Early effects of low dose C ion or X-ray irradiation on human peripheral blood lymphocytes

The aim of this study was to estimate the acute effects of low dose ¹²C⁶⁺ ions or X-ray radiation on human immune function. The human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBL) of seven healthy donors were exposed to 0.05 Gy ¹²C⁶⁺ ions or X-ray radiation and cell responses were measured at 24 h after exposure. The cytotoxic activities of HPBL were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT); the percentages of T and NK cells subsets were detected by flow cytometry; mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interferon (IFN)-γ were examined by real time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR); and these cytokines protein levels in supernatant of cultured cells were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The results showed that the cytotoxic activity of HPBL, mRNA expression of IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α in HPBL and their protein levels in supernatant were significantly increased at 24 h after exposure to 0.05 Gy ¹²C⁶⁺ ions radiation and the effects were stronger than observed for X-ray exposure. However, there was no significant change in the percentage of T and NK cells subsets of HPBL. These results suggested that 0.05 Gy high linear energy transfer (LET) ¹²C⁶⁺ radiation was a more effective approach to host immune enhancement than that of low LET X-ray. We conclude that cytokines production might be used as sensitive indicators of acute response to LDI.     

Earth observation from space – The issue of environmental sustainability

Remote sensing scientists work under assumptions that should not be taken for granted and should, therefore, be challenged. These assumptions include the following:1. Space, especially Low Earth Orbit (LEO), will always be available to governmental and commercial space entities that launch Earth remote sensing missions.2. Space launches are benign with respect to environmental impacts.3. Minimization of Type 1 error, which provides increased confidence in the experimental outcome, is the best way to assess the significance of environmental change.4. Large-area remote sensing investigations, i.e. national, continental, global studies, are best done from space.5. National space missions should trump international, cooperative space missions to ensure national control and distribution of the data products.At best, all of these points are arguable, and in some cases, they're wrong. Development of observational space systems that are compatible with sustainability principles should be a primary concern when Earth remote sensing space systems are envisioned, designed, and launched. The discussion is based on the hypothesis that reducing the environmental impacts of the data acquisition step, which is at the very beginning of the information stream leading to decision and action, will enhance coherence in the information stream and strengthen the capacity of measurement processes to meet their stated functional goal, i.e. sustainable management of Earth resources. We suggest that unconventional points of view should be adopted and when appropriate, remedial measures considered that could help to reduce the environmental footprint of space remote sensing and of Earth observation and monitoring systems in general. This article discusses these five assumptions in the context of sustainable management of Earth's resources. Taking each assumption in turn, we find the following:(1) Space debris may limit access to Low Earth Orbit over the next decades.(2) Relatively speaking, given that they're rare event, space launches may be benign, but study is merited on upper stratospheric and exospheric layers given the chemical activity associated with rocket combustion by-products.(3) Minimization of Type II error should be considered in situations where minimization of Type I error greatly hampers or precludes our ability to correct the environmental condition being studied.(4) In certain situations, airborne collects may be less expensive and more environmentally benign, and comparative studies should be done to determine which path is wisest.(5) International cooperation and data sharing will reduce instrument and launch costs and mission redundancy. Given fiscal concerns of most of the major space agencies – e.g. NASA, ESA, CNES – it seems prudent to combine resources.     

SSPS-OMEGA超大型球形聚光器结构拓扑构型与设计

为同时兼顾千米量级尺度空间太阳能电站聚光系统的在轨发射安装难度、光学收集效率、稳定性及结构工艺等多方面的因素,提出采用基于球面正多面体的经纬线划分法模块化构建球形聚光器。该方法不仅可实现基础划分单元分布均匀、规格种类少,降低在轨构建与运载发射难度。而且只要合理控制弧高等分数和基础划分单元的口径就可以同时保证聚光系统的光学收集效率。理论与仿真结果显示,当弧高等分数为24时,该划分法共有25种基础单元件,整个球面被分成5762块。并且此时模块化构建的实际球形聚光器的光学收集效率与理想球面相比基本保持不变,解决了太阳能电站聚光系统设计中存在的关键问题。     

低轨天基信息定向分发区域分割编码控制方法

为提高低轨指向性信息分发链路的频谱利用效率,从天基分发平台与地面用户的相对位置关系入手,建立了分发指向、编码增益与信道传输容量的量化关系。在此基础上,提出一种低轨天基信息定向分发区域分割编码控制方法,该方法针对不同信息分发区域,采用最小均方误差(MMSE)作为区域分割准则选择编码方式,既提升了信道传输效率也便于工程实现。最后,本文通过仿真分析了方法的效能和性能影响因素,并与现有自适应编码方法进行了对比,验证了本方法的有效性和可靠性。     

先进的宇航试验舱温控系统

介绍了中国新一代宇航试验舱的温控系统。该温控系统设计思想先进、结构新颖。在直径２．３ｍ,长２ｍ的封闭舱体控温面上,实现了０℃～５０℃的任意温度定点控制及９０ｍｉｎ内的正弦波、梯形波、三角波的周期变化;在整个控温面上温度非均匀性（均方根偏差）小于０．３℃,远远超过了非均匀度±１℃、控制精度±２℃的原设计指标。     

基于摄影测量技术的航天发动机装配过程几何参数测量方法研究

当前我国航天发动机装配过程几何参数的测量方法为专业人员操作激光跟踪仪或全站仪逐点位进行测量,此类方法存在测量效率低的缺点。针对此问题,提出了一种高效的基于摄影测量技术的航天发动机装配过程几何参数测量方法,对该测量方法的测量原理进行了介绍,详细说明了这一方法各测量环节实现的测量目的,最后通过实测数据计算工业数字摄影测量技术在此类应用中的系统准确度,证明了该测量方法的可行性。     

The hydroxyl radical as an indicator of SEP fluxes in the high-latitude terrestrial atmosphere

The low background values at nighttime of the mesospheric hydroxyl (OH) radical make it easier to single out the atmospheric response to the external solar forcing in Polar Regions. Because of the short lifetime of HO_x, it is possible to follow the trails of Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events in the terrestrial atmosphere, as shown by Storini and Damiani (2008). The sensitivity of this indicator makes discernible not only extreme particle events with a flux peak of several thousand pfu [1 pfu = 1 particle/(cm² s sr)] at energies >10 MeV, but also those with lower flux up to about 300 pfu. Using data from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on board the EOS AURA satellite, we examined the correlation of OH abundance vs. solar proton flux for almost all the identified SEP events spanning from November 2004 to December 2006 (later on no more SEP events occurred during Solar Cycle no. 23). The channels at energies greater than 5 MeV and 10 MeV showed the best correlation values (r ∼ 0.90–0.95) at altitudes around 65–75 km whereas, as expected, the most energetic channels were most highly correlated at lower altitudes. Therefore, it is reasonably possible to estimate the solar proton flux from values of mesospheric OH (and viceversa) and it could be useful in studying periods with gaps in the records of solar particles.     

Science operations planning expertise: A neglected component of mission design

In this paper, Science Operations Planning Expertise (SOPE) is defined as the expertise that is held by people who have the two following qualities. First they have both theoretical and practical experience in operations planning, in general, and in space science operations planning in particular. Second, they can be used, on request and at least, to provide with advice the teams that design and implement science operations systems in order to optimise the performance and productivity of the mission. However, the relevance and use of such SOPE early on during the Mission Design Phase (MDP) is not sufficiently recognised. As a result, science operations planning is often neglected or poorly assessed during the mission definition phases. This can result in mission architectures that are not optimum in terms of cost and scientific returns, particularly for missions that require a significant amount of science operations planning. Consequently, science operations planning difficulties and cost underestimations are often realised only when it is too late to design and implement the most appropriate solutions. In addition, higher costs can potentially reduce both the number of new missions and the chances of existing ones to be extended. Moreover, the quality, and subsequently efficiency, of SOPE can vary greatly. This is why we also believe that the best possible type of SOPE requires a structure similar to the ones of existing bodies of expertise dedicated to the data processing such as the International Planetary Data Alliance (IPDA), the Space Physics Archive Search and Extract (SPASE) or the Planetary Data System (PDS). Indeed, this is the only way of efficiently identifying science operations planning issues and their solutions as well as of keeping track of them in order to apply them to new missions. Therefore, this paper advocates for the need to allocate resources in order to both optimise the use of SOPE early on during the MDP and to perform, at least, a feasibility study of such a more structured SOPE.     

锦纶材料空间环境适应性研究

为研究锦纶材料在长寿命在轨航天器中的环境适应性,提出了锦纶材料在空间环境使用的空间环境适应性评价指标,设计并实施了空间环境适应性评价试验。试验结果表明,锦纶材料在燃烧性能、逸出有害气体、真空质损和可凝挥发物、抗菌防霉、耐受交变温度、电离辐射中表现出友好的环境适应性。锦纶材料在受到空间环境中原子氧、紫外辐射作用时断裂强力明显下降,且原子氧与紫外辐照协同效果对锦纶材料的力学性能破坏具有加强效果。锦纶材料可作为空间舱内环境长期使用材料,在舱外环境使用时,需要特别考虑其力学特性受到原子氧、紫外辐照的影响。     

Remote upgrading of a space-borne instrument

The main purposes of experiment “Obstanovka” (“Environment” in Russian) consisting of several instruments are to measure a set of electromagnetic and plasma phenomena characterizing the space weather conditions, and to evaluate how such a big and highly energy consuming body as the International Space Station disturbs the surrounding plasma, and how the station itself is charged due to the operation of so many instruments, solar batteries, life supporting devices, etc. Two identical Langmuir electrostatic probes are included in the experiment “Obstanovka”. In this paper the Langmuir probes for “Obstanovka” experiment are described, including the choice of geometry (spherical or cylindrical), a more reliable method for the sweep voltage generation, an adaptive algorithm for the probe’s operation. Special attention is paid to the possibility for remote upgrading of the instrument from the ground using the standard communication channels.