Resources of free space vs. flags and footprints on Mars

Human space exploration since Apollo appears to lack an overall context. There has been an overall context for the world's space efforts. But it is an unofficial one and it is outmoded, because it was based on a false assumption. This is the space exploration plan articulated by Von Braun in the 1950s and restated as the Integrated Space Program - 1970–1990, whose principal aim is to send humans to explore Mars. The critical underlying assumption of this plan was that Mars is a planet much like Earth, with an active biosphere. This Program has persisted nearly two decades after this underlying assumption has been shown to be false. There is a competing context re-emerging for human space exploration and development which is better fitted to the needs of human society in the post-Cold War era than the Mars program embraced by NASA and, to a large extent, the USSR during the period of US-Russian competition. The original space program uses the resources of free space and provides an economic rationale for human space activity.     

Optics of the far infra-red and submillimetre space telescope

Some of the considerations in the design of the telescope for FIRST are discussed. It is pointed out that instruments that operate at submillimetre wavelengths need to be analyzed with techniques derived from both the Radio and Optical/IR traditions. The issue of emissivity of reflector surfaces is also discussed.     

Reconfigurable dual feed antenna for direct broadcast satellites

Direct Broadcast Satellites covering large countries such as Canada, require more than one spacecraft, located at different orbital positions, as well as the use of multiple shaped beams. This would minimize eclipse requirements over several time zones, provide increased capacity by frequency reuse and permit the use of cost effective ground receivers.Two such satellites are envisaged, one covering Eastern Canada, the other Western Canada, using two different sets of three highly shaped beams. This paper is the result of a feasibility study of a satellite antenna designed such that while at either orbital location it can be reconfigured in orbit, by ground command and hence can save the cost of one additional spare spacecraft.An offset parabolic reflector is proposed for the 12 GHz downlink, with a switched “dual feed” structure, consisting of two separate but contiguous sets of pyramidal horns and their associated beam forming networks (BFN). Only one BFN set is used at any one orbital location. Detailed radiation patterns demonstrate good beamshaping capabilities, with coverage efficiencies of the order of 94%. Other considerations such as the effect of orbital locations, gain equalization and TWTA standardization are discussed.It is concluded that a satellite, reconfigurable in orbit with a “dual feed” antenna, is feasible and cost effective, for a DBS spare as well as for the main spacecraft.     

On the dynamics of a novel manipulator with slewing and deployable links

Using a novel space platform-based manipulator with slewing and deployable links, the paper addresses two issues of considerable importance: (a) How important is it to model flexibility of the system? (b) How many modes are needed to adequately represent the elastic character? Results suggest that the fundamental mode is able to capture physics of the response quite accurately. Due to its massive character, the platform dynamics is virtually unaffected, even by severe maneuvers of the manipulator. Hence, treating the platform as rigid would save the computational cost without affecting the accuracy. Although the link flexibility does affect the manipulator's tip vibration, the joint and platform vibrations remain negligible. The revolute joint flexibility appears to be an important parameter affecting both the joint as well as tip responses. The information should prove useful in the design of this new class of manipulators.     

用预测法量化防空导弹武器系统效能的研究

针对当前分析人员难于求解防空导弹武器系统总体效能值，提出了一套量化系统效能中的系统能力向量Ｃ的方法。对该方法作了详细的论述，并用该方法量度了一些防空导弹武器系统的总体系统效能。分析得到的结果是令人满意的，从而进一步解决了如何通过较理想的效能模型，全面地预测防空导弹武器系统在给定条件下完成规定任务的能力问题。     

The potential of the lichen symbiosis to cope with the extreme conditions of outer space II: germination capacity of lichen ascospores in response to simulated space conditions.

Complementary to the already well-studied microorganisms, lichens, symbiotic organisms of the mycobiont (fungi) and the photobiont (algae), were used as "model systems" in which to examine the ecological potential to resist to extreme environments of outer space. Ascospores (sexual propagules of the mycobiont) of the lichens Fulgensia bracteata, Xanthoria elegans and Xanthoria parietina were exposed to selected space-simulating conditions (up to 16 h of space vacuum at 10(-3) Pa and UV radiation at 160 nm < or = lambda < or = 400 nm), while embedded in the lichen fruiting bodies. After exposure, the ascospores were discharged and their viability was tested as germination capacity on different culture media including those containing Mars regolith simulant. It was found that (i) the germination rate on media containing Mars regolith simulant was as high as on other mineral-containing media, (ii) if enclosed in the ascocarps, the ascospores survived the vacuum exposure, the UV-irradiation as well as the combined treatment of vacuum and UV to a high degree. In general, 50 % or more viable spores were recovered, with ascospores of X. elegans showing the highest survival. It is suggested that ascospores inside the ascocarps are well protected by the anatomical structure, the gelatinous layer and the pigments (parietin and carotene) against the space parameters tested.     

翼型风洞侧壁干扰的数值模拟研究

运用Navier-Stokes数值模拟对翼型模拟试验对风洞侧壁干扰进行模拟，将简单代数湍流模型扩展用于机翼／风洞侧壁结合区流动，分析了风洞实验侧壁干扰问题的形成机理和影响翼型实验侧壁干扰的各种因素，如翼型展长、风洞侧壁边界层厚度及侧壁边界层抽吸等，对实验结果的影响，得出了一些有用的结论。计算格式空间采用中心有限体积离散，时间采用多步Runge-Kutta时间步长格式进行积分。计算结果证明了该方法的可行性和优越性。