Experimental Study of the Structures of Macroparticles in the Dust Plasma under Microgravity Conditions onboard the MirOrbital Complex

The dynamics of formation of the ordered structures of charged macroparticles under microgravity conditions is investigated. The experimental observations of the behavior of an ensemble of macroparticles were carried out onboard the Mirspace station. The analysis and comparison of results of experimental and theoretical investigations allow us to conclude that under microgravity conditions the formation of elongated, ordered structures of macroparticles, charged by solar radiation, is possible.     

Statistical analysis for rotational motion of a light descent capsule under deployment of a space cable system

The results of the statistical analysis for the rotational motion of a light descent capsule under deployment of the orbital cable system are presented. At mathematical simulation a cable is considered to be a weightless inextensible mechanical linkage. The cable is deployed according to the predetermined law. The basic spacecraft is oriented along the local geovertical by means of its own stabilization system. The simulation is carried out by the statistical testing method. The motion characteristics being studied include: modulus of the capsule angular velocity and the nutation angle at the final point of the cable deployment.     

Obstacle detection by recognizing binary expansion patterns

A technique is described for obstacle detection, based on the expansion of the image-plane projection of a textured object, as its distance from the sensor decreases. Information is conveyed by vectors whose components represent first-order temporal and spatial derivatives of the image intensity, which are related to the time to collision through the local divergence. Such vectors may be characterized as patterns corresponding to “safe” or “dangerous” situations. We show that the essential information is conveyed by single-bit vector components, representing the signs of the relevant derivatives. We use two recently developed, high capacity classifiers, employing neural learning techniques, to recognize the imminence of collision from such patterns     

Monitoring of the space system

We have performed monitoring of the space system that includes the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, and the GPS satellite group. We have discovered semi-diurnal and diurnal periodicities in the number of satellites detected as well as in the altitude, latitude and longitude by a GPS receiver. We have revealed tidal deformations related to changes in the Earth?s orientation with respect to the Moon and the Sun.     

Numerical experiments for supersonic and hypersonic flows

This paper contains the results of numerical experiments carried out by means of a modified non-stationary “large particle” method developed for the investigation of properties of both steady and non-steady flows associated with complicated gasdynamic problems. In the solution obtained by numerical analysis one may observe the formation of shock waves, local supersonic zones, separation regions with recirculation, and similar effects. Such phenomena are all of significance to a great number of practical problems.     

Simultaneous investigation of magnetospheric plasma and spacecraft charging

The results of magnetospheric plasma fluxes measurement in geosynchronous orbit are presented. The measurements were done onboard the geosynchronous Russian “Electro” spacecraft (SC) in 1995–1997 years. The diurnal variations of the plasma density and temperature were observed at various levels of geomagnetic activity.