A sample collector for robotic sample return missions I: Temperature effect on collected mass

Sample return is playing an increasingly important role in solar system exploration. Among the possible mission on the horizon, are sample return from asteroids, comets, the Moon and Mars. A collector initially intended for near-Earth asteroids is the touch-and-go-impregnable-pad (TGIP). Here we explore the effect of temperature on its collection capabilities. Temperatures expected on near-Earth asteroid mission targets range from −43 to 36 °C. Experiments were conducted at −75, −50, −25, 23, 65, and 105 °C. It was found that the mass of sample collected by the TGIP increased almost linearly to 23 °C and then leveled off at higher temperatures. We also found that the collector did not lose its ability to collect samples after being subjected to −75 °C temperatures (essentially frozen) and then thawed. These experiments have shown that the TGIP can operate effectively at temperatures expected on near-Earth asteroids, especially if collection is performed on the sunward side of the asteroid.     

Open framework for objective evaluation of crater detection algorithms with first test-field subsystem based on MOLA data

Crater Detection Algorithms (CDAs) applications range from estimation of lunar/planetary surface age to autonomous landing on planets and asteroids and advanced statistical analyses. A large amount of work on CDAs has already been published. However, problems arise when evaluation results of some new CDA have to be compared with already published evaluation results. The problem is that different authors use different test-fields, different Ground-Truth (GT) catalogues, and even different methodologies for evaluation of their CDAs. Re-implementation of already published CDAs or its evaluation environment is a time-consuming and unpractical solution to this problem. In addition, implementation details are often insufficiently described in publications. As a result, there is a need in research community to develop a framework for objective evaluation of CDAs. A scientific question is how CDAs should be evaluated so that the results are easily and reliably comparable. In attempt to solve this issue we first analyzed previously published work on CDAs. In this paper, we propose a framework for solution of the problem of objective CDA evaluation. The framework includes: (1) a definition of the measure for differences between craters; (2) test-field topography based on the 1/64° MOLA data; (3) the GT catalogue wherein each of 17,582 craters is aligned with MOLA data and confirmed with catalogues by N.G. Barlow et al. and J.F. Rodionova et al.; (4) selection of methodology for training and testing; and (5) a Free-response Receiver Operating Characteristics (F-ROC) curves as a way to measure CDA performance. The handling of possible improvements of the framework in the future is additionally addressed as a part of discussion of results. Possible extensions with additional test-field subsystems based on visual images, data sets for other planets, evaluation methodologies for CDAs developed for different purposes than cataloguing of craters, are proposed as well. The goal of the proposed framework is to contribute to the research community by establishing guidelines for objective evaluation of CDAs.     

高升阻比乘波体外形设计及气动特性计算研究

采用数值模拟方法研究在设计点(马赫数6,迎角0°)锥导乘波体气动外形的设计方法及其基本气动特性,以及在非设计点时该乘波体的气动特性,即各个气动系数随迎角和马赫数的变化特性.研究表明:基于无粘锥形流的乘波体气动外形的反设计方法是成功的;在设计点附近选取合适的半基准圆锥激波角并考虑粘性影响时,可得到乘波体最大升阻比为3.36;给出了采用这一布局的单级入轨运载器的可行的飞行控制方案;分析提出了进一步提高该乘波体气动布局升阻比的有效途径.      

中国载人航天工程的外部设计

在“神舟号”载人飞船工程实现了中国人往返于天地间的目的之后 ,中国应审慎地选择发展载人航天的目标。文章从中国社会对载人航天的需求出发 ,讨论了以开发利用空间微重力物质环境为目标的空间站和以发展天基航天为目标的天基航天站的外部工程系统的环境条件 ,认为中国在运载火箭、发射和回收场、测控站网方面已有较好基础 ,基本具备条件 ,运人运输器已有“神舟号”载人飞船 ,运物运输器的研制也不困难 ,但在为保障航天员在空间生活、工作的航天员系统方面和为实现载人航天工程功能和显现价值的有效载荷系统方面欠缺较多 ,需要一个研究、试验、培训和开发、演示的发展阶段     

月球地质形貌及其环境概述

文章重点介绍了月球的地质形貌和月球环境.针对在月球上建立生产基地和居住基地,提出了需要重点开展的一些研究工作.     

返回舱和着陆系统设计的新理念

文章描述了美俄合作提出的一种低成本和低风险的载人返回舱概念。方案采用已有的硬件 和技术,由美国负责电子设备和软件,充分利用俄罗斯在返回舱方面的技术和低成本。提出的这种返回舱 概念是把联盟-TM按比例增大到可以容纳8位乘员,而且着陆系统增加了气囊,对伤病航天员的着陆具有 更好的缓冲作用。     

载人航天器真空热试验技术探讨

文章介绍了载人航天器真空环境下热平衡试验的必要性,热真空试验的特点、试验目的和试验项目,以及美国载人航天的热真空试验技术,特别是载人航天活动对热真空试验的特殊要求等。     

合成孔径雷达方程

导出适用于合成孔径雷达（SAR）的基本方程，用于决定回波信号功率、检测前后的信噪比、平均发射功率和噪声等效后向散射系数。考虑了地物目标特性、信号相干积累和多视处理效应，并对各种参数的影响进行讨论。     

伞舱系统在火星环境中的运动特性分析

建立了火星大气环境模型和伞舱系统多体动力学模型,通过仿真分析了火星环境下伞舱系统中进入舱的运动特性,并对其在火星环境和地球环境的运动稳定性进行仿真比较分析,得出的相关结论可为探测器火星登陆技术提供参考。     

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。