Ground Compatibility Tests for Gravity Measurement of SELENE: Accuracies of Two- and Four-Way Doppler and Range Measurements

The Japanese lunar mission Selenological and Engineering Explorer (SELENE) was launched in September 2007 and continued its mission until June 2009, when the main orbiter impacted with the surface of the Moon. SELENE consisted of three satellites: Main, Rstar, and Vstar. Rstar’s tasks were to forward up-link signals from the Usuada Deep Space Center (UDSC) to Main, and to down-link returning signals from Main to UDSC. We refer to this tracking sub-system as a four-way Doppler measurement. In contrast, conventional tracking systems between Rstar and UDSC as well as between Main and ground stations are referred to as two-way Doppler and range measurements. Using Main and Rstar, we successfully observed the gravity field over the farside of the Moon. Because four-way Doppler measurements via a relay sub-satellite were a fundamental experiment in space for Japanese space agencies, compatibility of radiometric instruments onboard Main and Rstar to UDSC were carefully examined at the UDSC using components manufactured for flight models. These tests not only proved the feasibility of the four-way Doppler measurements but also provided biases and variations of the four-way Doppler and two-way Doppler and range measurements that were later taken into account during the processing of tracking data and the analysis of the lunar global gravity field.     

Usefulness of daily +2Gz load as a countermeasure against physiological problems during weightlessness.

Adaptation to head-down-tilt bed rest as a simulated microgravity leads to an abnormality of reflex control of circulation, hypovolemia and reduction of exercise capacity. We hypothesized that this cardiovascular deconditioning and reduction of exercise capacity could be prevented by a daily 1 hr centrifugation at +2Gz. To test this hypothesis, twenty healthy male subjects underwent 4 day of 6 degrees head-down-tilt bed rest. Ten of them were exposed to a +2Gz load for up to 30 min twice per day (the Gz group). The remaining 10 were not exposed to a Gz load (the no-Gz group). We estimated autonomic cardiovascular control by power spectral analysis of blood pressure and R-R interval variability, and baroreflex regulation by the transfer function analysis and the sequence method, before and after bed rest. Further, we measured hematocrit as an index of changes in plasma volume and maximal oxygen consumption as an index of exercise capacity, before and after bed rest. Result: In the no-Gz group, heart rate increased after bed rest. The high frequency power of R-R interval variability as an index of cardiac parasympathetic nervous activity, baroreflex gains estimated by transfer function analysis and the sequence method as index of the integrated arterial-cardiac baroreflex function decreased significantly. Associated with these changes, the ratio of low to high frequency power of R-R as an indicator of cardiac sympathovagal balance tended to increase after bed rest in the no-Gz group. However, those showed no significant changes after bed rest in the Gz group. Hematocrit increased after bed rest in the no-Gz group. It also tended to increase in the Gz group, however it did not achieve statistical significance. Maximal oxygen consumption decreased significantly to similar extent in both the groups. Conclusion: This result suggested that 1) a daily 1hr +2Gz load produced by a centrifuge might eliminate the changes in autonomic cardiovascular control during simulated weightlessness; 2) furthermore, it might partly reverse hypovolemia induced by bed rest; 3) however, it could not prevent the decreases in exercise capacity.     

Effects of repeated long duration +2Gz load on man's cardiovascular function

Usefulness of a short-arm human centrifuge is expected when it is used in space as a countermeasure against cardiovascular deconditioning, problem of bone-calcium metabolism, etc. However, nothing is solidly established regarding the most desirable program for artificial G application. Accordingly, this study was designed to analytically evaluate the effects of repeated long duration +Gz load on human cardiovascular function. Recently heart rate spectral analysis has been recognized as a powerful tool for quantitatively evaluating parasympathetic and sympathetic activity separately in human. It is reported that power of the high frequency component (HF-p) is mediated selectively by parasympathetic activity and the power ratio of low to high frequency components(LF/HF) is indicative of cardiac sympathetic activity or cardiac sympathovagal balance. Sequence method is developed to examine spontaneous baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (BRS). We studied cardiovascular control function by using these methods in 9 healthy men before and after 7 days of daily repeated 1hour +2Gz load. When compared with the data of pre-G load period, post-G load period, decrease of HR, increases of HF-p and BRS were statistically significant. SBP, DBP and LF/HF tended to decrease, however, these changes were not statistically significant. This results indicate that repeated +2Gz load increases parasympathetic activity and arterial baroreceptor-cardiac reflex sensitivity. In recent years, many investigators suggest that space flight and head-down bedrest leads to impaired baroreceptor-cardiac reflex responses and decrease of parasympathetic activity, which may contribute to orthostatic intolerance. So our results suggest that daily repeated 1hour +2Gz load would be useful in preventing post-flight orthostatic intolerance.     

Detection of solar neutrons by ground-based neutron monitor

A review is presented of solar neutron observation by ground-based neutron monitors (NM), focusing on the five solar neutron events of 1980 June 7, 1980 June 21, 1980 November 6, 1982 November 26, and 1984 April 25 observed by the Tokyo NM. These events are analyzed by comparison with the time profiles of gamma-rays observed by the Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite and with the enhancements of counting rate observed at various NM stations in the solar neutron event of 1982 June 3.The energy range of solar neutrons observed by the NM is estimated in each event, based on some simple assumptions, using the gamma-ray data from the GRS and decay proton data from the ISEE-3 spacecraft. It is shown that these enhancements can be almost completely explained by the continuous emission of solar neutrons for several minutes at the flare. Finally, the effective detection and the newly found possibility to predict, in the short term, the occurrence time of a solar neutron event, and the plans for observation of solar neutrons by the ground-based NM stations are presented.     

Changes in prevalence of subjective fatigue during 14-day 6° head-down bed rest

The present study examines the prevalence of subjective fatigue in young healthy males during 14 days of 6° head-down bed rest (HDBR) by using a multidimensional questionnaire. Forty-one subjects completed the Subjective Fatigue Scale questionnaire to assess the fatigue-related complaints and symptoms. The questionnaire is composed of three sections, with 10 items each. The sections measured drowsiness and dullness (Section 1), difficulty in concentration (Section 2), and the projection of physical disintegration (Section 3). The subjects answered simple questions between 1400 and 1700 on 6 measurement days before and during the HDBR period. The prevalence rate of low back pain was markedly high (80.5%) on the second day and more than 50% in the first half of the HDBR period, and any complaints related to either a lack of sleep or a deterioration in the quality of sleep continued until the end of the HDBR period. Our findings may be useful in developing preventive strategies against physical and mental fatigue associated with prolonged HDBR, horizontal bed rest, and microgravity environments.     

用于未来月球探测的ILOM 技术现状

使用面包板模型和仿真方法,在实验室内研究月球指向就位测量望远镜(ILOM)的基本特征,如望远镜星像中心点位置精度、温度效应、倾斜以及地面震动的影响。使用这个技术预期在月球表面观测月球自转时可以达到1ms的精度。将在地面上开展测试验证观测以全面评价达到优于0.1″观测精度目标所需条件和特征。     

A balloon-borne very long baseline interferometry experiment in the stratosphere: Systems design and developments

The balloon-borne very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiment is a technical feasibility study for performing radio interferometry in the stratosphere. The flight model has been developed. A balloon-borne VLBI station will be launched to establish interferometric fringes with ground-based VLBI stations distributed over the Japanese islands at an observing frequency of approximately 20?GHz as the first step. This paper describes the system design and development of a series of observing instruments and bus systems. In addition to the advantages of avoiding the atmospheric effects of absorption and fluctuation in high frequency radio observation, the mobility of a station can improve the sampling coverage (“uv-coverage”) by increasing the number of baselines by the number of ground-based counterparts for each observation day. This benefit cannot be obtained with conventional arrays that solely comprise ground-based stations. The balloon-borne VLBI can contribute to a future progress of research fields such as black holes by direct imaging.     

A control system for a balloon-borne telescope

This paper deals with a star tracking system for a balloon-borne infrared telescope. A control moment gyro has been adopted for controlling the azimuth angle of the gondola. A CCD image sensor is used in a star field camera. Newly developed on-board microprocessor system is used for supervisory control of on-board equipment.     

Comparison of gradual and rapid onset runs in a short-arm centrifugation

A gradual onset run (GOR) in a short-arm centrifugation was performed on ten healthy students. The centrifuge had a 1.8 m radius, and the subjects sat on a chair in a cabin. The Gz force increased to 2.2 Gz at 0.1 °/sec² for 32 min. and the same Gz-level was maintained for 20 min. Three out of ten subjects completed the whole protocol; the load on the others was terminated because of symptoms or increased heart rate. There were few symptoms such as vertigo, that was a common problem with a rapid onset run (ROR) in former experiments, due to the short-arm centrifugation. The changes of the flicker test after the load were much less in the GOR protocol than in the ROR protocol, even in the terminated group. GOR seemed preferable to ROR in preventing vertigo even though it took longer to reach the necessary G load.     

Overview of Differential VLBI Observations of Lunar Orbiters in SELENE (Kaguya) for Precise Orbit Determination and Lunar Gravity Field Study

The Japanese lunar explorer SELENE (Kaguya), which was launched on September 14th, 2007, was the target of VLBI observations over the period November 2007 to June 2009. These observations were made in order to improve the lunar gravity field model, in particular the lower degree coefficients and the model near the limb. Differential VLBI Radio sources, called VRAD instruments, were on-board the subsatellites, Rstar (Okina) and Vstar (Ouna), and the radio signals were observed by the Japanese VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry) network, and an international VLBI network. Multi-frequency and same-beam VLBI techniques were utilized and were essential aspects of the successful observing program. Multi-frequency VLBI was employed in order to improve the accuracy of the orbit determination obtained from the phase delay from the narrow-band satellite signals, while the same-beam VLBI method was used to resolve the cycle ambiguity which is inherent in the multi-frequency VLBI method. The observations were made at three S-band frequencies (2212, 2218 and 2287 MHz), and one X-band frequency (8456 MHz). We have succeeded in correlating the recorded signals from Okina/Ouna, and we obtained phase delays with an accuracy of several pico-seconds at S-band.