Thermal conductivity studies of a polyurea cross-linked silica aerogel-RTV 655 compound for cryogenic propellant tank applications in space

Silica-based aerogel is an ideal thermal insulator with a makeup of up to 99% air associated with the highly porous nature of this material. Polyurea cross-linked silica aerogel (PCSA) has superior mechanical properties compared to the native aerogels yet retains the highly porous open pore network and functions as an ideal thermal insulator with added load-bearing capability necessary for some applications. Room temperature vulcanizing rubber-RTV 655—is a space qualified elastomeric thermal insulator and encapsulant with high radiation and temperature tolerance as well as chemical resistance. Storage and transport of cryogenic propellant liquids is an integral part of the success of future space exploratory missions and is an area under constant development. Limitations and shortcomings of current cryogenic tank materials and insulation techniques such as non-uniform insulation layers, self-pressurization, weight and durability issues of the materials used, has motivated the quest for alternative materials. Both RTV 655 and PCSA are promising space qualified materials with unique and tunable microscopic and macroscopic properties making them attractive candidates for this study. In this work, the effect of PCSA geometry and volume concentration on the thermal behavior of RTV 655—PCSA compound material has been investigated at room temperature and at a cryogenic temperature. Macroscopic and microscopic PCSA material was encapsulated at increasing concentrations in an RTV 655 elastomeric matrix. The effect of pulverization on the nanopores of PCSA as a method for creating large quantities of homogeneous PCSA microparticles has also been investigated and is reported. The PCSA volume concentrations ranged between 22% and 75% for both geometries. Thermal conductivity measurements were performed based on the steady state transient plane source method.     

空间碎片数据形式及轨道演化算法

根据建立空间碎片工程模型的需要,定义了一种描述单个空间碎片运行位置及其物理特性的数据形式。基于空间碎片运动规律给出了一种用于计算单个空间碎片运行时＂平均位置＂的演化算法。计算的演化结果与STK软件计算的标称轨道比较表明：该演化算法正确。     

光机扫描仪扫描条带宽度变化规律研究

研究了光机扫描仪扫描条带宽度随扫描角变化的变化规律,并推导出扫描条带宽度变化量的计算公式.讨论了卫星侧摆成像时,计算条带宽度变化量的方法.最后,建立了扫面条带的数学模型,并对MODIS扫描条带宽度变化进行了仿真.     

极远紫外成像光谱仪在空间科学中的应用与展望

极远紫外成像光谱仪是空间科学研究中重要的数据获取工具,通过对不同天体目标极远紫外辐射的观测,可以反演出天体中主要物质的含量和变化规律,从而为空间天气、宇宙起源等许多前沿科学提供研究资料。文章分析了极远紫外成像光谱仪在空间科学研究中的优势,介绍了国际发展概况．列举了日地空间环境观测、地外行星体观测和宇宙空间观测3个应用领...     

传输型线阵测绘相机几何精度标定方法

分析了传统框幅式测绘相机几何精度评价和测试方法的局限性：不适用于以长焦距、小视场角为主的传输型线阵测绘相机。从传输型测绘相机原理出发。分析了以视主点作为传输型测绘相机主点评价指标的合理性和可行性。指出了同传统方法相比在几何精度标定过程中需要注意的问题并提出标定方法。     

Capacity building in space technology development: A new initiative within the United Nations programme on space applications

Since 1971 the UN Programme on Space Applications, implemented by the Office for Outer Space Affairs, has been organizing workshops, symposiums and expert meetings and providing training opportunities in the practical applications of space technology. In 2009 the Office launched the Basic Space Technology Initiative (BSTI). The BSTI encompasses a range of activities in support of capacity building in space technology development in response to the growing interest of academic and governmental organizations in many countries to establish basic, indigenous capabilities to develop nano- and small satellites. Considerations such as the education and training of experts, the creation of required testing and building infrastructure, opportunities for international cooperation and the applicable legal and regulatory frameworks are therefore of particular interest to these organizations. The BSTI aims to assist them with their efforts. This paper describes the origins of the initiative, the activities that have been conducted to date and the work planned for 2011 and beyond.     

近距-1协议在星间测距中的应用

针对近距航天器测距的需要,将CCSDS(空间数据系统咨询委员会)近距-1协议的定时业务与微波双向单程测距法相结合进行测距。该法以直序扩频技术来获得高精度传输帧ASM(附属同步标识)最后1位下降沿的时刻,并以时间码形式,通过帧数据域在测距星之间相互对传,综合考虑协议给出的信号物理特性,对所给出的方法进行了误差分析。分析表明,航天器之间距离不远,相对速度不大时,该法具有较高精度,且与数据通信共用1套设备,降低了成本。     

Space Shuttle drops down the SAA doses on ISS

Long-term analysis of data from two radiation detection instruments on the International Space Station (ISS) shows that the docking of the Space Shuttle drops down the measured dose rates in the region of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) by a factor of 1.5–3. Measurements either by the R3DE detector, which is outside the ISS at the EuTEF facility on the Columbus module behind a shielding of less than 0.45 g cm⁻², and by the three detectors of the Liulin-5 particle telescope, which is inside the Russian PEARS module in the spherical tissue equivalent phantom behind much heavier shielding demonstrate that effect. Simultaneously the estimated averaged incident energies of the incoming protons rise up from about 30 to 45 MeV. The effect is explained by the additional shielding against the SAA 30–150 MeV protons, provided by the 78 tons Shuttle to the instruments inside and outside of the ISS. An additional reason is the ISS attitude change (performed for the Shuttle docking) leading to decreasing of dose rates in two of Liulin-5 detectors because of the East–West proton fluxes asymmetry in SAA. The Galactic Cosmic Rays dose rates are practically not affected.     

Applications and usage of the real-time Neutron Monitor Database

A high-time resolution Neutron Monitor Database (NMDB) has started to be realized in the frame of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission. This database will include cosmic ray data from at least 18 neutron monitors distributed around the world and operated in real-time. The implementation of the NMDB will provide the opportunity for several research applications most of which will be realized in real-time mode. An important one will be the establishment of an Alert signal when dangerous solar cosmic ray particles are heading to the Earth, resulting into ground level enhancements effects registered by neutron monitors. Furthermore, on the basis of these events analysis, the mapping of all ground level enhancement features in near real-time mode will provide an overall picture of these phenomena and will be used as an input for the calculation of the ionization of the atmosphere. The latter will be useful together with other contributions to radiation dose calculations within the atmosphere at several altitudes and will reveal the absorbed doses during flights. Moreover, special algorithms for anisotropy and pitch angle distribution of solar cosmic rays, which have been developed over the years, will also be set online offering the advantage to give information about the conditions of the interplanetary space. All of the applications will serve the needs of the modern world which relies at space environment and will use the extensive network of neutron monitors as a multi-directional spectrographic detector. On top of which, the decreases of the cosmic ray intensity – known as Forbush decreases – will also be analyzed and a number of important parameters such as galactic cosmic ray anisotropy will be made available to the users of NMDB. A part of the NMDB project is also dedicated to the creation of a public outreach website with the scope to inform about cosmic rays and their possible effects on humans, technological systems and space-terrestrial environment. Therefore, NMDB will also stand as an informative gate on space research through neutron monitor’s data usage.     

Why should the latitude of the observer be considered when modeling gradual proton events? An insight using the concept of cobpoint

The shape of flux profiles of gradual solar energetic particle (SEP) events depends on several not well-understood factors, such as the strength of the associated shock, the relative position of the observer in space with respect to the traveling shock, the existence of a background seed particle population, the interplanetary conditions for particle transport, as well as the particle energy. Here, we focus on two of these factors: the influence of the shock strength and the relative position of the observer. We performed a 3D simulation of the propagation of a coronal/interplanetary CME-driven shock in the framework of ideal MHD modeling. We analyze the passage of this shock by nine spacecraft located at ∼0.4 AU (Mercury’s orbit) and at different longitudes and latitudes. We study the evolution of the plasma conditions in the shock front region magnetically connected to each spacecraft, that is the region of the shock front scanned by the “cobpoint” (Heras et al., 1995), as the shock propagates away from the Sun. Particularly, we discuss the influence of the latitude of the observer on the injection rate of shock-accelerated particles and, hence, on the resulting proton flux profiles to be detected by each spacecraft.