Cubesats: Cost-effective science and technology platforms for emerging and developing nations

The development, operation, and analysis of data from cubesats can promote science education and spur technology utilization in emerging and developing nations. This platform offers uniquely low construction and launch costs together with a comparative ubiquity of launch providers; factors that have led more than 80 universities and several emerging nations to develop programs in this field. Their small size and weight enables cubesats to “piggyback” on rocket launches and accompany orbiters travelling to Moon and Mars. It is envisaged that constellations of cubesats will be used for larger science missions. We present a brief history, technology overview, and summary of applications in science and industry for these small satellites. Cubesat technical success stories are offered along with a summary of pitfalls and challenges encountered in both developed and emerging nations. A discussion of economic and public policy issues aims to facilitate the decision-making process for those considering utilization of this unique technology.     

Spectral properties of backscattered solar Ly-α radiation in the heliosphere: A search for heliospheric boundary effects

We explore the imprints of the solar wind interaction with the local interstellar medium on spectral properties of backscattered solar Ly-α radiation. We employ a newly developed effective model for the interstellar H atom velocity distribution function in the heliosphere ( Katushkina and Izmodenov, 2011). The model takes into account both global effects of H atom perturbations at the heliospheric boundaries and local (i.e. within 10–20 AU from the Sun) effects of the solar ionization, charge exchange, solar gravitation and radiation pressure.     

光纤光栅温度传感器研究进展

归纳了以光纤光栅为基础的温度传感器的研究现状,总结了这些温度传感器的基本原理,再现了它们的主要结构,展示了原文提到的实验过程和数据分析结果,并对这些传感器的优点和不足进行了分析,提出了部分改进方案。通过研究发现：光纤光栅温度传感器具有优良的特性,能够在恶劣环境下测量极高的温度,具有广阔的应用前景。     

Surface shape control of integrated paraboloid space reflector consisting of sub-reflectors exploiting modulated solar pressure

Reflectors are very critical space elements and can be used not only as solar collectors/reflectors, telecommunication radio antennas and telescopes but also for dual-usage such as solar sails and solar concentrators to probe and sublimate materials from asteroids when actively controlling the surface shape. In this paper, the surface shape of a slack reflector with negligible elastic deformations will be controlled to be a paraboloid by actively modulating the solar radiation pressure (SRP) force using reflectivity control devices (RCDs) across the reflector. Nonlinear static equilibrium equations for an arbitrary infinitesimal within the reflector along the radial, circumferential and transverse directions are established considering the external modulated SRP force and internal tensions respectively. The coupled radial stress differential governing equation and reflectivity algebraic equation are obtained for the paraboloid reflector by the help of the formulation of an inverse problem based on equilibrium equations previously established. Some analytical and numerical analysis for reflectors with ideal and non-perfect SRP force models are performed respectively. The conclusions concerning about how to control the reflector’s surface shape successfully using allowed reflectivity, resulting in reasonable stress range, moreover, how to get the feasible solutions influenced by the reflector’s size parameters, are all based on the presented analytical and numerical analysis.     

Distributed online mission planning for multi-player space pursuit and evasion

There are three important roles in evasion conflict: pursuer, target and defender. Pur-suers’ mission is to access targets;targets’ mission is to escape from pursuers’ capture;defenders’ mission is to intercept pursuers who are potentially dangerous to targets. In this paper, a distributed online mission plan (DOMP) algorithm for pursuers is proposed based on fuzzy evaluation and Nash equilibrium. First, an integrated effectiveness evaluation model is given. Then, the details of collaborative mission planning which includes the co-optimization of task distributing, trajectory and corresponding maneuvering scheme are presented. Finally, the convergence and steadiness of DOMP are discussed with simulation results. Compared with centralized mission planning, DOMP is more robust and can greatly improve the effectiveness of pursuing. It can be applied to dynamic scenario due to its distributed architecture.     

基于工作过程的《制冷技术》课程教学设计

根据高等职业教育新的课程理念,对《制冷技术》课程的教学进行了改革。基于对实际工作过程的分析和思考,设计了学习情境,重构了课程内容,以学生为主体组织实施教学,创新了考核方法,有效地提高了教学效果。     

The effects of proton radiation on UHMWPE material properties for space flight and medical applications

Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a polymer widely used as a radiation shielding material in space flight applications and as a bearing material in total joint replacements. As a long chain hydrocarbon based polymer, UHMWPE’s material properties are influenced by radiation exposure, and prior studies show that gamma irradiation is effective for both medical sterilization and increased wear resistance in total joint replacement applications. However, the effects of space flight radiation types and doses on UHMWPE material properties are poorly understood. In this study, three clinically relevant grades of UHMWPE (GUR 1020, GUR 1050, and GUR 1020 blended with Vitamin E) were proton irradiated and tested for differences in material properties. Each of the three types of UHMWPE was irradiated at nominal doses of 0 Gy (control), 5 Gy, 10 Gy, 20 Gy, and 35 Gy. Following irradiation, uniaxial tensile testing and thermal testing using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) were performed. Results show small but significant changes in several material properties between the control (0 Gy) and 35 Gy samples, indicating that proton irradiation could have a effect on the long term performance of UHMWPE in both medical and space flight applications.     

空间核电源热管式辐射散热器热分析与参数优化

针对空间热管辐射散热器的特殊工况对散热器进行热分析建模，通过分析其传热原理，建立出热阻模型，并通过和实际设计进行对比，验证模型和计算方法的可行性。选取翅根温度、翅片长度和翅片厚度等参量作为约束条件，分别对热管式空间辐射散热器的翅片散热效率和系统质量特性进行优化分析，获得最优设计参数。     

Influence of ionospheric perturbations in GPS time and frequency transfer

The stability of GPS time and frequency transfer is limited by the fact that GPS signals travel through the ionosphere. In high precision geodetic time transfer (i.e. based on precise modeling of code and carrier phase GPS data), the so-called ionosphere-free combination of the code and carrier phase measurements made on the two frequencies is used to remove the first-order ionospheric effect. In this paper, we investigate the impact of residual second- and third-order ionospheric effects on geodetic time transfer solutions i.e. remote atomic clock comparisons based on GPS measurements, using the ATOMIUM software developed at the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB). The impact of third-order ionospheric effects was shown to be negligible, while for second-order effects, the tests performed on different time links and at different epochs show a small impact of the order of some picoseconds, on a quiet day, and up to more than 10 picoseconds in case of high ionospheric activity. The geomagnetic storm of the 30th October 2003 is used to illustrate how space weather products are relevant to understand perturbations in geodetic time and frequency transfer.