空间目标轨道确定专家系统

空间目标轨道确定专家系统的面向空间监测需求开发的大型交互式应用软件。它的功能面向空间监测和信息分析中广泛的业务需求，基础是轨道计算软件，数据库支持和一些辅助支持软件。本文详细地介绍了空间目标轨道确定专家系统软件的设计方案。     

信号采集卫星系统星地资源快速调度优化方法

针对信号采集卫星系统中,采集目标的优先级和携带的信息量在星地资源调度过程中不断随时间变化的特点,提出了一种基于二次映射编码的动态调度差分演化算法（QMDSDE）。算法将采集目标的优先级和携带的信息量进行加权,作为采集的收益。在迭代求解时,根据卫星可见时间窗口的周期性特点设置固定的检测频率,以当前时刻所有目标收益的平均值和敏感系数的乘积作为检测环境变化的阈值。当检测算子的值大于阈值时,算法通过前向预测模型动态调整搜索方向,寻找问题的实时Pareto最优解。算法采用二次映射编码消除星地资源组合中的无效解,降低了算法的搜索空间,提高了算法的求解速度。经仿真校验,该方法在信号采集过程中,可以得到收益较好的星地资源调度方案,且具备较快的收敛速度。     

发汗冷却喷管在火箭发动机上的应用

较系统地介绍了发汗冷却的机理和发汗冷却研究的发展历程，说明了发汗喷管不同研究阶段的典型结构，并重点阐述了可望很快应用于工程上的发汗喷管结构，同时列出了发汗喷管计算中关键技术－热量交换的有关数学模型和各参数的取值。指出了近期需要开展的工作。     

基于PIV速度场测量的压强梯度计算

介绍了基于PIV速度场测量结果计算压强梯度的基本原理和3种不同的计算方法,并通过对流高斯涡模型系统研究了离散格式选取、PIV参数设置和流场特征等对压强梯度计算的影响.结果表明:PIV速度测量的精度是压强梯度计算的关键性影响因素,1%噪声对结果的影响比其他过程高约2个数量级;时间分辨率和空间分辨率的设置并非越高越好,而是有个合适的中间值;拉格朗日方法在大多数情况下优于欧拉方法,但当流动结构较复杂时性能较差,应根据流动类型和流场特征合理选取压强梯度计算方法.      

The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) Technology Demonstration

The Miniature Radio Frequency (Mini-RF) system is manifested on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) as a technology demonstration and an extended mission science instrument. Mini-RF represents a significant step forward in spaceborne RF technology and architecture. It combines synthetic aperture radar (SAR) at two wavelengths (S-band and X-band) and two resolutions (150 m and 30 m) with interferometric and communications functionality in one lightweight (16 kg) package. Previous radar observations (Earth-based, and one bistatic data set from Clementine) of the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar poles seem to indicate areas of high circular polarization ratio (CPR) consistent with volume scattering from volatile deposits (e.g. water ice) buried at shallow (0.1–1 m) depth, but only at unfavorable viewing geometries, and with inconclusive results. The LRO Mini-RF utilizes new wideband hybrid polarization architecture to measure the Stokes parameters of the reflected signal. These data will help to differentiate “true” volumetric ice reflections from “false” returns due to angular surface regolith. Additional lunar science investigations (e.g. pyroclastic deposit characterization) will also be attempted during the LRO extended mission. LRO’s lunar operations will be contemporaneous with India’s Chandrayaan-1, which carries the Forerunner Mini-SAR (S-band wavelength and 150-m resolution), and bistatic radar (S-Band) measurements may be possible. On orbit calibration, procedures for LRO Mini-RF have been validated using Chandrayaan 1 and ground-based facilities (Arecibo and Greenbank Radio Observatories).     

FAST FEATURE RANKING AND ITS APPLICATION TO FACE RECOGNITION

A fast feature ranking algorithm for classification in the presence of high dimensionahty and small sample size is proposed. The basic idea is that the important features force the data points of the same class to maintain their intrinsic neighbor relations, whereas neighboring points of different classes are no longer to stick to one an- other. Applying this assumption, an optimization problem weighting each feature is derived. The algorithm does not involve the dense matrix eigen-decomposition which can be computationally expensive in time. Extensive exper- iments are conducted to validate the significance of selected features using the Yale, Extended YaleB and PIE data- sets. The thorough evaluation shows that, using one-nearest neighbor classifier, the recognition rates using 100-- 500 leading features selected by the algorithm distinctively outperform those with features selected by the baseline feature selection algorithms, while using support vector machine features selected by the algorithm show less prominent improvement. Moreover, the experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is particularly effi- cient for multi-class face recognition problem.     

Pilots for space tourism

This article sheds light on the key player needed for any space tourism adventure: the pilot who flies the spacecraft. The paper addresses the potential benefits of including a pilot at the controls when designing a space tourism spacecraft. It examines the basic qualifications and advanced skills required of space tourism pilots and discusses key training requirements for selected pilots and space pilots' pay and benefits. In addition, the research concludes that, just as the pioneers of passenger transport in aviation entertained and captured the interest of their passengers, the space pilot should have the skills of a tour guide.     

RF communications subsystem for the Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission

The NASA Radiation Belt Storm Probes (RBSP) mission, currently in Phase B, is a two-spacecraft, Earth-orbiting mission, which will launch in 2012. The spacecraft's S-band radio frequency (RF) telecommunications subsystem has three primary functions: provide spacecraft command capability, provide spacecraft telemetry and science data return, and provide accurate Doppler data for navigation. The primary communications link to the ground is via the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory's (JHU/APL) 18 m dish, with secondary links to the NASA 13 m Ground Network and the Tracking and Data Relay Spacecraft System (TDRSS) in single-access mode. The on-board RF subsystem features the APL-built coherent transceiver and in-house builds of a solid-state power amplifier and conical bifilar helix broad-beam antennas. The coherent transceiver provides coherency digitally, and controls the downlink data rate and encoding within its field-programmable gate array (FPGA). The transceiver also provides a critical command decoder (CCD) function, which is used to protect against box-level upsets in the C&DH subsystem. Because RBSP is a spin-stabilized mission, the antennas must be symmetric about the spin axis. Two broad-beam antennas point along both ends of the spin axis, providing communication coverage from boresight to 70°. An RF splitter excites both antennas; therefore, the mission is designed such that no communications are required close to 90° from the spin axis due to the interferometer effect from the two antennas. To maximize the total downlink volume from the spacecraft, the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP) has been baselined for the RBSP mission. During real-time ground contacts with the APL ground station, downlinked files are checked for errors. Handshaking between flight and ground CFDP software results in requests to retransmit only the file fragments lost due to dropouts. This allows minimization of RF link margins, thereby maximizing data rate and thus data volume.     

Computational fluid dynamics and material processing (buoyancy and thermocapillary convections in melts during directional crystallization)

Modelisation and solution of heat and mass transfer problems relevant for material processing are generally hard to be handled, as they often involve 3D unsteady flows, viscous mixtures, phase changes, moving liquid-solid fronts, deforming liquid-gas interfaces, etc.… For space applications, material processing benefits of reduced buoyancy convection but can be faced to a strongly increased complexity due to variable g, mainly in manned flight.

Computational techniques used to analyse fluid motions in material processing, accounting for free surface, crystallization front and bulk convection in melt, are reviewed with emphasis to directional crystallization. Hydrodynamics stability and bifurcation analysis are shown to be useful complementary tools for correlating data, and for a better understanding of the physical laws. This last point will be illustrated in the case of the onset of oscillations in metallic melts.     

Analysis and design of Cubesat constellation for the Mediterranean south costal monitoring against illegal immigration

Costal monitoring is focused on fast response to illegal immigration and illegal ship traffic. Especially, the illegal ship traffic has been present in media since April 2015, as the number of reported deaths of immigrants crossing the Mediterranean significantly increased. Satellite images provide a possibility to at least partially control both types of events. This paper defines the principal criteria to select the best satellite constellation architecture for maritime and coastal monitoring, filling the gaps of imagery techniques in term of real-time control. The primary purpose of a constellation is to obtain global measurement improving the temporal resolution. The small size and low-cost are the main factors, which make CubeSats ideal for use in constellations. We propose a constellation of 9 Cubesats distributed evenly in 3 different planes. This reduces the revisit time enhancing the coverage duration. In addition, it also allows observing fire, damage on building and similar disasters. In this analysis, the performance criteria were reported such as the revisit time, the vision duration and the area coverage.