航天飞机固体火箭发动机壳体的统计断裂力学和最佳断裂控制

本报告叙述了有关航天飞机固体火箭发动机壳体可靠性分析方法的研究。该分析方法是基于统计断裂力学理论监考虑到原始裂纹大小的概率分布情况。这种可靠性分析方法可用于设计变量的选择,例如,在最小预计成本和规定的可靠性范围的基础上,选择固体火箭发动机壳体的壁厚、设计使用期限和试验因子。断裂控制计划的作用,如在非破坏性试验中,以及在使用过程中材料的腐蚀,均可把它作为一种选择设计变量的研究方法。本报告中的以可靠性为基础的方法,经改进后就可推广应用在其它类似结构和各种断裂控制设计上。     

How to use the ISS

Astronaut Lucid's talk focused on the perils and excitement of exploration, opportunities for the International Space Station, and common experiences among American and Russian astronauts.     

Survival of rock-colonizing organisms after 1.5 years in outer space

Cryptoendolithic microbial communities and epilithic lichens have been considered as appropriate candidates for the scenario of lithopanspermia, which proposes a natural interplanetary exchange of organisms by means of rocks that have been impact ejected from their planet of origin. So far, the hardiness of these terrestrial organisms in the severe and hostile conditions of space has not been tested over extended periods of time. A first long-term (1.5 years) exposure experiment in space was performed with a variety of rock-colonizing eukaryotic organisms at the International Space Station on board the European EXPOSE-E facility. Organisms were selected that are especially adapted to cope with the environmental extremes of their natural habitats. It was found that some-but not all-of those most robust microbial communities from extremely hostile regions on Earth are also partially resistant to the even more hostile environment of outer space, including high vacuum, temperature fluctuation, the full spectrum of extraterrestrial solar electromagnetic radiation, and cosmic ionizing radiation. Although the reported experimental period of 1.5 years in space is not comparable with the time spans of thousands or millions of years believed to be required for lithopanspermia, our data provide first evidence of the differential hardiness of cryptoendolithic communities in space.     

Survival of plant seeds, their UV screens, and nptII DNA for 18 months outside the International Space Station

The plausibility that life was imported to Earth from elsewhere can be tested by subjecting life-forms to space travel. Ultraviolet light is the major liability in short-term exposures (Horneck et al., 2001 ), and plant seeds, tardigrades, and lichens-but not microorganisms and their spores-are candidates for long-term survival (Anikeeva et al., 1990 ; Sancho et al., 2007 ; J?nsson et al., 2008 ; de la Torre et al., 2010 ). In the present study, plant seeds germinated after 1.5 years of exposure to solar UV, solar and galactic cosmic radiation, temperature fluctuations, and space vacuum outside the International Space Station. Of the 2100 exposed wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) seeds, 23% produced viable plants after return to Earth. Survival was lower in the Arabidopsis Wassilewskija ecotype and in mutants (tt4-8 and fah1-2) lacking UV screens. The highest survival occurred in tobacco (44%). Germination was delayed in seeds shielded from solar light, yet full survival was attained, which indicates that longer space travel would be possible for seeds embedded in an opaque matrix. We conclude that a naked, seed-like entity could have survived exposure to solar UV radiation during a hypothetical transfer from Mars to Earth. Chemical samples of seed flavonoid UV screens were degraded by UV, but their overall capacity to absorb UV was retained. Naked DNA encoding the nptII gene (kanamycin resistance) was also degraded by UV. A fragment, however, was detected by the polymerase chain reaction, and the gene survived in space when protected from UV. Even if seeds do not survive, components (e.g., their DNA) might survive transfer over cosmic distances.     

The carbonate-silicate cycle and CO2/climate feedbacks on tidally locked terrestrial planets

Atmospheric gaseous constituents play an important role in determining the surface temperatures and habitability of a planet. Using a global climate model and a parameterization of the carbonate-silicate cycle, we explored the effect of the location of the substellar point on the atmospheric CO(2) concentration and temperatures of a tidally locked terrestrial planet, using the present Earth continental distribution as an example. We found that the substellar point's location relative to the continents is an important factor in determining weathering and the equilibrium atmospheric CO(2) level. Placing the substellar point over the Atlantic Ocean results in an atmospheric CO(2) concentration of 7 ppmv and a global mean surface air temperature of 247 K, making ～30% of the planet's surface habitable, whereas placing it over the Pacific Ocean results in a CO(2) concentration of 60,311 ppmv and a global temperature of 282 K, making ～55% of the surface habitable.     

DAME: planetary-prototype drilling automation

We describe results from the Drilling Automation for Mars Exploration (DAME) project, including those of the summer 2006 tests from an Arctic analog site. The drill hardware is a hardened, evolved version of the Advanced Deep Drill by Honeybee Robotics. DAME has developed diagnostic and executive software for hands-off surface operations of the evolved version of this drill. The DAME drill automation tested from 2004 through 2006 included adaptively controlled drilling operations and the downhole diagnosis of drilling faults. It also included dynamic recovery capabilities when unexpected failures or drilling conditions were discovered. DAME has developed and tested drill automation software and hardware under stressful operating conditions during its Arctic field testing campaigns at a Mars analog site.     

Establishment of a rearing system of the extremotolerant tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus: a new model animal for astrobiology

Studies on the ability of multicellular organisms to tolerate specific environmental extremes are relatively rare compared to those of unicellular microorganisms in extreme environments. Tardigrades are extremotolerant animals that can enter an ametabolic dry state called anhydrobiosis and have high tolerance to a variety of extreme environmental conditions, particularly while in anhydrobiosis. Although tardigrades have been expected to be a potential model animal for astrobiological studies due to their excellent anhydrobiotic and extremotolerant abilities, few studies of tolerance with cultured tardigrades have been reported, possibly due to the absence of a model species that can be easily maintained under rearing conditions. We report the successful rearing of the herbivorous tardigrade, Ramazzottius varieornatus, by supplying the green alga Chlorella vulgaris as food. The life span was 35 +/- 16.4 d, deposited eggs required 5.7 +/- 1.1 d to hatch, and animals began to deposit eggs 9 d after hatching. The reared individuals of this species had an anhydrobiotic capacity throughout their life cycle in egg, juvenile, and adult stages. Furthermore, the reared adults in an anhydrobiotic state were tolerant of temperatures of 90 degrees C and -196 degrees C, and exposure to 99.8% acetonitrile or irradiation with 4000 Gy (4)He ions. Based on their life history traits and tolerance to extreme stresses, R. varieornatus may be a suitable model for astrobiological studies of multicellular organisms.     

Using electrical impedance spectroscopy to detect water in planetary regoliths

We present data in examination of the utility of electrical impedance spectroscopy measurements for in situ surveys to determine the water content, distribution, and phase in unconsolidated planetary regolith. We conducted calibration experiments under conditions relevant to Mars: the concentration of electrolytes in solution was varied up to 1 M to simulate the effects of unsaturated dissolved minerals and brines. We also varied the water content of heterogeneous water/sand mixtures, made with these electrolytic solutions from 0.01 wt% to 10 wt%. Tests were performed at temperatures from +25 degrees C to -65 degrees C. Conductivity and dielectric permittivity calculated from the impedance measurements indicate an expected dependence on electrolyte concentration and relative independence from electrolyte type for both liquid water and water ice. Conductivity and calculated dielectric relaxation times for these aqueous solutions agree with existing data in the literature. The relative permittivity for heterogeneous water/sand mixtures is dominated by polarization effects for the electrode configuration used. However, the characteristic orientational relaxation of ice is still visible. The conductivity retains the strong dependence on electrolyte concentration, and the permittivity is still not affected by electrolyte type. A "universal" curve between conductivity and water content establishes detectability limits of <0.01 wt% and approximately 0.3 wt% for water/sand mixtures containing liquid water and ice, respectively.