RPC-MAG The Fluxgate Magnetometer in the ROSETTA Plasma Consortium

The fluxgate magnetometer experiment onboard the ROSETTA spacecraft aims to measure the magnetic field in the interaction region of the solar wind plasma with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It consists of a system of two ultra light (about 28 g each ) triaxial fluxgate magnetometer sensors, mounted on the 1.5 m long spacecraft boom. The measurement range of each sensor is ±16384 nT with quantization steps of 31 pT. The magnetometer sensors are operated with a time resolution of up to 0.05 s, corresponding to a bandwidth of 0–10 Hz. This performance of the RPC-MAG sensors allows detailed analyses of magnetic field variations in the cometary environment. RPC-MAG furthermore is designed to study possible remnant magnetic fields of the nucleus, measurements which will be done in close cooperation with the ROSETTA lander magnetometer experiment ROMAP.     

A regional tropospheric model for airborne GPS applications

A regional tropospheric model can be constructed using surveys from GPS ground networks. Using this model the tropospheric delays of a kinematic station within the region can be interpolated. However, such a model is generally not suitable for an airborne platform high above the ground networks. In this paper, a method of constructing a regional tropospheric model for airborne GPS applications is described. First, the kinematic station in the air is projected onto the ground. Then the tropospheric delays at projected point are interpolated from those of the ground networks. Finally, the tropospheric delays at projected point are extended upward to the airborne platform using pressure and temperature gradients and humidity exponential function. For validation of this method, the data of airborne campaign carried out by BKG in cooperation with GFZ and BGR 2008 in the northern Alps are used. The results show that GPS kinematic positioning precision in height component can be improved using this method.     

韧性裂纹扩展的损伤力学描述

描述了基于材料微观空穴成核、长大和聚合的损伤力学模型,用增量本构关系模拟了空穴的成核和长大。用有限元损伤模型计算了裂纹的扩展,其计算值与试验结果吻合较好     

Free radicals induced in solid DNA by heavy ion bombardment.

Free radical formation after heavy-ion bombardment was studied in solid, polycristalline pellets of DNA-constituents by analysing the dose-yield curves and the spectra obtained by ESR-spectroscopy at low (< 100 K) and ambient temperatures. The dose-yield curves were found to correlate with those found after X-irradiation but shifted to higher doses and lower saturation concentrations. The corresponding radical yields (per 100 eV) exhibit values which are one to two orders of magnitudes lower. The structural aspects as revealed from powder ESR-spectra gave a complex inter-relation between substance, LET, dose and irradiation temperature, which is discussed in terms of mechanistic models.     

Laser measurements to space debris from Graz SLR station

In order to test laser ranging possibilities to space debris objects, the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Station Graz installed a frequency doubled Nd:YAG pulse laser with a 1 kHz repetition rate, a pulse width of 10 ns, and a pulse energy of 25 mJ at 532 nm (on loan from German Aerospace Center Stuttgart – DLR). We developed and built low-noise single-photon detection units to enable laser ranging to targets with inaccurate orbit predictions, and adapted our standard SLR software to include a few hundred space debris targets. With this configuration, we successfully tracked – within 13 early-evening sessions of each about 1.5 h – 85 passes of 43 different space debris targets, in distances between 600 km and up to more than 2500 km, with radar cross sections from >15 m² down to <0.3 m², and measured their distances with an average precision of about 0.7 m RMS.     

Software assisted authoring and viewing of ISS crew procedures

The European Space Agency (ESA) initiated a joint project with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and industry partners for improved authoring and execution of Operations Data File (ODF) procedures. The system consists of an authoring tool and a viewer. The authoring tool is currently used by NASA and ESA to write/convert ODF procedures. The viewer will be used onboard the International Space Station (ISS) starting from Flight Increment 11. The new system, thanks to its interaction capability, will help astronauts and operators in the execution of checklist and logic flow procedures that ensure precise performance of experiments and smooth operation of the various systems.     

A ballistic limit equation for hypervelocity impacts on composite honeycomb sandwich panel satellite structures

During a recent experimental test campaign performed in the framework of ESA Contract 16721, the ballistic performance of multiple satellite-representative Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP)/Aluminium honeycomb sandwich panel structural configurations (GOCE, Radarsat-2, Herschel/Planck, BeppoSax) was investigated using the two-stage light-gas guns at EMI. The experimental results were used to develop and validate a new empirical Ballistic Limit Equation (BLE), which was derived from an existing Whipple-shield BLE. This new BLE provided a good level of accuracy in predicting the ballistic performance of stand-alone sandwich panel structures. Additionally, the equation is capable of predicting the ballistic limit of a thin Al plate located at a standoff behind the sandwich panel structure. This thin plate is the representative of internal satellite systems, e.g. an Al electronic box cover, a wall of a metallic vessel, etc. Good agreement was achieved with both the experimental test campaign results and additional test data from the literature for the vast majority of set-ups investigated. For some experiments, the ballistic limit was conservatively predicted, a result attributed to shortcomings in correctly accounting for the presence of high surface density multi-layer insulation on the outer facesheet. Four existing BLEs commonly applied for application with stand-alone sandwich panels were reviewed using the new impact test data. It was found that a number of these common approaches provided non-conservative predictions for sandwich panels with CFRP facesheets.     

Direct radiation action of heavy ions on DNA as studied by ESR-spectroscopy.

The effects of heavy ions on the mechanisms of free radical formation in DNA-constituents as compared to low-LET irradiation are investigated by means of Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Dose-yield curves were measured at low (T < 100 K) and ambient temperatures in order to obtain the G-value, that is number of radicals formed per 100 eV absorbed energy. These G-values show a characteristic LET-dependence and are one to two orders of magnitude lower than for low-LET irradiation. Measurements on 2'Deoxycytidine at 300 K using combined heavy ion and X-ray irradiation methods suggested that this effect can be partially explained by a destruction of radicals during the irradiation.     

Space Debris Mitigation in France,Germany, Italy and United Kingdom

The Space systems today provide growing benefits to enhance the quality of humankind. However, as a by-product, the orbiting objects inevitably leaves some debris which after 50 years of space activities represent a concern for all space agencies and manufacturers and operators. Since last year no international agreement was in place to mitigate the growing population of space debris objects. The successful result obtained at UN-COPUOS in 2007 and available in the OOSA web site, now gives to the public, a set of voluntary international guidelines that could, if adopted by each space fairing Country, help in maintaining the present space environment. More further steps are necessary in the future to define a legal and normative framework. The paper will present the seven established UN Space Debris guidelines as well as examples of the minimum steps to be carried out at national level to enable the UN-COPUOS to start the discussion of the legal aspect associated with the space debris issue.