Orbital stability close to asteroid 624 Hektor using the polyhedral model

We investigate the orbital stability close to the unique L4-point Jupiter binary Trojan asteroid 624 Hektor. The gravitational potential of 624 Hektor is calculated using the polyhedron model with observational data of 2038 faces and 1021 vertexes. Previous studies have presented three different density values for 624 Hektor. The equilibrium points in the gravitational potential of 624 Hektor with different density values have been studied in detail. There are five equilibrium points in the gravitational potential of 624 Hektor no matter the density value. The positions, Jacobian, eigenvalues, topological cases, stability, as well as the Hessian matrix of the equilibrium points are investigated. For the three different density values the number, topological cases, and the stability of the equilibrium points with different density values are the same. However, the positions of the equilibrium points vary with the density value of the asteroid 624 Hektor. The outer equilibrium points move away from the asteroid’s mass center when the density increases, and the inner equilibrium point moves close to the asteroid’s mass center when the density increases. There exist unstable periodic orbits near the surface of 624 Hektor. We calculated an orbit near the primary’s equatorial plane of this binary Trojan asteroid; the results indicate that the orbit remains stable after 28.8375?d.     

High energy-density propulsion—reducing the risk to humans in planetary exploration

The potential benefits to humankind of space exploration are tremendous. Space is not only the final frontier but is also the next marketplace. The orbital space above Earth offers tremendous opportunities for both strategic assets and commercial development. The critical obstacle retarding the use of the space around the Earth is the lack of low cost access to orbit. Further out, the next giant leap for mankind will be the human exploration of Mars. Almost certainly within the next 30 years, a human crew will brave the isolation, the radiation, and the lack of gravity to walk on and explore the Red planet. Both of these missions will change the outlook and perspective of every human being on the planet. However, these missions are expensive and extremely difficult. Chemical propulsion has demonstrated an inability to achieve orbit cheaply and is a very high-risk option to accomplish the Mars mission. An alternative solution is to develop a high performance propulsion system. Nuclear propulsion has the potential to be such a system. The question will be whether humanity is willing to take on the challenge.     

EUROPEAN NETWORK FOR THE NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SPACE PLASMAS

The Cluster mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) will allow, for the first time three-dimensional measurements in key regions of the Earth's magnetosphere to be carried out. The European Numerical Simulation Network (ENSN) aims at providing a theoretical support to the mission. We describe the achievements of the ENSN during its first period of activity 1991–1994, during which the network was funded by the European Union. In particular, the ENSN has set up (i) thematic Working Groups on the prime scientific goals of the mission, (ii) a code development Working Group to develop numerical simulation codes specifically adapted to studying magnetospheric boundaries and the corresponding scale mixing, and (iii) software models of Cluster instruments to test in a numerical simulation what the set of four instruments will measure.     

Scientific Planning and Commanding of the Rosetta Payload

ESA’s Rosetta mission was launched in March 2004 and is on its way to comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, where it is scheduled to arrive in summer 2014. It comprises a payload of 12 scientific instruments and a Lander. All instruments are provided by Principal Investigators, which are responsible for their operations. As for most ESA science missions, the ground segment of the mission consists of a Mission Operations Centre (MOC) and a Science Operations Centre (SOC). While the MOC is responsible for all spacecraft-related aspects and the final uplink of all command timelines to the spacecraft, the scientific operations of the instruments and the collection of the data and ingestion into the Planetary Science Archive are coordinated by the SOC. This paper focuses on the tasks of the SOC and in particular on the methodology and constraints to convert the scientific goals of the Rosetta mission to operational timelines.     

一种小样本和小失效数系统可靠性分析方法

根据小样本和小失效数系统的特点，以及可靠性分布函数和参数估计的不确定性和模糊性，提出了一种可靠性分析方法。采用指数分布族，通过分析最少和最大失效数两种最极端状态，确定中间状态的备选点，运用最小平方差原理进行逐个筛选，并给出了算法流程。分析结果表明，计算值与实际观测值较为吻合。该方法可使系统可靠性的估计精度有较大提高。     

飞机空中加油任务剖面优化设计

介绍了某型飞机执行作战任务途中何时进行空中加油，并按照最大航程截击对飞机各个飞行任务段的飞行性能进行了计算，得出了最佳巡航速度，确定了最优的加油时机和加油量。计算过程中采用了遗传算法，考虑了爬升过程和巡航过程中飞机变质量的难点问题，提高了计算结果的可信度。     

软着陆小行星的制导与控制规律研究

提出了一种微小探测器软着陆小行星的制导与控制策略，将软着陆小行星控制分解为速度方向控制和减速控制，为了控制速度方向，给出了一种带有终端控制项的比例导引规律，可以按闭环模式将探测器引向着陆点，并满足垂直下落的终端条件，为了实现无碰撞着陆，给出了一种减速控制规律，通过对理想速度曲线的跟踪，实现软着陆，仿具结果表明，提出的制导与控制策略可以实现探测器在小行星表面垂直软着陆。     

Principal components in the PG-X-ray QSO sample

We have performed a spectral principal component analysis for a complete sample of 22 low redshift QSOs with spectra from Ly to H, and found three significant principal components, which account for 78% of the spectrum-to-spectrum variance. We present strong arguments that the first principal component represents the Baldwin effect, relating equivalent widths to the luminosity (i.e. accretion rate). The second component represents continuum variations, probably dominated by intrinsic reddening. The third principal component is directly related to broad emission-line width and X-ray spectral index, and therefore probably driven by Eddington accretion ratio, L/L_Edd. The third set of relationships tie directly to the optical Principal Component 1 found by Boroson and Green [Boroson, T., Green, R.F., Astrophys. J. Suppl. 80, 109, 1992 (BG92)], and are the primary cause of scatter in the Baldwin relationships.     

小样本条件下多应力加速寿命试验预测方法

鉴于导弹中的电子设备价格昂贵、可用于试验的样本量少,在开展加速试验以及寿命预测的实际工作中通常为小样本的背景。文章研究探索小样本条件下多应力加速试验寿命预测方法,分别建立通用对数线性模型、 BAS-BP神经网络模型、灰色–支持向量回归模型,结合多应力加速试验数据在各应力条件下的样本容量分别为 56组、20组、10组、5组的情况下,比较 3种模型的预测效果,分析各模型的适用场合和时机,探索小样本条件下模型的选优问题,为小样本条件下多应力加速试验寿命预测提供有益的借鉴。     

月球探测任务测控系统总体设计技术研究

我国的探月工程采用"绕、落、回"三步走发展战略,测控系统作为工程五大系统之一,通过探月工程建成了全球布站的深空测控网和18 m测控网,并圆满完成了历次任务对探测器的测控,在任务分析与设计、测定轨和链路设计等方面积累了大量实战经验。本文以嫦娥四号中继星和探测器两次发射任务为例,系统梳理了我国深空测控网和18 m测控网现状;根据任务需求,从测控覆盖、链路性能、测定轨精度和日凌影响等方面对测控任务实施能力进行了详细分析。以此为基础,对多目标测控、轨道测量和日凌期间的测控方案进行了系统设计。通过对任务期间获取的实测数据进行全面分析,总结了测控实施情况,并对后续工作提出了建议,以期为我国后续月球和深空探测测控通信任务设计提供借鉴。