Recent Advances in Chinese Meridian Project

To develop an understanding of near-Earth space's response to solar activities and the coupling among different layers in geospace, China has initiated a ground base program to monitor China's geospace environment called the Meridian Space Weather Monitoring Project (Chinese Meridian Project). The effort consists of a chain of 15 ground-based observatories located roughly along 120°E longitude and 30°N latitude. Each observatory is equipped with multiple instruments to measure key parameters such as the baseline and time-varying geomagnetic field, as well as the middle and upper atmosphere and ionosphere from about 20 to 1000 kilometers. This project started collecting data in 2012. We will give a brief introduction to the Chinese Meridian Project, and present recent scientific results mainly in ionospheric and atmospheric studies.      

Science Researches of Chinese Manned Space Flight

With the complete success of the 2nd stage of Chinese Manned Space Program (CMSP), several science researches have been performed on Tiangong-1 experimental spacelab, which was docked with three Shenzhou spaceships one after another. The China's real spacelab, Tiangong-2 will be launched in 2015, docked with a Shenzhou spaceship soon. After six months, it will be docked with the first Chinese cargo ship (Tianzhou-1). More space science researches, involving with space biology, fluid physics, fundamental physics, materials science, Earth science, astronomy and space environmental science, will be operated on Tiangong-2 spacelab, and crewed and cargo spaceships. Furthermore, the considerable large-scale space utilization of Shina's Space Station is planned. The research fields include yet not limited to space medicine and physiology, space life science and biotechnology, fluid physics and combustion in microgravity, space material science, and fundamental physics in microgravity, space astronomy, Earth science, space physics and space environment utilization, technology demonstration.      

Space Life Science of China in 2013

In the past two years, space life science research in China is characterized by a wide area of basic researches for providing foundation for the future China Space Station. The effect of microgravity and radiation was further studied from physiology phenomena to the level of bio-molecule mechanisms. Chinese space life science is maturing in a new era of comprehensive development. Here, we review and summarize researches on space life sciences which were contributed by Chinese scientists.      

柔性机械臂辅助空间站舱段对接阻抗控制

空间机械臂辅助舱段对接过程中存在测量与控制误差,易导致对接机构间存在较大接触力,传统FMA (Force MomentAccommodation)控制方法在测量接触力时无法消除大负载惯性力对测量的影响,且测量仪器的引入会进一步降低空间柔性机械臂的刚度。为此,文章提出了柔性机械臂辅助大负载空间舱段对接的阻抗控制方法,采用拉格朗日法推导了空间机械臂的关节输入力矩方程作为前馈输入,建立了含动力学前馈的空间机械臂阻抗控制程序,并以在商业软件ADAMS中建立的空间柔性机械臂与对接舱段组成的系统动力学模型作为控制对象,对系统进行ADAMS灢Matlab联合仿真。仿真结果表明,按照此控制方法,系统可克服外力干扰使目标解析点按照期望的方式运动;同时,通过测量机械臂关节运动参数即可实现对外力的准确感知,而不需额外添加力传感器,既消除了大负载惯性力对测量的影响,也不会导致柔性机械臂刚度的降低。     

一种改进的多点融合非均匀校正技术

针对空间宽幅相机在进行非均匀性校正过程中相机镜头与积分球输出口的相对位置发生变换后非均匀性校正精度下降的原因进行了分析,提出了一种改进的融合多点位置的非均匀校正新方法,即为了消除积分球的角均匀性和面均匀性的不足,采用获取多个位置的大量定标图像,融合求取平均值的方法得到校正系数来削弱这种影响,并进行试验验证分析。结果表明,多点融合的校正方法在积分球输出口光强不均匀、又无法固定相机与积分球相对位置的前提下,减少了积分球光强的不均匀性对系数可靠性的影响,相对辐射定标的非均匀校正精度得到大幅提高。     

Behavior of tethered debris with flexible appendages

Active exploration of the space leads to growth of a near-Earth space pollution. The frequency of the registered collisions of space debris with functional satellites highly increased during last 10 years. As a rule a large space debris can be observed from the Earth and catalogued, then it is possible to avoid collision with the active spacecraft. However every large debris is a potential source of a numerous small debris particles. To reduce debris population in the near Earth space the large debris should be removed from working orbits. The active debris removal technique is considered that intend to use a tethered orbital transfer vehicle, or a space tug attached by a tether to the space debris. This paper focuses on the dynamics of the space debris with flexible appendages. Mathematical model of the system is derived using the Lagrange formalism. Several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the mutual influence of the oscillations of flexible appendages and the oscillations of a tether. It is shown that flexible appendages can have a significant influence on the attitude motion of the space debris and the safety of the transportation process.     

United Nations Human Space Technology Initiative (HSTI)

The Human Space Technology Initiative was launched in 2010 within the framework of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications implemented by the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations. It aims to involve more countries in activities related to human spaceflight and space exploration and to increase the benefits from the outcome of such activities through international cooperation, to make space exploration a truly international effort.     

Challenges and perspectives of transport cargo vehicles utilization for performing research in free flight

Russian Progress transport cargo vehicles have successfully been used in different space station programs since 1978. At present time, they play an important role in the International Space Station (ISS) project. Main tasks performed by the transport cargo vehicle (TCV) in the station program are the following: refueling of the station, delivery of consumables and equipment, waste removal, station attitude control and orbit correction maneuver execution.     

An ethical duty: Let astronautical development unfold – to make the people more secure

In examining alternative space-development models, one observes that Heinlein postulated the first Moon flight as the outcome of the focused action of an individual – building upon an ample commercial aerospace transportation infrastructure. The same technological basis and entrepreneurial drive would then sustain a fast human and economic expansion on three new planets. Instead, historically, humans reached the Moon thanks to a “Faustian bargain” between astronautical developers and governments. This approach brought the early Apollo triumphs, but it also created the presumption of this method as the sole one for enabling space development. Eventually, the application of this paradigm caused the decline of the astronautical endeavor. Thus, just as conventional methods became unable to sustain the astronautical endeavor, space development appeared as vital, e.g., to satisfy the people?s basic needs (metabolic resources, energy, materials, and space), as shown elsewhere. Such an endeavor must grow from actions generating new wealth through commercial activities to become self-supporting. Acquisition and distribution of multiform space resources call, however, for a sound ethical environment, as predatory governments can easily forfeit those resources.     

Analytical-HZETRN model for rapid assessment of active magnetic radiation shielding

The use of active radiation shielding designs has the potential to reduce the radiation exposure received by astronauts on deep-space missions at a significantly lower mass penalty than designs utilizing only passive shielding. Unfortunately, the determination of the radiation exposure inside these shielded environments often involves lengthy and computationally intensive Monte Carlo analysis. In order to evaluate the large trade space of design parameters associated with a magnetic radiation shield design, an analytical model was developed for the determination of flux inside a solenoid magnetic field due to the Galactic Cosmic Radiation (GCR) radiation environment. This analytical model was then coupled with NASA’s radiation transport code, HZETRN, to account for the effects of passive/structural shielding mass. The resulting model can rapidly obtain results for a given configuration and can therefore be used to analyze an entire trade space of potential variables in less time than is required for even a single Monte Carlo run. Analyzing this trade space for a solenoid magnetic shield design indicates that active shield bending powers greater than ∼15 Tm and passive/structural shielding thicknesses greater than 40 g/cm² have a limited impact on reducing dose equivalent values. Also, it is shown that higher magnetic field strengths are more effective than thicker magnetic fields at reducing dose equivalent.