New results on spin determination of nanosatellite BLITS from High Repetition Rate SLR data

The nanosatellite BLITS (Ball Lens In The Space) demonstrates a successful design of the new spherical lens type satellite for Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR). The spin parameters of the satellite were calculated from more than 1000 days of SLR data collected from 6 High Repetition Rate (HRR) systems: Beijing, Changchun, Graz, Herstmonceux, Potsdam, Shanghai.     

On the uncertainties in the measurement of absolute (true) TEC over Indian equatorial and low latitude sectors

The Indian sector encompasses the equatorial and low latitude regions where the ionosphere is highly dynamic and is characterized by the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) resulting in large latitudinal electron density gradients causing errors and uncertainties in the estimation of range delays in satellite based navigation systems. The diurnal and seasonal variations of standard deviations in the TEC data measured during the low sunspot period 2004–2005 at 10 different Indian stations located from equator to the anomaly crest region and beyond are examined and presented. The day-to-day variability in TEC is found to be lowest at the equatorial station and increases with latitude up to the crest region of EIA and decreases beyond.     

Microphysics of Quasi-parallel Shocks in Collisionless Plasmas

Shocks in collisionless plasmas require dissipation mechanisms which couple fields and particles at scales much less than the conventional collisional mean free path. For quasi-parallel geometries, where the upstream magnetic field makes a small angle to the shock normal direction, wave-particle coupling produces a broad transition zone with large amplitude, nonlinear magnetic pulsations playing an important role. At high Mach numbers, ion reflection and acceleration are dominant processes which control the structure and dissipation at the shock. Accelerated particles produce a precursor, or foreshock, characterized by low frequency magnetic waves which are convected by the plasma flow into the shock transition zone. The interplay between energetic particles, waves, ion reflection and acceleration leads to a complicated interdependent system. This review discusses the spacecraft observations which have motivated the current view of the high Mach number quasi-parallel shock, and the theories and simulation studies which have led to a better understanding of the microphysics on which the quasi-parallel shock depends.     

A Quasi-Optic Imaging Resonator for Plasma Diagnostics

A new resonant quasi-optic interferometer has been developed which has a unique capability to deduce spatial information about perturbing plasma media. The fundamental property of the resonator is that it is multiply degenerate. Its geometry consists of four spherical mirrors arranged in a confocal ring configuration such that the transverse modes are simultaneously resonant. Energy is coupled into and out of the resonator by thin dielectric film beam splitters. When perturbed, it is found that the resonant frequency of the system depends on the point at which the field is measured and this dependence is directly related to the geometry of the perturbation. The results of a theoretical analysis of the perturbation of the resonator are presented and preliminary experimental measurements of a 4-mm system are discussed.     

Mismatched filtering of odd-periodic binary sequences

Binary sequences with perfect periodic autocorrelation functions, as required in communications, radar, and measuring, are not known for any lengths >4. As a possible remedy, mismatched filtering can be used to entirely suppress any sidelobes of the periodic autocorrelation function at the expense of a reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). In this work, the mismatched filtering method is extended to the odd-periodic autocorrelation function whose technical implementation is no more complex than that of periodic sequences. A new class of odd-periodic binary sequences is constructed that exist for many more lengths and exhibit significantly lower mismatched filtering losses than any known periodic sequences     

To an issue of rating the external loads on a helicopter with skid landing gear for landing loading condition

The existing technique of rating the external loads on a helicopter with skid type landing gear according to Airworthiness Standards [1] is analyzed and the results of comparing with design and experimental studies are presented. The main existing problems both in design simulation and the system of requirements to the conditions of rating the loads on the skid landing gear helicopter are identified. Also proposed are the techniques to increase safety of the helicopter emergency landing by refining the rating conditions of external loads at the design stage.     

Spectroscopic evaluation of polyurea crosslinked aerogels,as a substitute for RTV-based chromatic calibration targets for spacecraft

Room temperature vulcanizing (RTV)-based components have been used on Mars Pathfinder, the Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, as well as the Phoenix Lander as a support matrix for pigmented panoramic camera calibration targets. RTV 655 has demonstrated superiority to other polymers due to its unique range of material properties namely mechanical stability between −115 and 204 °C and UV radiation tolerance. As a result, it has been the number one choice for many space-related missions. However, due to the high mass density and the natural tendency for electrostatic charging RTV materials have caused complications by attracting and retaining dust particles (Sabri et al., 2008). In the current project we have investigated the relevant properties of polymer-reinforced (crosslinked) silica aerogels with the objective of substituting RTV-based calibration targets with an aerogel based design. The lightweight, mechanical strength, ability to accept color pigments, and extremely low dust capture makes polyurea crosslinked aerogels a strong candidate as a chromatic standard for extraterrestrial missions. For this purpose, the reflection spectra, gravimetric analysis, and low temperature response of metal oxide pigmented, polyurea crosslinked silica aerogels have been investigated and reported here.     

Tracking a maneuvering target using sensors of variable quality

In an environment subject to sudden change, the accuracy of tracking and prediction is strongly influenced both by the sensor architecture and by the quality of the sensors. An image-enhanced algorithm is presented for both path following and covariance estimation in applications where the sensors are subject to sudden and unpredictable variation in quality. For an illustrative trajectory, the performance of the algorithm is contrasted with an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and an image-enhanced algorithm based upon the nominal sensors     

The development of a digital video motion detection test set

This paper describes the current effort to develop a standardized data set, or suite of digital video sequences, that can be used for test and evaluation of digital video motion detectors (VMDs) for exterior applications. We have drawn from an extensive video database of typical application scenarios to assemble a comprehensive data set. These data, some existing for many years on analog videotape, have been converted to a reproducible digital format and edited to generate test sequences several minutes long for many scenarios. Sequences include non-alarm video, intrusions and nuisance alarm sources, taken with a variety of imaging sensors including monochrome CCD cameras and infrared (thermal) imaging cameras, under a variety of daytime and nighttime conditions. The paper presents an analysis of the variables and estimates the complexity of a thorough data set. Some of this video data test has been digitized for CD-ROM storage and playback. We are considering developing a DVD disk for possible use in screening and testing VMDs prior to government testing and deployment. In addition, this digital video data may be used by VMD developers for further refinement or customization of their product to meet specific requirements. These application scenarios may also be used to define the testing parameters for future procurement qualification. A personal computer may be used to play back either the CD-ROM or the DVD video data. A consumer electronics-style DVD player may be used to replay the DVD disk. This paper also discusses various aspects of digital video storage including formats, resolution, CD-ROM and DVD storage capacity, formats, editing and playback     

Debris swarms seen by SMEI

The large 3° × 60° fields-of-view of the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) instruments are oriented on the stabilized Coriolis satellite to image most of the sky each Sun-synchronous orbit. Besides observing coronal mass ejections, the SMEI mission objective, SMEI also has detected a plethora of Earth-orbiting satellites (resident space objects or RSOs) brighter than ∼8th magnitude at a rate of about 1 per minute. Occasionally, SMEI sees an RSO swarm: a sudden onset of a large number of RSOs, many more than the nominal rate, upto dozens detected in a 4-s frame. These swarms usually last for a few minutes. A sample of six such RSO ensembles is analyzed in this paper in which the distance and the direction of the velocity vector for individual objects are estimated. We present the observational evidence indicating that the swarms must be near-field objects traveling in orbits near that of Coriolis, and that the relatively speeds between the objects and Coriolis are low. Further, analyses indicate that the RSOs are quite close (<20 m) and are generally moving radially away from the satellite. The predicted encounter geometries for Coriolis passing through or near a small debris cloud is, generally, quite inconsistent with the observations. The most likely explanation consistent with the observations is that SMEI is seeing debris being ejected from the Coriolis spacecraft itself. An analysis of distance and brightness for a subset of the RSOs indicates that the median diameter of the debris particles is ∼80 μm.