Integration of lessons from recent research for “Earth to Mars” life support systems

Development of reliable and robust strategies for long-term life support for planetary exploration must be built from real-time experimentation to verify and improve system components. Also critical is incorporating a range of viable options to handle potential short-term life system imbalances. This paper revisits some of the conceptual framework for a Mars base prototype which has been developed by the authors along with others previously advanced (“Mars on Earth^®”) in the light of three years of experimentation in the Laboratory Biosphere, further investigation of system alternatives and the advent of other innovative engineering and agri-ecosystem approaches. Several experiments with candidate space agriculture crops have demonstrated the higher productivity possible with elevated light levels and improved environmental controls. For example, crops of sweet potatoes exceeded original Mars base prototype projections by an average of 46% (53% for best crop) ultradwarf (Apogee) wheat by 9% (23% for best crop), pinto bean by 13% (31% for best crop). These production levels, although they may be increased with further optimization of lighting regimes, environmental parameters, crop density etc. offer evidence that a soil-based system can be as productive as the hydroponic systems which have dominated space life support scenarios and research. But soil also offers distinct advantages: the capability to be created on the Moon or Mars using in situ space resources, reduces long-term reliance on consumables and imported resources, and more readily recycling and incorporating crew and crop waste products. In addition, a living soil contains a complex microbial ecosystem which helps prevent the buildup of trace gases or compounds, and thus assist with air and water purification. The atmospheric dynamics of these crops were studied in the Laboratory Biosphere adding to the database necessary for managing the mixed stands of crops essential for supplying a nutritionally adequate diet in space. This paper explores some of the challenges of small bioregenerative life support: air-sealing and facility architecture/design, balance of short-term variations of carbon dioxide and oxygen through staggered plantings, options for additional atmospheric buffers and sinks, lighting/energy efficiency engineering, crop and waste product recycling approaches, and human factor considerations in the design and operation of a Mars base. An “Earth to Mars” project, forging the ability to live sustainably in space (as on Earth) requires continued research and testing of these components and integrated subsystems; and developing a step-by-step learning process.     

Crew autonomy for deep space exploration: Lessons from the Antarctic Search for Meteorites

Future piloted missions to explore asteroids, Mars, and other targets beyond the Moon will experience strict limitations on communication between vehicles in space and control centers on Earth. These limitations will require crews to operate with greater autonomy than any past space mission has demonstrated. The Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) project, which regularly sends small teams of researchers to remote parts of the southern continent, resembles a space mission in many ways but does not rely upon a control center. It provides a useful crew autonomy model for planners of future deep space exploration missions. In contrast to current space missions, ANSMET gives the crew the authority to adjust competing work priorities, task assignments, and daily schedules; allows the crew to be the primary monitor of mission progress; demands greater crew accountability for operational errors; requires the crew to make the most of limited communication bandwidth; adopts systems designed for simple operation and failure recovery; and grants the crew a leading role in the selection and stowage of their equipment.     

Disturbance observer based model predictive control for accurate atmospheric entry of spacecraft

Facing the complex aerodynamic environment of Mars atmosphere, a composite atmospheric entry trajectory tracking strategy is investigated in this paper. External disturbances, initial states uncertainties and aerodynamic parameters uncertainties are the main problems. The composite strategy is designed to solve these problems and improve the accuracy of Mars atmospheric entry. This strategy includes a model predictive control for optimized trajectory tracking performance, as well as a disturbance observer based feedforward compensation for external disturbances and uncertainties attenuation. 500-run Monte Carlo simulations show that the proposed composite control scheme achieves more precise Mars atmospheric entry (3.8?km parachute deployment point distribution error) than the baseline control scheme (8.4?km) and integral control scheme (5.8?km).     

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.     

Diurnal and seasonal variations of F2 layer characteristics over Irkutsk during the decrease in solar activity in 2003–2006: Observations and IRI-2001 model predictions

The diurnal and seasonal variations of F2 layer characteristics (critical frequency, peak height and bottomside thickness) over Irkutsk, Russia (52.3 N and 104.3 E) are studied by the method of running medians. The comparison with the IRI-2001 model during the decrease in solar activity in 2003–2006 revealed cases of both close agreement and systematic differences between predictions and observations. The systematic difference is not the only reason for disagreement between IRI and observations; there are also intrayear variations which are not associated with seasonal behavior. The period of observation was too short to make conclusions about solar activity dependence of the noon bottomside thickness and the modification of its diurnal behavior with decreasing solar activity.     

Distribution and variability of accelerated electrons at Mars

We investigate accelerated electrons observed by Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), using data from the Electron Reflectometer (ER) instrument. We find three different types of accelerated electron events. Current sheet events occur over regions with weak or no crustal fields, have the highest electron energy fluxes, and are likely located on draped magnetotail fields. Extended events occur over regions with moderate crustal magnetic fields, and are most often observed on closed magnetic field lines. Localized events have the lowest energy fluxes, occur in strong magnetic cusp regions, and are the most likely kind of event to be found on open magnetic field lines. Some localized events have clear signatures of field-aligned currents; these events have much higher electron fluxes, and are preferentially observed on radially oriented open magnetic field lines. Electron acceleration events, especially localized events, are similar in many ways to events observed in the terrestrial auroral zone. However, physical processes related to those found in the terrestrial cusp and/or plasmasheet could also be responsible for accelerating electrons at Mars.     

自主火星探测高集成离子与中性粒子分析仪

小型化、高集成化是深空探测载荷发展的主要趋势。在我国自主火星探测计划中,设计了一种高集成化的火星离子与中性粒子分析仪。采用从传感器到电子学进行最大限度共用的设计思路,在一台仪器中实现对离子和能量中性原子进行能量、方向和成分的探测,大大降低了仪器对卫星平台的资源需求。仪器采取静电分析进行离子的方向和能量测量、采取飞行时间方法进行离子成分的测量。中性原子采用电离板电离成带电离子,后端的能量测量和成分测量与离子相同。鉴定件样机已经完成了初步的测试定标,结果表明其满足设计要求。     

火星车三折平展坡道转移方案及转移姿态分析

以火星车从着陆平台安全转移至火星表面为研究目标,提出一种三折平展坡道转移方案。火星车坡道式转移方案难点在于,着陆点地形地貌不确定和着陆器自身姿态的不确定将导致火星车转移姿态不确定从而增大转移风险。为保证火星车坡道式转移安全性,开展火星车坡道式转移姿态分析,获得满足火星车安全转移要求的最小坡道长度并评价出极限转移姿态。为使三折坡道展开总长度尽可能靠近最小坡道长度需求,进行了三折坡道长度优化分析,获得在着陆器构型约束下三折坡道长度最大值,可为我国火星车转移工程实施提供借鉴。     

火星探测器降落伞拉直过程中的“绳帆”现象研究

针对火星探测器降落伞在拉直过程中出现的“绳帆”现象,以及火星探测器降落伞开伞前初始参数和大气密度与地球环境下的差异,建立了火星探测器降落伞拉直过程的数学模型,研究了火星环境下,伞包弹射速度、开伞前进入器的攻角、开伞马赫数以及大气密度对“绳帆”现象的影响。研究结果表明,选择较大的伞包弹射速度,并将开伞前进入器的攻角严格限定在较小范围内,将有利于避免或降低“绳帆”现象的发生。这一研究结果可为我国实施火星探测时减速着陆系统的设计分析提供一定参考。