Issues in planetary protection: policy, protocol and implementation

Planetary protection is NASA's term for the practice of protecting solar system bodies from Earth life while protecting Earth from life that may be brought back from other solar system bodies. Spacefaring nations will soon begin retrieving samples from Mars and other solar system bodies. For these samples, planetary protection is in order, and measures are already in place to prevent the forward contamination of Mars and other bodies by Earth microbes and the backward contamination of Earth by possible extraterrestrial life. A major goal of planetary protection controls on forward contamination is to preserve the planetary record of natural processes by preventing human-caused microbial introductions.     

Public opinion polls and perceptions of US human spaceflight

A belief exists in the United States about public support for NASA's human spaceflight activities. Many hold that NASA and the cause of the human exploration of space enjoyed outstanding public support and confidence in the 1960s during the era of Apollo and that public support waned in the post-Apollo era, only to sink to quite low depths in the decade of the 1990s. These beliefs are predicated on anecdotal evidence that should not be discounted, but empirical evidence gleaned from public opinion polling data suggests that some of these conceptions are totally incorrect and others are either incomplete or more nuanced than previously believed. This article explores the evolution of public support for space exploration since the 1960s. Using polling data from a variety of sources it presents trends over time and offers comments on the meaning of public perceptions for the evolution of space policy and the development of space exploration in the United States.     

Journey to the Moon: Recent results,science, future robotic and human exploration

The upcoming fleet of lunar missions, and the announcement of new lunar exploration initiatives, show an exciting “Journey to the Moon”, covering recent results, science, future robotic and human exploration. We review some of the questions, findings and perspectives given in the papers included in this issue of Advances in Space Research.     

基于修正Rife算法的脉冲回波相参积累算法

针对目标径向运动导致回波在波门内出现距离走动的情况,提出了一种针对径向匀速运动目标回波信号长时间相参积累的方法。该方法根据傅里叶变换的时移性质——不同时刻回波频谱相关序列的频率包含了各回波到达的时间延迟,通过修正Rife算法估计此时间延迟,最终确定并补偿各个回波的距离走动分量。仿真结果表明:提出的方法可以有效补偿各回波间的距离走动;信噪比低至-6dB时,算法的性能即可达到最优;补偿后积累信号的信噪比可以达到理想积累情况下的93%。     

Four-month Moon and Mars crew water utilization study conducted at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station,Devon Island,Nunavut

A categorized water usage study was undertaken at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island, Nunavut in the High Canadian Arctic. This study was conducted as part of a long duration four-month Mars mission simulation during the summer of 2007. The study determined that the crew of seven averaged 82.07 L/day over the expedition (standard deviation 22.58 L/day). The study also incorporated a Mars Time Study phase which determined that an average of 12.12 L/sol of water was required for each crewmember. Drinking, food preparation, hand/face, oral, dish wash, clothes wash, shower, shaving, cleaning, engineering, science, plant growth and medical water were each individually monitored throughout the detailed study phases. It was determined that implementing the monitoring program itself resulted in an approximate water savings of 1.5 L/day per crewmember. The seven person crew averaged 202 distinct water draws a day (standard deviation 34) with high water use periods focusing around meal times. No statistically significant correlation was established between total water use and EVA or exercise duration. Study results suggest that current crew water utilization estimates for long duration planetary surface stays are more than two times greater than that required.     

Development of theoretical approaches to the control of a water-treatment system

The Advanced Life Support/NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (ALS/NSCORT) focuses on research and development of technologies to support human habitation during space missions. This research was done as part of an effort to maintain crewmembers’ water supply in a closed life-support system. The water subsystem was the primary focus of this study because water is one of the most expensive and important resources for human survival.     

采样机械臂关节月表环境适应性设计

文章针对月球表面采样任务对机械臂关节防尘、耐高低温和轻量化的特殊要求,提出一种由永磁同步电机驱动、2K-H行星减速器+谐波减速器传动的关节设计方案。该方案采用电机的齿槽转矩提供关节制动力矩,并采用前馈力矩补偿控制的方法消除齿槽转矩引起的速度波动,节省了制动器的配置;通过控制减速器传动侧隙、电机定子与壳体的过盈量及密封垫片厚度,实现关节在-100~160℃高低温环境的热匹配和防尘。仿真分析和样机试验结果验证了关节设计方案可满足月表采样的月面特殊环境要求。     

用于火星表面生命信息探测的激光拉曼技术进展

生命信息探测一直是深空探测中重要的一个部分。简要介绍了拉曼光谱技术探测有机物的优势和火星生命信息探测进展,以及常见的火星生命信息探测技术;重点概述了国内外用于火星有机物和生命信息探测的激光拉曼光谱技术的进展,分析总结了火星表面有机物质探测技术的发展趋势;最后简要概述了拉曼光谱技术在火星探测领域的发展前景。     

深空天线组阵宽带信号频域合成技术研究

分析了深空天线组阵中宽带信号合成需求,提出一种宽带信号频域波束形成方法,设计相应的信道化滤波器组,达到了近似完全重建的目的;采用多相FIR(Finite Impulse Response,有限脉冲响应)和FFT(Fast Fourier Transform,快速傅里叶变换)结合的方式降低了DFT(Discrete Fourier Transform,离散傅里叶变换)滤波器组的计算量。在此基础上开展了原理样机的研制,并通过数传基带对样机进行闭环BER(Bit Error Rate,比特误码率)测试,根据测试BER数据计算样机本身SNR(Signal Noise Ratio,信噪比)恶化和合成效率。测试结果表明:合成信噪比损失小于0.4dB,验证了设计的正确性和合理性。     

嫦娥三号巡视器的惯导与视觉组合定姿定位

针对“嫦娥三号”的“玉兔号”巡视器在月面未知环境中避障与安全行进的要求,分析和阐述了“玉兔号”巡视器在地面遥操作中心的控制下利用惯导和视觉组合进行月面导航与精确定位的实现方法,并结合现有的导航定位研究对“玉兔号”巡视器导航与定位的工程创新性进行了总结,阐明了惯导定位和视觉定位技术在“玉兔号”巡视器月面探测过程中的工程应用特点.最后,通过“玉兔号”巡视器着月点的精确定位实验,验证惯导和视觉相结合的定位方法的有效性,定位精度近似达到总行驶里程的1％,这对“玉兔号”巡视器开展月面探索和准确抵达科学目标位置具有重要作用.