Atmospheric drag modelling for orbital micro-debris at LEO altitudes

Data from satellite impact experiments and the scanning of recovered spacecraft offers an extended timebase to examine, using a consistent methodology, the microparticle fluxes. New penetration data from the TiCCE experiment on Eureca /1, 2/ adds to this database and shows that - despite an expected growth in the micro-debris flux - the observed flux is not greater than either LDEF or SMM. The question arises: “is this consistent with the micro particle flux being dominated by space debris or by meteoroids”.

To assist this assessment, numerical modelling using the Gear method /3/ of explicit time integration of the atmospheric drag lifetime of micron dimensioned orbital debris in both circular (LEO) and eccentric (GTO) orbits has been performed for the relevant space exposures. Results are applied to the data to examine whether the recent variations in flux can be attributed to varying levels of, orbital micro-debris caused by atmospheric drag and its changes during the solar cycle.     

Influence of Microgravity on Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis of Refractory Inorganic Compounds

The self-propagating high-temperature synthesis was applied for the production of foam materials under the conditions of microgravity aboard the Mirstation. The materials obtained have a porous bimodal structure. The results of space experiments predicted using the interpolation method are checked. An unpredicted phase separation of the combustion products is discovered. The autowave combustion of suspended nickel-clad aluminum solids is observed for the first time. The combustion products were found to have a frame structure.     

Blood and clonogenic hemopoietic cells of newts after the space flight.

Ribbed newts were used for studying the effect of space flight on board of the biosatellite (Cosmos-2229) on blood and clonogenic hemopoietic cells. In blood of newts of the flight group, the relative proportion of neutrophils increased, whereas that of lymphocytes and eosinophils decreased. Space flight did not result in loss of the ability of newt blood cells to incorporate H3-thymidine. Analysis of clonogenic hemopoietic cells was performed using the method of hemopoietic colony formation on cellulose acetate membranes implanted into the peritoneal cavity of irradiated newts. To analyze reconstitution of hemopoiesis after irradiation donor hemopoietic cells from flight or control newts were transplanted into irradiated newts whose hemopoietic organs were investigated. The newt can be considered an adequate model for studying hemopoiesis under the conditions of the space flight.     

Le silence éternel de ces espaces infinis?

During the last 40 years — the merest blip in world history — talk about Homo astronauticus has signalled a growing awareness that the passengers on planet Earth can, if they want, take off for other destinations. If the scale of past advances is a satisfactory measure of future possibilities, then the wish will be father of the achievement.     

An approach to geometric reasoning in robotics

Anticipating the use of knowledge-based expert systems for robot task planning, a geometric reasoning is envisioned for the representation and manipulation of geometric information in a manner uniform with other knowledge. The general requirements for such a reasoner are outlined and a proposed architecture is described, built on four concepts: a class structure of spatial sets, features as subsets of those spatial sets, geometric abstractions as partial representations of features, and constraints as a mechanism for reasoning. An example implementation is built in an object-oriented environment and uses an underlying solids modeler, transparent to the end user     

Modeling of the radiation exposure during the flight of the second Bulgarian cosmonaut on board the Mir Space Station.

An experiment involving active detection of space radiation was carried out in the Space Research Institute (SRI) of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, in preparation of the flight of the second Bulgarian cosmonaut. The radiations that would be encountered on the flight were modelled including solar and galactic cosmic rays and the particle radiation in the Earth's radiation belts. The dose rate was calculated for these different radiations behind the shielding of the space station. The variations in dose rates over the period of the flight were calculated and compared with measurements made during the orbit of the Mir Space Station. The calculated and measured dose rates agreed within 15-35%.     

Some problems and perspectives in cosmic-ray studies

The principles of an ionisation calorimeter, an instrument used to measure the energy of cosmic-ray particles and the dependence of its parameters on the conditions of operation, are discussed.Possible applications of this calorimeter in the study of nuclear interactions of 10¹¹–10¹³ eV cosmic-ray particles, study of the composition of high-energy primary cosmic rays (10¹¹–10¹⁴eV), and investigation of the electron component of cosmic-ray primaries and high-energy -rays are reviewed.Translated by Express Translation Service, Wimbledon, London.     

Experimental and theoretical modeling of laser propulsion

Some schemes of laser propulsive systems are discussed. The question concerned with a body acceleration due to series of air blast waves generated by laser sparks is studied. For this purpose the numerical solutions of gasdynamic equations are found under appropriate initial conditions corresponding to the real ones. Radiative losses and spatial effects at the nozzle exit are taken into account. Theoretical results presented as coupling coefficients (equivalent to reciprocal thrust cost realizing under periodical pulse laser operation) are compared with the experiment. Using conical and parabolic nozzles irradiated by pulsed CO₂ laser the thrust cost about 2000 W/N is achieved which is close to the minimum possible one for the air blast wave-nozzle wall interaction. The main characteristics of laser propulsive jet are presented. Experimental results on recoil momentum transfered to solids under their evaporation by the pulsed CO₂-laser are presented as well. The question of plasma shielding effects on the momentum transfer under the vapour optical breakdown conditions is touched on.     

Two-State Feedback Loop Adaptive Arrays for Pulsed Interference Signals

A two-state feedback loop is presented which increases the effectiveness of an adaptive array in the presence of pulsed interference signals. In the case of the two-state feedback loop, one state permits the maximum adpative response, consistent with the loop stability, and is activated in the presence of an interfering pulse. During the other state, which is activated when the interfering pulse is off, the weights are frozen at the values reached at the end of the last interfering pulse and are maintained until the next disturbance occurs. It is shown that an adaptive array with the proposed two-state loops steers permanent minima in the direction of the interfering signals, irrespective of their duty cycle. The performance of a communication system protected by such an adaptive array improves significantly over one protected by a conventional adaptive array.     

Dust hazard near Halley Comet in case of the VEGA project

The motion of dust particles near Halley Comet is studied and the probability of dust impacts with the spacecraft in case of the VEGA (Venus-Halley)- project is determined. The formation of a crater due to a particle impact with the dust shield is considered and the necessity for using a dual-sheet bumper shield is substantiated. The thickness of a front sheet that plays a role of the particle evaporator is estimated theoretically. The numerical experiment is carried out that simulates the dynamics of collision and evaporation of a particle. Three factors causing perforations of the rear sheet are discussed, i.e. dust penetrated through holes in the front sheet, gas jets and spall fragments of the front-sheet. The consideration of these factors makes it possible to estimate basic parameters of the dual-sheet bumper shield. Flexural vibrations of the front sheet under action of the reverse gaseous jet from the rear sheet are discussed that can affect essentially the shield strength. The perturbing effect of the dust and gas fluxes on the spacecraft is studied.