未来空间技术发展展望

经过近50年的发展,我国空间技术取得了举世瞩目的成就,在新的历史时期,世界航天将跨入一个新的发展高潮,我国经济社会的发展对航天事业提出了更高的要求。文章提出了我国未来航天器发展体系,介绍了未来5年我国空间技术发展的重点任务,分析了专业技术发展方向,提出了创新发展的对策建议。     

PWS软件应用于探月着陆器羽流效应 数值模拟研究

文章使用自行开发的PWS计算软件就探月着陆器主发动机羽流对着陆缓冲机构产生的气动力和对流换热热效应问题进行了数值模拟研究。PWS软件是一个基于直接模拟蒙特卡罗方法的羽流计算通用软件,其松散的软件架构保证了各个计算模块的相对独立性,使用“与”、“或”逻辑法则的二级构造法来实现边界条件的通用性。软件的计算值与国外CUBRC实验测量值符合得很好。使用PWS软件对着陆器主发动机羽流进行数值模拟计算表明着陆缓冲机构所受的羽流气动压强最大达到2.4 Pa;缓冲机构底盘侧面的对流换热热流密度最大达到2 000 W/m2;当缓冲机构壁面温度从300 K增加到500 K时,其表面对流换热流密度值有所下降,其最大下降值不到5%。     

火星着陆地形信息融合分析技术

文章以火星探测任务为背景,介绍了两种用于实时地形安全性评估的基于多敏感器的地形信息融合分析技术。这些技术综合考虑了影响着陆器安全着陆的多种地形特性信息,如地形粗糙度、坡度等,并且计算简单、处理速度快,能够满足火星着陆实时地形安全分析的要求。     

探月飞行的调相轨道

早期的探月飞行都采用直接由地球飞到月球的地月转移方式,探测器由运载火箭直接发送到地月转移轨道,这样做的好处是飞行时间比较短,只需3至5天的时间。20世纪90年代开始的新一轮探月活动中采用了一种新的飞行方式,探测器飞离地球前,先在绕地球飞行的调相轨道上运行若干圈,这样做的好处有三：一是可以在运载火箭能力不够的情况下,由探测器来补充;二是可以减小转移轨道中途修正的负担;三是可以扩大发射机会窗口。文章以嫦娥一号探测器及美、日的两个月球探测器为例,详细讨论了这种新的飞行方式,同时还对我国后续探月计划的飞行轨道提出了初步建议。     

火星太阳电池翼除尘方法综述

“萤火一号”火星探测器即将发射升空,标志着我国火星探测计划实施的开始。然而,火星尘埃在范德华力和静电力的作用下积聚在太阳电池翼的表面,使其转换效率下降,影响火星探测器的寿命。因此,开展火星太阳电池翼除尘技术的研究是非常有意义的。文章主要介绍了火星太阳电池翼的除尘方法,特别是目前最受关注的电帘除尘方法,并对其基本结构、除尘原理、除尘效率和透光性做了详细的描述,对开展火星太阳电池翼除尘技术的研究具有一定的参考作用。     

萤火一号火星轨道器开环追踪技术

中国首个火星探测器萤火一号计划于2009年10月和俄罗斯的火卫一采样探测器一道发射升空。萤火一号将探测火星的空间环境,并验证深空导航测控与通信技术。与常规的火星探测任务不同,该探测器的轨道与位置测量主要利用天文甚长基线干涉测量技术、开环跟踪测量技术、差分单程测距测速技术、同波束干涉测量技术以及单程Doppler测速技术承担。     

深空条件下航天器内的辐射环境研究

深空存在具有各种能量分布的粒子,这些能量分布范围很宽的粒子构成了深空环境下航天器外部的空间辐射环境。深空条件下的高能粒子会穿透航天器舱壁材料,通过射线与物质材料的相互作用,在航天器内产生二次粒子,形成由初级粒子、次级粒子叠加的混合辐射场的辐射环境。文章分析研究了高能α粒子及Fe离子在屏蔽材料中的输运过程,得到了在这些介质中的射程与能量关系及产生的二次粒子产额,为控制航天器内的辐射环境提供支撑。     

Using cross correlation to estimate Doppler frequency

Doppler frequency estimation with high accuracy is very important for precise orbit determination and scientific studies in deep space exploration. In this paper, we propose a new method which implements cross correlation of only received signals from one single station to estimate Doppler frequency. The algorithm is relatively simple and it can achieve high accuracy even when signal to noise ratio (SNR) is very low. Moreover, the accuracy can be further improved by implementing frequency compensation, especially when the frequency dynamic range is high. Simulations were performed and results proved the validity of this method. X-band observations on MEX (Mars Express) and Juno were performed by a 13 m telescope of Wuhan University, which was equipped by two back ends, i.e. CDAS (Chinese Data Acquisition System) and RSR (Radio Science Receiver). Raw data recorded by the CDAS were processed by using the proposed method, and the estimated frequencies were in good agreement with the real time frequency estimation values by the RSR. What’s more, the accuracy by using cross correlation was higher than the one of RSR.     

Space exploration and human survival

I am sympathetic to the view that, given the likelihood of massive natural disasters, such as collisions between the Earth and large asteroids, we should engage in large-scale space exploration and colonization so as to hedge our bets against extinction. I will consider several criticisms of this view. For example, some philosophers may raise objections against the notion of long-term human survival as a value. How can we have obligations towards beings who have not even been conceived yet and thus cannot be properly said to have rights? On a different note, Wendell Berry argues that the abundance of resources in space will produce bad character, for good character requires the discipline of finitude. Others challenge the connection between space exploration and survival, for they fear that by entertaining the promise of new Earths in the heavens we are more likely to neglect our planet, thus leading to our downfall. Presumably, we should instead increase our efforts to restore and preserve the balance of nature. I will advance a variety of replies. For example, we do decide for posterity to a great extent. We may plant the trees from which “our” descendants will receive nourishment and shade, or we may destroy what could have given them a fighting chance against drought and famine. We have an obligation not to plant a bomb that will go off two years from now in a hospital nursery, and another to ensure that the buildup of chemicals in the hospital water tank will not reach critical mass and kill most of the newborns in ten years. The “balance of nature” involved in another objection is a myth that cannot be justified by natural history, whether astronomical or biological. Moreover, the inevitable changes in the environment, independent of asteroid impacts, will make the Earth uninhabitable in a few hundreds of millions and years. In addition, in order to act wisely we need an understanding of the Earth as a planet, and this requires the exploration of space.