteroids, but the relative contributions of these sources are not quantified. The production processes inward from 1 AU are: Poynting-Robertson deceleration of particles outside of 1 AU, fragmentation into dust due to particle-particle collisions, and direct dust production from comets. The loss processes are: dust collisional fragmentation, sublimation, radiation pressure acceleration, sputtering, and rotational bursting. These loss processes as well as dust surface processes release dust compounds in the ambient interplanetary medium. Between 1 and 0.1 AU the dust number densities and fluxes can be described by inward extrapolation of 1 AU measurements, assuming radial dependences that describe particles in close to circular orbits. Observations have confirmed the general accuracy of these assumptions for regions within 30° latitude of the ecliptic plane. The dust densities are considerably lower above the solar poles but Lorentz forces can lift particles of sizes < 5 μm to high latitudes and produce a random distribution of small grains that varies with the solar magnetic field. Also long-period comets are a source of out-of-ecliptic particles. Under present conditions no prominent dust ring exists near the Sun. We discuss the recent observations of sungrazing comets. Future in-situ experiments should measure the complex dynamics of small dust particles, identify the contribution of cometary dust to the inner-solar-system dust cloud, and determine dust interactions in the ambient interplanetary medium. The combination of in-situ dust measurements with particle and field measurements is recommended.     

Evidence that far-infrared radiation promotes growth of Xenopus laevis.

In most ectotherms, environmental temperature has differential effects on growth and differentiation. For example, amphibian size at maturity decreases with increasing temperature. To address how radiant heat in the form of far-infrared radiation (FIR) may affect development of the aquatic ectotherm Xenopus laevis, we continuously irradiated swimming larvae as they developed into young adults. Here we report evidence that FIR promotes growth of these organisms in an aqueous environment.     

Space spin-offs: Making them known, improving their use

This paper identifies new ideas for using existing space technologies as spin-offs and considers the effectiveness of the use of such technologies for various industries and applications. It then explores the dissemination of knowledge and information about such spin-off technology and applications to various audiences. It proposes methods to improve the dissemination of such knowledge and information. The paper concludes with some recommendations on how the dissemination of information about space spin-offs can increase awareness and use of such technology and, in the long term, increase support for space activities. The perspective of this article is that of the world's various space agencies and the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS). It is recognized that truly effective spin-offs depend on the involvement of those outside the space arena, particularly the commercial, academic and governmental sectors. These sectors and the general public must see the value and cost efficiency of ‘spin-offs’ and of developing new technology and systems through space research programs or they will not succeed. This may require space agencies to stay more focused on research and to hand over functions and activities to these ‘outside sectors’ once ‘seeds are planted’.     

A new ESA educational initiative: Euro Space Center class teachers in microgravity during parabolic flights

Since 1984, the European Space Agency (ESA) has organized 30 aircraft parabolic flight campaigns in the frame of its Microgravity Programme to perform short duration scientific and technological experiments. On each campaign, ESA invites journalists to report to the general public on the research work conducted in weightlessness. A new initiative was launched in 2000 with the introduction of pedagogical experiments aiming at educating youngsters and the general public on weightlessness effects. In November 2000, four secondary school teachers detached to the Euro Space Center (ESC) participated in the 29th ESA campaign. The ESC in Belgium provides recreational and educational activities for the general public and organizes space classes targeted at primary and secondary school pupils. The four teachers performed simple experiments with gyroscopes, yo-yos, magnetic balls, pendulum and food to explain their different behaviour in weightlessness, to show characteristics and possibilities of the microgravity environment and the difficulties that astronauts encounter in their daily life in orbit.     

Mars Science Laboratory Mission and Science Investigation

Scheduled to land in August of 2012, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Mission was initiated to explore the habitability of Mars. This includes both modern environments as well as ancient environments recorded by the stratigraphic rock record preserved at the Gale crater landing site. The Curiosity rover has a designed lifetime of at least one Mars year (～23?months), and drive capability of at least 20?km. Curiosity’s science payload was specifically assembled to assess habitability and includes a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer and gas analyzer that will search for organic carbon in rocks, regolith fines, and the atmosphere (SAM instrument); an x-ray diffractometer that will determine mineralogical diversity (CheMin instrument); focusable cameras that can image landscapes and rock/regolith textures in natural color (MAHLI, MARDI, and Mastcam instruments); an alpha-particle x-ray spectrometer for in situ determination of rock and soil chemistry (APXS instrument); a?laser-induced breakdown spectrometer to remotely sense the chemical composition of rocks and minerals (ChemCam instrument); an active neutron spectrometer designed to search for water in rocks/regolith (DAN instrument); a weather station to measure modern-day environmental variables (REMS instrument); and a sensor designed for continuous monitoring of background solar and cosmic radiation (RAD instrument). The various payload elements will work together to detect and study potential sampling targets with remote and in situ measurements; to acquire samples of rock, soil, and atmosphere and analyze them in onboard analytical instruments; and to observe the environment around the rover. The 155-km diameter Gale crater was chosen as Curiosity’s field site based on several attributes: an interior mountain of ancient flat-lying strata extending almost 5?km above the elevation of the landing site; the lower few hundred meters of the mountain show a progression with relative age from clay-bearing to sulfate-bearing strata, separated by an unconformity from overlying likely anhydrous strata; the landing ellipse is characterized by a mixture of alluvial fan and high thermal inertia/high albedo stratified deposits; and a number of stratigraphically/geomorphically distinct fluvial features. Samples of the crater wall and rim rock, and more recent to currently active surface materials also may be studied. Gale has a well-defined regional context and strong evidence for a progression through multiple potentially habitable environments. These environments are represented by a stratigraphic record of extraordinary extent, and insure preservation of a rich record of the environmental history of early Mars. The interior mountain of Gale Crater has been informally designated at Mount Sharp, in honor of the pioneering planetary scientist Robert Sharp. The major subsystems of the MSL Project consist of a single rover (with science payload), a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator, an Earth-Mars cruise stage, an entry, descent, and landing system, a launch vehicle, and the mission operations and ground data systems. The primary communication path for downlink is relay through the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The primary path for uplink to the rover is Direct-from-Earth. The secondary paths for downlink are Direct-to-Earth and relay through the Mars Odyssey orbiter. Curiosity is a scaled version of the 6-wheel drive, 4-wheel steering, rocker bogie system from the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) Spirit and Opportunity and the Mars Pathfinder Sojourner. Like Spirit and Opportunity, Curiosity offers three primary modes of navigation: blind-drive, visual odometry, and visual odometry with hazard avoidance. Creation of terrain maps based on HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) and other remote sensing data were used to conduct simulated driving with Curiosity in these various modes, and allowed selection of the Gale crater landing site which requires climbing the base of a mountain to achieve its primary science goals. The Sample Acquisition, Processing, and Handling (SA/SPaH) subsystem is responsible for the acquisition of rock and soil samples from the Martian surface and the processing of these samples into fine particles that are then distributed to the analytical science instruments. The SA/SPaH subsystem is also responsible for the placement of the two contact instruments (APXS, MAHLI) on rock and soil targets. SA/SPaH consists of a robotic arm and turret-mounted devices on the end of the arm, which include a drill, brush, soil scoop, sample processing device, and the mechanical and electrical interfaces to the two contact science instruments. SA/SPaH also includes drill bit boxes, the organic check material, and an observation tray, which are all mounted on the front of the rover, and inlet cover mechanisms that are placed over the SAM and CheMin solid sample inlet tubes on the rover top deck.