Trapped proton fluxes measured on board LEO satellites in comparison with models

The proton fluxes from the low-Earth orbital satellites databases (NPOES-17 and CORONAS-F) were analyzed for the quiet geomagnetic period in April 2005. The satisfactory consent was found between the experimental and the AP8 model fluxes of the trapped protons with energy more than ∼10 MeV. At the same time, trapped proton fluxes with energy less than 10 MeV measured by LEO satellites were higher than the ones predicted by the AP8 model in the region of the SAA (drift shell L < 1.5).     

The concept of selecting the main parameters of a lightweight airplane with regard to the requirements of the contemporary Russian market

The basic principles of selecting some design parameters of a lightweight airplane for the contemporary Russian market are presented. Recommendations for selecting these parameters with the service requirements specified are given based on the study performed.     

Emesis and space motion sickness in amphibians.

Amphibians possess the ability to vomit in response to a variety of stimuli that provoke emesis in mammals. Pharmacological studies have establish that the ejection of gastric contents and the basic mechanism for vomiting have been phylogenetically conserved among these tetrapods. As part of on-going comparative studies on emesis in vertebrates, we previously documented that some postmetamorphic anurans and salamander larvae experience motion-induced emesis when exposed to the provocative stimulus of parabolic aircraft flight. However, more recent experiments suggest that there are strict conditions for inducing emesis in amphibians exposed to parabolic flight and that amphibians are not as sensitive to this stimulus as mammals. Further studies on emesis in lower vertebrates may help us understand the processes that cause emesis in abnormal gravitational regimes.     

Determination of parameters of rotational motion of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monitor-E</Emphasis> spacecraft from the telemetry data on solar batteries’ current

The Monitor-E spacecraft executed uncontrolled flight due to emergency situation, no telemetry information on parameters of the spacecraft’s attitude motion being available. So, the problem arose to determine the spacecraft’s rotational motion from the accessible indirect information—the electric current provided by solar batteries. In this paper the integrated statistical technique is described, that allows one to solve this problem. The values of current, obtained over the time interval some tens of minutes long, have been processed simultaneously by the least squares method using the integration of the equations of spacecraft’s rotational motion. As a result of processing, the initial conditions of motion were estimated, and the spacecraft’s moments of inertia were updated, as well as the angles, specifying solar batteries position in the spacecraft-fixed coordinate system. The results of processing of 12 data sets are presented, which allowed us to reconstruct the actual rotational motion of the spacecraft.     

The human cardiovascular system during space flight

Purpose of the work is to analyze and to summarize the data of investigations into human hemodynamics performed over 20 years aboard orbital stations Salyut-7 and Mir with participation of 26 cosmonauts on space flights (SF) from 8 to 438 days in duration. The ultrasonic techniques and occlusive plethysmography demonstrated dynamics of changes in the cardiovascular system during SF of various durations. The parameters of general hemodynamics, the pumping function of the heart and arterial circulation in the brain remained stable in all the space flights; however, there were alterations in peripheral circulation associated with blood redistribution and hypovolemie in microgravity. The anti-gravity distribution of the vascular tone decayed gradually as unneeded. The most considerable changes were observed in leg vessels, equally in arteries (decrease in resistance) and veins (increase in maximum capacity). The lower body negative pressure test (LBNP) revealed deterioration of the gravity-dependent reactions that changed for the worse as SF duration extended. The cardiovascular deconditioning showed itself as loss of descent acceleration tolerance and orthostatic instability in the postflight period.     

Harnessing functional food strategies for the health challenges of space travel—Fermented soy for astronaut nutrition

Astronauts face numerous health challenges during long-duration space missions, including diminished immunity, bone loss and increased risk of radiation-induced carcinogenesis. Changes in the intestinal flora of astronauts may contribute to these problems. Soy-based fermented food products could provide a nutritional strategy to help alleviate these challenges by incorporating beneficial lactic acid bacteria, while reaping the benefits of soy isoflavones. We carried out strain selection for the development of soy ferments, selecting strains of lactic acid bacteria showing the most effective growth and fermentation ability in soy milk (Streptococcus thermophilus ST5, Bifidobacterium longum R0175 and Lactobacillus helveticus R0052). Immunomodulatory bioactivity of selected ferments was assessed using an in vitro challenge system with human intestinal epithelial and macrophage cell lines, and selected ferments show the ability to down-regulate production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-8 following challenge with tumour necrosis factor-alpha. The impact of fermentation on vitamin B1 and B6 levels and on isoflavone biotransformation to agluconic forms was also assessed, with strain variation-dependent biotransformation ability detected. Overall this suggests that probiotic bacteria can be successfully utilized to develop soy-based fermented products targeted against health problems associated with long-term space travel.     

Prototype design and testing of a Venus long duration,high altitude balloon

This paper describes the design, fabrication and testing of a full scale prototype balloon intended for long duration flight in the upper atmosphere of Venus. The balloon is 5.5 m in diameter and is designed to carry a 45 kg payload at an altitude of 55 km. The balloon material is a 180 g/m² multi-component laminate comprised of the following layers bonded together from outside to inside: aluminized Teflon film, aluminized Mylar film, Vectran fabric and a polyurethane coating. This construction provides the required balloon functional characteristics of low gas permeability, sulfuric acid resistance and high strength for superpressure operation. The design burst superpressure is 39,200 Pa which is predicted to be 3.3 times the worst case value expected during flight at the highest solar irradiance in the mission profile. The prototype is constructed from 16 gores with bi-taped seams employing a sulfuric acid resistant adhesive on the outside. Material coupon tests were performed to evaluate the optical and mechanical characteristics of the laminate. These were followed by full prototype tests for inflation, leakage and sulfuric acid tolerance. The results confirmed the suitability of this balloon design for use at Venus in a long duration mission. The various data are presented and the implications for mission design and operation are discussed.