Role of the current young generation within the space exploration sector

The space sector gathers together people from a variety of fields who work in the industry on different levels and with different expertise. What is often forgotten is the impact and role of the current young generation. Their engagement is of great importance as undeniably today's young ‘space generation’ will be defining the direction of future space exploration.Today's vision of future human and robotic space exploration has been set out in the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER). This focuses on sustainable, affordable and productive long-term goals. The strategy begins with the International Space Station (ISS) and then expands human presence into the solar system, including a human mission to Mars.This paper presents a general overview of the role of today's youth within the space exploration sector and the challenges to overcome. To complete this perspective, we present results from a survey made among students and young professionals about their levels of awareness of the GER. The respondents presented their opinion about current aspects of the GER and prioritised the GER's objectives. It is hoped that the paper will bring a new perspective into the GER and a contribution to the current GER strategy.     

A permanent lunar base : Alternatives and choices

It appears virtually certain that humans will return to the lunar surface to stay and exploit the lunar resources. The only remaining question is who, when and how humankind will go there to establish a permanent lunar base. This article describes the decision-making process of determining the parameters of a lunar base. It offers modelling options as a frame of reference for planning the lunar base and its logistic support, and gives the reasons why a detailed analysis of the options and forward planning should have a high priority now.     

“龙江2号”月球轨道微卫星定轨分析

微纳卫星深空探测任务中,通常所分配的测控资源有限,因此有必要对有限测控资源条件下微纳卫星的定轨精度进行分析。以微纳卫星深空探测为背景,采用"龙江2号"微卫星的轨道测量数据对其定轨精度进行了分析。"龙江2号"微卫星只有USB轨道测量数据,且环月段测控资源相对紧张,每天有两站跟踪,共约3～4 h的轨道测量数据。首先介绍了"龙江2号"微卫星飞行任务及其飞行过程中影响测定轨的因素;其次给出了定轨的动力学模型,对微卫星地月转移段的定轨精度进行了分析;最后通过分析摄动力、动量轮卸载以及数据弧段长度的影响,给出了微卫星环月阶段所使用的定轨策略,并通过重叠弧段比较的模式,给出了微卫星环月段的定轨精度。研究结论可以为后续微纳卫星深空探测任务提供有益参考。     

自主火星探测高集成离子与中性粒子分析仪

小型化、高集成化是深空探测载荷发展的主要趋势。在我国自主火星探测计划中,设计了一种高集成化的火星离子与中性粒子分析仪。采用从传感器到电子学进行最大限度共用的设计思路,在一台仪器中实现对离子和能量中性原子进行能量、方向和成分的探测,大大降低了仪器对卫星平台的资源需求。仪器采取静电分析进行离子的方向和能量测量、采取飞行时间方法进行离子成分的测量。中性原子采用电离板电离成带电离子,后端的能量测量和成分测量与离子相同。鉴定件样机已经完成了初步的测试定标,结果表明其满足设计要求。     

低成本多小天体并行交会技术

小天体资源开发方兴未艾,为降低开发风险和成本,需要发射无人探测器交会观测多个待选目标小天体。传统多目标探测方案存在无法多次交会、成本高,周期长等不足。提出的低成本多小天体并行交会技术,能够对多小天体探测任务进行解耦,实现基于微纳飞行器的低成本多目标并行交会勘查,从而降低探测成本,缩短探测周期。该技术结合行星借力与不变流形机制构建了低能量星际转移方案。然后引入扰动流形思想,使微纳飞行器能够实现与目标小天体的快速交会。进一步,提出了一种多目标小天体探测全局搜索方法,该方法基于在日地halo轨道上停泊的微纳飞行器集群,逐次确定小天体探测目标,并利用上述方法完成了多微纳飞行器与多小天体的交会。数值仿真结果表明,该方案能够大幅度降低转移过程的燃料消耗,并缩短转移时间。     

低速溅射小行星表面采样的动力学仿真

开发了适用于小行星环境的大规模三维离散元程序DEMBody,针对低速射弹溅射表层风化层的小行星采样方案,仿真了相同质量不同形状的射弹在微重力环境下垂直射入颗粒床的过程,研究了溅射物质在采样器中的运动历程及最终收集质量与射弹形状的关系。结果表明,90°锥形射弹的采样效率最高。     

火星车转移坡道柔顺性优化设计及动力学分析

对一种抽展式火星车转移坡道开展柔顺性优化设计和动力学分析。首先，分析火星车与存在异面角的坡道的挤压几何原理。然后，设计坡道的间隙机构和限位机构，并计算出机构关键设计参数的最优值，以自适应调整两侧坡道的距离，〖JP2〗减小火星车与坡道护栏之间的相互作用力。最后，对坡道下落过程和火星车在坡道上的行驶过程进行动力学仿真，验证坡道柔顺性优化设计的效果。结果表明：优化后的坡道柔顺性大幅提高，坡道可以自适应调整两侧的距离；使用优化后的坡道，可以有效降低火星车与坡道护栏的作用力，实现火星车在坡道上的安全行驶。     

Energy requirements of a thermally processed ISRU radiation shield for a lunar habitat

The purpose of this study was to establish, on a first principles basis, the order of magnitude of energy requirements for a thermally processed, lunar regolith radiation shield constructed using an in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) approach. This was done by developing a reference scenario habitat and using thermodynamic relationships and specific heat capacity expressions to determine the energy required to bring such a regolith volume up to sintering temperatures (c. 1,375 K). Once the energy requirements were developed some power system architectures were outlined conceptually and a nuclear power plant of c. 400 kW was suggested as a means to supply the necessary energy. This is well beyond current space nuclear applications. The study concludes that it is likely that the most efficient near-term solution is chemical processing of regolith, from an energy requirements perspective. The technology is also more mature and likely to be delivered on near term projects as it does not require such scaled-up power system architectures. Alternatively, bringing storm shelters up with the habitat to provide a means of weathering major solar events, and adding additional radiation protection to habitat quarters, possibly through a water blanket or similar mechanism, could provide a non-ISRU solution with current technology. However, in the longer term, the development of MW-scale power system architectures (fission, solar etc.), may permit a very large volume of material to be processed thermally for construction material, making a large, permanent human presence on the Moon more easily realisable.     

深空探测对航天器热控技术的推动

工程热物理学广泛应用于航天领域,一方面解决了具体航天工程问题,另一方面逐步发展成为交叉学科——空间热物理。随着我国在深空探测领域不断拓展,以深空探测器研制中的工程热物理问题为需求背景,推动着航天器热控制技术、防热技术等取得新的发展。文章在介绍深空探测器技术体系的基础上,分析了热设计、热分析、热试验、热控硬件、防热等方面的技术进步,并就深空探测领域进一步拓展对工程热物理发展的牵引进行了展望,分析了工程热物理学与航天技术间相互促进、相互推动的关系。     

火星车三折平展坡道转移方案及转移姿态分析

以火星车从着陆平台安全转移至火星表面为研究目标,提出一种三折平展坡道转移方案。火星车坡道式转移方案难点在于,着陆点地形地貌不确定和着陆器自身姿态的不确定将导致火星车转移姿态不确定从而增大转移风险。为保证火星车坡道式转移安全性,开展火星车坡道式转移姿态分析,获得满足火星车安全转移要求的最小坡道长度并评价出极限转移姿态。为使三折坡道展开总长度尽可能靠近最小坡道长度需求,进行了三折坡道长度优化分析,获得在着陆器构型约束下三折坡道长度最大值,可为我国火星车转移工程实施提供借鉴。