Sunlight supply and gas exchange systems in the microalgal bioreactor.

The bioreactor with sunlight supply system and gas exchange systems presented here has proved feasible in ground tests and shows much promise for space use as a CELSS device. Our chief conclusions concerning the specification of total system needed for a life support system for a man in a space station are the following. (1) Sunlight supply system: compactness and low electrical consumption. (2) Bioreactor system: high density and growth rate of chlorella. (3) Gas exchange system: enough for O2 production and CO2 assimilation.     

Information Support for Space Experiments Based on a Numerical-Analytical Theory of Satellite Motion

A software tool for application in calculations of the position and velocity vectors of spacecraft is presented. These vectors are necessary at the stage of processing the data of space experiments and analyzing the results of ground-based observations. A new theory of satellite motion, in a numerical-analytical form, is the basis of this software application. The model of disturbing forces corresponds to recommendations of the International Laser Ranging Service. The reliability of the software tool is confirmed by the results of processing of high-precision laser satellite observations.     

Galactic cosmic ray transport methods: past, present, and future.

The development of the theory of high charge and energy (HZE) ion transport is reviewed. The basic solution behavior and approximation techniques will be described. An overview of the HZE transport codes currently available at the Langley Research Center will be given. The near term goal of the Langley program is to produce a complete set of one-dimensional transport codes. The ultimate goal is to produce a set of complete three-dimensional codes which have been validated in the laboratory and can be applied in the engineering design environment. Recent progress toward completing these goals is discussed.     

Battery charger design for the Columbus MTFF power system

A novel pulsewidth-modulated (PWM) dc-dc converter topology is proposed for the battery charge regulator (BCR) of the Columbus Man-Tended Free-Flyer (MTFF) power system. The system is a regulated bus system. Bus voltage control is implemented at the input of the BCR. The use of a conventional buck topology with PWM conductance control at the input results in a second-order behavior. A study of new PWM dc-dc converter topologies has been made to attain a suitable topology. The proposed converter topology is designed and a breadboard including the control loop has been built and tested. The experimental results show that the converter operates according to the design constraints.     

Oscillations of axial plant organs.

The tips of roots and shoots commonly show lateral movements as they grow forwards. These occur as both circumnutations (with long periods and large amplitudes) and micronutations (with short periods and small amplitudes). Their properties are reviewed, with emphasis on roots, and possible ways in which they could be regulated are discussed. The mechanisms could include long-range controls (for circumnutations) that depend on transmissible signals using steps common to gravitropism, and short-range controls (for micronutations) that operate within the elongation zone. The former are a property of the apex as a whole, while the latter may be confined to localized groups of cells. Simulation of nutations is presented with a view to isolating key physiological processes. However, this approach is limited by the current inadequate understanding of the growth mechanisms involved.     

A program to measure new energetic particle nuclear interaction cross sections.

The Transport Collaboration, consisting of researchers from institutions in France, Germany, Italy and the USA, has established a program to make new measurements of nuclear interaction cross sections for heavy projectiles (Z > or = 2) in targets of liquid H2, He and heavier materials. Such cross sections directly affect calculations of galactic and solar cosmic ray transport through matter and are needed for accurate radiation hazard assessment. To date, the collaboration has obtained data using the LBL Bevalac HISS facility with 20 projectiles from 4He to 58Ni in the energy range 393-910 MeV/nucleon. Preliminary results from the analysis of these data are presented here and compared to other measurements and to cross section prediction formulae.     

Kinetic cyclotron and synchrotron maser instabilities: Radio emission processes by direct amplification of radiation

This article reviews the theory of the kinetic (cyclotron an synchroton) maser instabilities. The subject has been extensively developed in recent years by many authors, who have been incited by the research of the auroral kilometric radiation and other applications. The maser mechanism is appealing because it is simple and efficient, and can lead to direct amplification of radiation. Two types of electron distribution functions have been investigated so far. These are the loss-cone and hollow-beam distributions which may exist pervasively in many regions within and beyond the solar system. It is likely that the maser instabilities can have many potentially important applications to numerous radio emission processes observed in astrophysical research.     

Preliminary results of Cytos 2 experiment.

Cytos 2 experiment, carried out during the French-Soviet manned flight (July 1982), has studied the antibiotics sensitivity of bacteria cultivated in vitro during the orbital flight. The results show an increase of the antibiotics resistance and a larger thickness of the cellular envelope for the inflight cells. The increase of antibiotics resistance can be related to a stimulating effect of space on the cell growth rate or to changes of the cellular envelope structure.     

Investigation of natural and artificial stimulation of the ionospheric Alfvén resonator at high latitude

A brief review is provided of recent progress in understanding the ionospheric Alfvén resonator (IAR) at high latitude. Firstly, naturally occurring resonances of the IAR as detected by pulsation magnetometers in the auroral zone at Sodankylä and in the polar cap at Barentsburg are considered. The characteristics of the IAR in the two regions are broadly similar, although the effects of solar illumination are less clear at the higher latitudes. Secondly we review recent attempts to stimulate the IAR through high-power radio frequency experiments both in the auroral zone at Tromsø with the European Incoherent SCATter (EISCAT) heater, and within the polar cap at Longyearbyen with the Space Plasma Exploration by Active Radar (SPEAR) facility. In the auroral zone at, Tromsø the stimulated IAR has been observed by ground-based magnetometers, and through electron acceleration observed on the FAST spacecraft. At SPEAR in the polar cap, the stimulated IAR has been investigated, with ground magnetometers, with the first results indicative of a positive detection.     

Experimental investigations of the 10 N catalytic hydrazine thruster

Experimental investigations of the 10 N catalytic hydrazine thruster are reported. These thrusters find applications in orbit raising functions of a spacecraft. The hardware was realized and tested in a vacuum chamber (10^?3 mbar vacuum) for its performance. When tested at the design propellant supply pressure of 21.5 bar the thruster developed 10.25 N thrust at an operating chamber pressure of 16.4 bar. The thruster was also tested for off-design conditions (24, 18 and 14.5 bar propellant supply pressures) of operation to determine the steady-state performance. The chamber pressure and vacuum thrust follow more or less a linear law with the propellant-supply pressure. The thruster was also tested for its response characteristics for short (100 ms) firing durations at various propellant-supply pressures (15.5, 18.8, 22.5, 25.6 and 29.5 bar) and the experimental results are reported and discussed. The hydrazine was injected at the room temperature (300^±5 K).