Science Missions Using CubeSats

As the role of missions and experiments carried out in outer space becomes more and more essential in our understanding of many earthly problems, such as resource management, environmental problems, and disaster management, as well as space science questions, thanks to their lower cost and faster development process CubeSats can benefit humanity and therefore, young scientists and engineers have been motivated to research and develop new CubeSat missions. Not very long after their inception, CubeSats have evolved to become accepted platforms for scientific and commercial applications. The last couple of years showed that they are a feasible tool for conducting scientific experiments, not only in the Earth orbit but also in the interplanetary space. For many countries, a CubeSat mission could prompt the community and young teams around the world to build the national capacity to launch and operate national space missions. This paper presents an overview of the key scientific and engineering gateways opened up to the younger scientific community by the advent and adaptation of new technology into CubeSat missions. The role of cooperation and the opportunities for capacity-building and education are also explored. Thus, the present article also aims to provide useful recommendations to scientists, early-career researchers, engineers, students, and anyone who intends to explore the potential and opportunities offered by CubeSats and CubeSats-based missions.      

铝锂合金——新一代轻型金属结构材料

在低比重铝合金基础上发展起来的铝锂合金的进展愈来愈快,在此期间首先为商业的需要,制造出了半成品,并投放市场。本文介绍了为首的三名制造者Alcan,Alcoa及Pechiney制造的合金,并说明了目前铝锂合金的研究和发展状况,同时试图谈谈未来发展概况。     

冷却系统阻力对汽车总阻力影响的数值预测模型研究

采用CFD方法数值模拟了小型汽车发动机冷却系统对全车阻力的影响特性.汽车的内部及外部(发动机舱及舱内)均设置了数值模拟网格.分别计算了散热器及风扇对阻力的影响,采用本校实验结果(散热器压力损失)及制造商提供的数据(散热器及风扇的质量流率)确定初始及边界条件,为基于RNS的CFD提供输入.对汽车轮胎运动模式及行驶速度对散热系统阻力及汽车总阻的影响特性也进行了计算分析.预测结果表明,冷却系统阻力占汽车总阻的6.9％,与实测值吻合.     

基于Kirchhoff方法的跨音速螺旋桨的气动声学计算

本文采用Kirchhof方法计算双桨叶Hartzel跨音速螺旋桨的远场气动噪声。Kirchhoff面为包围整个螺旋桨的固定圆柱面,首先采用FLOWer软件包直接求解Euler方程得到圆柱内和圆柱面上的近场气动流场解,然后根据Kirchhof方法求解远场声场。通过计算详细研究了圆柱的直径和高度对远场声场的影响,以及圆柱各部分对远场声压的贡献,文中同时给出了Farassat线性方法的计算结果。      

Laser Hardening of Metals

The first experiments on hardening metals by laserpeening induced residual compressive stress in the sur-face of metals for improving their resistance to cracking,stress corrosion and fatigue took place more than 30years ago. However, only today, with the development ofhigh-intensity pulse repetitive rate lasers, this methodstarts to compete to traditional peening, which use influ-ence of small metal balls.Laser peening uses pulses with high intensity 109￣1010 W/cm2 [1]. The laser energy abso…     

Coronal mass ejection (CME) activity of low mass M stars as an important factor for the habitability of terrestrial exoplanets. I. CME impact on expected magnetospheres of Earth-like exoplanets in close-in habitable zones

Low mass M- and K-type stars are much more numerous in the solar neighborhood than solar-like G-type stars. Therefore, some of them may appear as interesting candidates for the target star lists of terrestrial exoplanet (i.e., planets with mass, radius, and internal parameters identical to Earth) search programs like Darwin (ESA) or the Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph/Inferometer (NASA). The higher level of stellar activity of low mass M stars, as compared to solar-like G stars, as well as the closer orbital distances of their habitable zones (HZs), means that terrestrial-type exoplanets within HZs of these stars are more influenced by stellar activity than one would expect for a planet in an HZ of a solar-like star. Here we examine the influences of stellar coronal mass ejection (CME) activity on planetary environments and the role CMEs may play in the definition of habitability criterion for the terrestrial type exoplanets near M stars. We pay attention to the fact that exoplanets within HZs that are in close proximity to low mass M stars may become tidally locked, which, in turn, can result in relatively weak intrinsic planetary magnetic moments. Taking into account existing observational data and models that involve the Sun and related hypothetical parameters of extrasolar CMEs (density, velocity, size, and occurrence rate), we show that Earth-like exoplanets within close-in HZs should experience a continuous CME exposure over long periods of time. This fact, together with small magnetic moments of tidally locked exoplanets, may result in little or no magnetospheric protection of planetary atmospheres from a dense flow of CME plasma. Magnetospheric standoff distances of weakly magnetized Earth-like exoplanets at orbital distances 相似文献   

Porphyrin as an ideal biomarker in the search for extraterrestrial life

A key issue in astrobiological research is identifying target molecules that are unambiguously biological in origin and can be easily detected and recognized. We suggest porphyrin derivatives as an ideal target, because these chromophores are global in distribution and found in virtually all living organisms on Earth, including microorganisms that may approximate the early evolution of life on Earth. We discuss the inherent qualities that make porphyrin ideally suited for astrobiological research and discuss methods for detecting porphyrin molecules in terrestrial sedimentary environments. We present preliminary data to support the use of ToFSIMS as a powerful technique in the identification of porphyrins.     

Role of the ionosphere for the atmospheric evolution of planets

We have synthesized current understanding, mainly observations, with regard to ion escape mechanisms to space from the ionosphere and exosphere of Titan and Earth-type planets, with the intent to provide an improved input for models of atmospheric evolution on early Earth and Earth-type planets and exoplanets. We focus on the role of the ionosphere and its non-linear response to solar parameters, all of which have been underestimated in current models of ancient atmospheric escape (4 billion years ago). Factors that have been overlooked include the following: (1) Much larger variation of O(+) outflow than H(+) outflow from the terrestrial ionosphere, depending on solar and geomagnetic activities (an important consideration when attempting to determine the oxidized state of the atmosphere of early Earth); (2) magnetization of the ionopause, which keeps ionospheric ions from escaping and controls many other escape processes; (3) extra ionization by, for example, the critical ionization velocity mechanism, which expands the ionosphere to greater altitudes than current models predict; and (4) the large escape of cold ions from the dense, expanded ionosphere of Titan. Here we offer, as a guideline for quantitative simulations, a qualitative diagnosis of increases or decreases of non-thermal escape related to the ionosphere for magnetized and unmagnetized planets in response to changes in solar parameters (i.e., solar EUV/FUV flux, solar wind dynamic pressure, and interplanetary magnetic field).     

Lunar exploration and development--a sustainable model

A long-term goal of space exploration is the development of a lunar settlement that will not only be largely self-sufficient but also contribute to the economy of the Earth-Moon system. Proposals for lunar mining and materials processing developments, as well as tourism-based applications, have appeared in the literature for many years. However, so great are the technical and financial difficulties associated with sustained lunar development that, more than 30 years after the end of the Apollo programme, there have been no practical advances towards this goal. While this may soon be remedied by a series of proposed unmanned orbiters, landers and rovers, the philosophy of lunar exploration and development remains the same as it has for decades: conquer, exploit, and ignore the consequences. By contrasting the well-recognised problems of Earth orbital debris and the barely recognised issue of intentional spacecraft impacts on the lunar surface, this paper illustrates the need for a new model for lunar exploration and development. This new paradigm would assign a value to the lunar environment and provide a balance between protection and exploitation, creating, in effect, a philosophy of sustainable development for the Moon. It is suggested that this new philosophy should be an integral part of any future strategy for lunar colonisation.     

先进的电子战测试设备(AEWTS)能满足通用测试要求

由豪涅威尔公司研制的先进电子战测试设备(AEWTS)称为测试站。这个系统的结构布局极好,并有满足将来通用的测试要求的灵活性。高性能总线和硬件、软件的模块化有助于测试站的扩充,但是测试站要扩充的话还必须增加更多的资源。先进电子战测试设备从1970年末开始发展到目前这种颇有活力的状况,充分说明了该系统的潜在的扩展能力以及它的自适应性。