Mars Sample Return: Do Australians trust NASA?

Mars Sample Return (MSR) represents an important scientific goal in space exploration. Any sample return mission will be extremely challenging from a scientific, economic and technical standpoint. But equally testing, will be communicating with a public that may have a very different perception of the mission. A MSR mission will generate international publicity and it is vital that NASA acknowledge the nature and extent of public concern about the mission risks and, perhaps equally importantly, the public’s confidence in NASA’s ability to prepare for and manage these risks. This study investigated the level of trust in NASA in an Australian population sample, and whether this trust was dependent on demographic variables. Participants completed an online survey that explored their attitudes towards NASA and a MSR mission. The results suggested that people believe NASA will complete the mission successfully but have doubts as to whether NASA will be honest when communicating with the public. The most significant finding to emerge from this study was that confidence in NASA was significantly (p < 0.05) related to the respondent’s level of knowledge regarding the risks and benefits of MSR. These results have important implications for risk management and communication.     

21世纪国外深空探测发展计划及进展

21世纪初期,国外深空探测计划层出不穷,各类深空探测器不断升空。文章主要概述新世纪各航天国家或地区的深空探测计划,并分别论述对月球、火星和其他行星以及小天体的探测计划及其进展,最后进行综合分析研究。     

火星探测着陆系统开伞控制方法研究

文章通过对火星探测进入轨道的分析,提出了一种以动压为控制目标的开伞控制方法,并借鉴过载-时间控制法的相关思想,结合火星探测进入轨道的特点,研究了该开伞控制法的原理和实现方法。根据火星探路者的实际进入条件,采用该方法的分析结果与实际飞行中的开伞情况基本吻合。     

"火星探测漫游者"降落伞的研制

概述了“火星探测漫游者”探测器的降落伞系统,并介绍了降落伞系统的组成和性能,以及降落伞的研制过程的主要工作,尤其是设计人员解决和处理的一些细节问题。     

火星地形测绘研究综述

火星地形测绘是开展火星科学研究的基础。介绍了与地形测绘相关的火星探测任务,并对地形测绘传感器进行了分析。阐述了火星地形测绘摄影测量数据处理的基本原理,研究了基于SPICE库建立火星表面线阵影像严密几何模型的方法。讨论了火星地形测绘摄影测量数据处理中的光束法平差、密集匹配以及多线阵拼接等关键技术。在总结现有火星地形测绘任务特点的基础上,针对我国开展火星地形测绘研究提出了建议。     

基于B平面的火星探测直接转移轨道设计方法

将轨道设计转化为常微分方程两点边值(TPBVP)问题,采用微分修正法求解该边值问题.将B平面概念同时应用于地球和火星,借助B平面与双曲线轨道的几何关系解析地给出了两点边值问题的边界条件的建立方法,理论上说明了火星探测直接转移轨道存在4组解的原因,同时提出了控制探测器到达相对火星双曲线轨道近火点时刻的准确参数表示方法.最终给出仿真算例,将轨道设计结果代入STK,结果合理.     

Electric discharge in the Martian atmosphere,Paschen curves and implications for future missions

Electric discharge between two electrically charged surfaces occurs at a well-defined, gas-dependent combination of atmospheric pressure and the distance between those two surfaces, as described by Paschen’s law. The understanding of when the discharge will occur in the conditions present on Mars is essential for designing space-flight hardware that will operate on the Martian surface as well as understanding electrical discharge processes occurring in the Martian atmosphere. Here, we present experimentally measured Paschen curves for a gas mixture representative of the Martian atmosphere and compare our results to breakdown voltages of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and helium as measured with our system and from the literature. We will discuss possible implications for instrument development as well as implications for processes in the Martian atmosphere. The DC voltage at which electric discharge occurred between two stainless steel spheres was measured at pressures from 10⁻² to 100 torr in all gases. We measured a minimum voltage for discharge in the Mars ambient atmosphere of 410 ± 10 V at 0.3 torr cm. As an application, the breakdown properties of space-qualified, electrical wires to be used in the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) were studied.     

火星电离层探测

火星已经成为深空探测的重要目标之一, 登陆火星并在火星生存是人类探测火星的终极目标, 因此电离层是必须了解的火星电磁环境. 火星电离层探测包括直接探测和间接探测. 直接探测精度高, 有较高的空间分辨率, 但是观测时间短, 无法提供长期稳定的探测结果. 对火星电离层的间接探测结果主要来自无线电掩星探测和顶部雷达探测. 无线电掩星探测可实现对火星电离层整个电子密度剖面的长期稳定探测, 但其空间水平分辨率较低, 且可探测的电离层太阳天顶角范围受到地球与火星轨道的限制. 顶部雷达探测对火星电离层的探测具有很高的时间分辨率和空间分辨率, 且同样可进行长期稳定探测, 为火星电离层研究提供了最新的支持. 通过对火星电离层探测的基本方法及典型观测结果的分析, 提出通过几种探测方法适当结合的方式, 同时对火星电离层进行观测, 能够大大推进对火星电离层的研究.      

火星空间磁场结构特征

在火星空间模拟的单流体MHD模型的基础上, 研究了火星空间磁场结构及火星表面局部磁异常对磁场结构的影响. 在太阳风与火星相互作用的过程中, 形成弓激波和磁堆积区, 行星际磁场弯曲并向两极移动且被拖拽变形, 大部分磁力线从火星两极绕过, 通过火星之后在磁尾留下V字形结构. 火星表面附近局部磁异常也对火星磁场结构产生不可忽视的影响. 不同位置和强度的磁异常与太阳风相互作用形成结构及形态各异的微磁层, 如被拖拽的微磁层和存在开磁力线的微磁层等. 局部磁异常改变了近火磁场结构, 并可能改变等离子体的分布.      

萤火一号深空测控设备

深空测控通信是实施深空探测的关键技术, 萤火一号探测器是中国第一个深空探测器. 本文介绍了深空测控通信的特点、存在的技术困难及需要攻克的关键技术, 描述了萤火一号火星探测器的测控通信技术方案及星载测控设备的功能分配, 给出了星载测控设备的基本配置情况及主要技术指标. 萤火一号探测器的测控和数传采用一体化设计方案, 在10 kg重量约束条件下, 实现了上行遥控通道及下行遥测通道, 具备科学数据传输通道及测定轨信号发送的功能, 而且每个通道均具有冗余备份设备.