Conceptual study and key technology development for Mars Aeroflyby sample collection

Conceptual study of Mars Aeroflyby Sample Collection (MASC) is conducted as a part of the next Mars exploration mission currently entertained in Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. In the mission scenario, an atmospheric entry vehicle is flown into the Martian atmosphere, collects the Martian dust particles as well as atmospheric gases during the guided hypersonic flight, exits the Martian atmosphere, and is inserted into a parking orbit from which a return system departs for the earth to deliver the dust and gas samples. In order to accomplish a controlled flight and a successful orbit insertion, aeroassist orbit transfer technologies are introduced into the guidance and control system. System analysis is conducted to assess the feasibility and to make a conceptual design, finding that the MASC system is feasible at the minimum system mass of 600 kg approximately. The aerogel, which is one of the candidates for the dust sample collector, is assessed by arcjet heating tests to examine its behavior when exposed to high-temperature gases, as well as by particle impingement tests to evaluate its dust capturing capability.     

空间核动力技术概览与发展脉络初探

在概略介绍现有技术方案基础上,初步探讨空间核动力技术的发展脉络,并分析其未来发展方向.基于固体核反应堆的空间核电源、核电推进及核热推进,是经过试验验证可行、具有一定技术基础并可预期实现空间应用的空间核动力技术.更先进的概念方案包括:基于气体核反应堆的核电源/核热推进、脉冲核爆推进、核裂变碎片推进等,它们的性能逐代跨越直至逼近理论极限.要充分利用核能的潜力,一方面需要提高单位质量核燃料的核能释放率,另一方面也需要减少核反应产物动能转换为无轨热运动的比率.核能潜力的充分利用需要以增加系统质量为代价.为满足未来宽广的空间任务需求,多物理机制驱动的大深度变工况一体化核能空间动力系统是未来必然发展趋势.     

Cutting the bread

Why the draft Treaty on the Prevention of the Placement of Weapons in Outer Space, the Threat or Use of Force Against Outer Space Objects (PPWT) will not work - whereas the Code of Conduct for Outer Space Activities may.     

Precursor to an African Space Agency: Commentary on Dr Peter Martinez “Is there a need for an African Space Agency?”

In 2012 a working group was established to formulate the African space policy and strategy which would lead to the establishment of an African Space Agency (ASA). Dr Peter Martinez asserts in his article “Is there a need for an African Space Agency?” [1] that the arguments that have been posited in support of an ASA are flawed; namely the arguments of the existing example of the European Space Agency (ESA), and that an ASA would lead to fostering competition, synergy, industrial development and capacity building. While this viewpoint agrees that all the perfect conditions may not exist at present for the creation of an ASA, it addresses some of the issues raised by Martinez, and proposes ideas to foster intra-regional cooperation.     

Atmospheric response to a Hot SST Event in November 2006 as observed by the AIRS instrument

Using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) products of atmospheric temperature and geopotential height, we investigate the atmospheric response to HE0611, which was found and investigated by [Qin, H., Kawamura, H., Sakaida, F., Ando, K. A case study of the tropical Hot Event in November 2006 (HE0611) using a geostationary meteorological satellite and the TAO/TRITON mooring array. J. Geophys. Res. 113, C08045, doi: 10.1029/2007JC004640, 2008]. HE0611 was formed by connecting two very high SST areas, HE0611-East and HE0611-West. The period-mean atmosphere temperatures at levels of 925 and 850 hPa in HE0611-West are higher, by about 0.5 K, than those in WE0611-East while the atmospheric temperatures at middle to high levels (700–300 hPa) are higher in HE0611-East. The period-mean geopotential heights HE0611-East are much lower than those in HE0611-West for the levels from the surface to 400 hPa. The mean geopotential heights from 400 hPa to 200 hPa are higher in HE0611-East. In the middle and high layers over HE0611-West, the atmosphere temperatures gradually decrease from 7th to 17th, and then increase significantly. The increase in HE0611-East starts from 15th November, which is earlier than that of HE0611-West. The geopotential heights in the high layer of both the areas also show corresponding behaviors. The lagged atmospheric response in the western part is confirmed by the correlation analysis. It emerges that the atmospheric response to HE0611 is well organized and associated with deep convention in HE0611-East and subsidence in HE0611-West. These are also consistent with the HE0611 features and evolution revealed by earlier HE studies.     

Kinetic Excitation Mechanisms for ION-Cyclotron Kinetic Alfvén Waves in Sun-Earth ConnectionI

We study kinetic excitation mechanisms for high-frequency dispersive Alfvén waves in the solar corona, solar wind, and Earth's magnetosphere. The ion-cyclotron and Cherenkov kinetic effects are important for these waves which we call the ion-cyclotron kinetic Alfvén waves (ICKAWs). Ion beams, anisotropic particles distributions and currents provide free energy for the excitation of ICKAWs in space plasmas. As particular examples we consider ICKAW instabilities in the coronal magnetic reconnection events, in the fast solar wind, and in the Earth's magnetopause. Energy conversion and transport initiated by ICKAW instabilities is significant for the whole dynamics of Sun-Earth connection chain, and observations of ICKAW activity could provide a diagnostic/predictive tool in the space environment research. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

空间群Pn3mPn3P23子群链耦合系数的计算

本文利用陈金全教授的本征函数法计算了Pn3m Pn3 P2 3空间群的母分系数。最后的计算结果表明 ,用陈金全教授的本征函数法所求得的母分系数确实满足幺正、归一性 ,同时也证明了本征函数法对于求母分系数同样适用     

The land remote sensing commercialization Act of 1984

This article examines the effect that private-sector remote sensing activities might have on the international community and on the future of international cooperation in space. It describes in detail The Land Remote Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984, recently passed by the US Congress and signed by President Reagan. The article concludes that it is possible to develop domestic regulations that balance the economic interests of the private sector with the legal and political concerns of the international community.     

基于连续同伦算法的天基仅测角初定轨方法

要进一步提高天基短弧初定轨的精度,在观测资料精度较高的情况下,仅考虑二体问题是不够的,还应考虑轨道摄动的影响。因此,基于无摄初轨的单位矢量法原理和矢量斜分解方法,给出了考虑摄动的天基仅测角初定轨单位矢量法。针对天基仅测角观测条件方程组求解过程中易出现迭代不收敛或收敛到平凡解的问题,引入连续同伦算法求解观测条件方程组,提出了单星观测方式下的空间目标天基仅测角初定轨方法,并通过数值仿真算例验证了该算法在较大范围的收敛性和数值稳定性。