Karman Line Research Articles

Game-supported cognitive strategy training for slowed information processing speed after acquired brain injury: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionMany individuals with acquired brain injury tend to experience problems with slowed information processing speed (IPS). A potentially beneficial and cost-effective supplement for cognitive rehabilitation of impaired IPS may be...

Establishing the requirements for safe rocket launches with respect to weather

Space Concordia is launching the biggest student built Canadian rocket with the aim of passing the Karman Line. Launching from Churchill, Manitoba, a former military airbase used in the 1950s for suborbital sounding rocket launches, Space Concordia’s ambition is to reinstate the zone as a launch site. Being the first launch out of Churchill in decades, safety is mandatory and must follow the established safety protocols and regulations for suborbital launch vehicles. Space Concordia must structure its own guidelines and requirements leveraging expertise from the Federal Aviation Administration and various agreements with local authorities. To ensure safety, the Flight Performance team runs wind weighting optimization algorithms using Astos, a 6 degree of freedom flight simulation software utilizing wind data from a weather balloon. Launch simulations in Astos are done using historical wind data through a combination of Python and A programming and numeric computing software (MATLAB) analysis scripts. Casualty expectation plays a significant role in the launch safety analysis since the launch site is situated next to a national park and multiple small communities. The probability of casualty is calculated to be 2.61E−8, which is smaller than the 30E-6 Federal Aviation Administration requirement. Establishing a strict set of guidelines while building a rocket creates many difficulties in terms of both design and regulations, however they permit a clearer structure for future launches made by Space Concordia as well as augment predefined understanding of the weather effect on Churchill suborbital rocket launches.

EVALUATION OF THE RESULTS OF TESTING THE HARDWARE COMPARTMENT OF SUBORBITAL ROCKETS FOR RELIABILITY

Nowadays, the issue of creating modern models of rocketry is becoming more and more popular due to the constant development of technologies and competition in the domestic market. This paper describes the results of the behavior of on-board electronic equipment during launches of ultra light suborbital rockets of the «Meteo» series manufactured by the Rocketry agency project. When designing the hardware compartment
 and further improving it in subsequent rocket models, the first place is occupied by its level of reliability, which should in turn take into account the economic part for the development and manufacture of further products. Such improvements included the use of new materials, increased strength and resistance to negative impacts, improved thermal management and elimination of structural defects. Tests have shown that to overcome higher altitudes, such as the Karman Line, more fuel is used and the mass and size characteristics of the rockets change, which leads to increased complexity of their control and navigation. One of the key challenges is the lack of an effective control system. Without a proper control system, a missile's flight becomes unpredictable and dangerous for the area where it is flying. One way to solve this problem is to develop and test a proper control system for the missile on a special test bed that will allow testing and debugging the control system in a controlled environment that ensures its functioning in real-world conditions without the risk of sending an untested missile into the air.

The case for space environmentalism

The shell bound by the Karman line at a height of 80 to 100km above the Earth's surface, and Geosynchronous Orbit, at 36,000km, is defined as the orbital space surrounding the Earth. It is within this region, and especially in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), where environmental issues are becoming urgent because of the rapid growth of the anthropogenic space object population, including satellite "mega-constellations". In this Perspective, we summarise the case that the orbital space around the Earth should be considered an additional ecosystem, and so subject to the same care and concerns and the same broad regulations as, for example, the oceans and the atmosphere. We rely on the orbital space environment by looking through it as well as by working within it. Hence, we should consider damage to professional astronomy, public stargazing and the cultural importance of the sky, as well as the sustainability of commercial, civic and military activity in space. Damage to the orbital space environment has problematic features in common with other types of environmental issue. First, the observed and predicted damage is incremental and complex, with many contributors. Second, whether or not space is formally and legally seen as a global commons, the growing commercial exploitation of what may appear a "free" resource is in fact externalising the true costs.

ЭКСПЕРИМЕНТЫ «ИМПУЛЬС-МОДЕЛЬ» И «ИМПУЛЬС-ПУСК» НА ЛЕТАЮЩИХ СТЕНДАХ ДЛЯ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ И СОВЕРШЕНСТВОВАНИЯ РАБОЧЕГО ПРОЦЕССА ПРОТОТИПОВ ИМПУЛЬСНЫХ ДВИГАТЕЛЕЙ ТИПА «ИМПУЛЬС-А (У)» И ИНТЕГРИРОВАННЫХ С НИМИ КОНСТРУКЦИЙ СВЕРХМАЛЫХ КОСМИЧЕСКИХ АППАРАТОВ ООО «Д-СТАРТ» НА БАЗЕ ОМГТУ

In order to clarify the features of the working process of space pulse engines of ultra-small spacecraft of the «Impulse-A (U)» type, a series of experiments is being prepared under conditions close to real operating conditions. As part of the All-Russian competition «Karman Line», the student teams of OmSTU, under the scientific supervision of the author, are developing a space stand for the «Impulse-Model» experiment on the ISS module and a stratospheric flying stand for the «Impulse-Launch» experiment on the stratostat.

Will the present younger adults become future orbital space tourists?

ABSTRACT Technological advancements significantly reduce the cost of space travel, thereby making many other activities in space technologically feasible and financially affordable for a larger number of people. This paper considers tourist travel to outer space, that is, beyond the 100-km Karman line altitude accepted by the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale as the border between the Earth atmosphere and outer space. Because of the scarcity of literature on the market for space flights, the study investigates factors that affect enthusiasm for becoming an orbital space tourist among those who are interested in space exploration and, at the same time, are younger and educated. We investigate motivations and risk factors as well as the moderating role of involvement, gender, and age in enthusiasm to become an orbital space tourist and compare the findings with the outcomes of previously conducted marketing research.

Carbon fiber reinforced plastic Composite Structural Analysis on a Reentry Capsule Heat shield

The Reentry capsule exhibits a vast amount of aerodynamic heating and shear stress acting on the structure while entering into the earth atmosphere. Earlier reentry vehicle structures are made up of Metal-matrix composites (MMCs) and ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs) and titanium alloys which are thermally stable and can withstand loads at high temperatures, in this paper we have taken up structural analysis of capsule by replacing Carbon fiber rein forced plastic (CFRP) composite materials. The vehicle enters the earth's atmosphere with a Mach number 15-25 at an altitude of 100km from the sea level where the dense of air present, the capsule penetrate to the earth's atmosphere with a high velocity, the kinetic energy of the vehicles converts into Heat energy, it tends to melting the heat shield of capsule. In this paper we have calculated the Structural and aerodynamic behavior of reentry vehicle at Karman line above sea level and in the dense air. The methodology of this project followed is capsule designed in CATIA and did FEA Analysis.

Aerodynamic analysis of the aerospaceplane HyPlane in supersonic rarefied flow

HyPlane is the Italian aerospaceplane proposal targeting, at the same time, both the space tourism and point-to-point intercontinental hypersonic flights. Unlike other aerospaceplane projects, relying on boosters or mother airplanes that bring the vehicle to high altitude, HyPlane will take off and land horizontally from common runways. According to the current project, HyPlane will fly sub-orbital trajectories under high-supersonic/low-hypersonic continuum flow regimes. It can go beyond the von Karman line at 100km altitude for a short time, then starting the descending leg of the trajectory. Its aerodynamic behavior up to 70km have already been studied and the results published in previous works. In the present paper some aspects of the aerodynamic behavior of HyPlane have been analyzed at 80, 90 and 100km. Computer tests, calculating the aerodynamic parameters, have been carried out by a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code. The effects of the Knudsen, Mach and Reynolds numbers have been evaluated in clean configuration. The effects of the aerodynamic surfaces on the rolling, pitching and yawing moments, and therefore on the capability to control attitude, have been analyzed at 100km altitude. The aerodynamic behavior has been compared also with that of another aerospaceplane at 100km both in clean and flapped configuration.

The Final Frontier-What Should the Travel Medicine Practitioner Know About Space Flight Participation?

Box office movies, such as Star Trek and 2001: A Space Odyssey , have ingrained images of space exploration in the public imagination. Extraterrestrial tourism or, more accurately, personal space flight participation, has been discussed since the late 1960s, when then president of the Hilton hotel group, Barron Hilton, raised the prospect of hotels in space at the American Astronautical Society Conference.1 The Space Tourism Society defines space tourism as a combination of in-Earth orbit experiences; beyond-Earth orbit experiences, including lunar and Martian travel; high fidelity Earth-based simulations and entertainment; and cyber space tourism experiences.2 The so-called Karman line , which is commonly used to demarcate the edge of space, is considered to occur at 100 km of altitude above the Earth,3 or at 10 times the altitude of a cruising commercial airliner. Recreational space visitors who travel beyond this altitude may reasonably be labeled astrotourists. They need to accelerate to speeds of 28,000 kph just to remain in space.4 Several commercial companies have presented plans for transporting tourists into space since the 1980s. Setbacks have delayed progress, including the tragic explosion of the orbiter Challenger in 1986, which meant that the idea of using space shuttles as vehicles for tourist flights was abandoned. The American company, Space Adventures, in cooperation with the Russian space agency, was responsible for flying seven wealthy clients on a Soyuz spacecraft between 2001 and 2009.5 The first personal orbital space flight participant was Dennis Tito, a former NASA employee, who spent a week on board the International Space Station 400 km above Earth, at a reported cost of US$20 million.6 This same firm claims that up to 200 aspiring space tourists have paid deposits of almost US$3 million for the privilege of taking more affordable suborbital flights in …

Certification and safety aspects relating to the transport of passengers on high altitude balloons in Europe

High-altitude balloons typically fly between 25 and 50km in altitude, which, while below the Karman line of 100km, is yet far above the altitudes typically flown by aircraft. For example, the highest-flying commercial aircraft – the Concorde – had a maximum cruising altitude of only 18km. zero2infinity, a Spanish company, is currently developing a pressurized pod named “bloon” which will be capable of lifting six people, including two pilot crew members and four paying passengers, to an altitude of 36km through the use of high-altitude balloons. The boundary between Airspace and Outer Space has never been legally defined, mostly because of the lack of activities taking place between the altitude where airplanes fly and the lowest orbiting spacecraft. High-altitude balloons do fly at these in-between altitudes and the prospect of commercializing access to these parts of the stratosphere poses some questions in a new light. Given the relatively low altitude at which they fly, it may well be that these types of balloons would be considered to operate exclusively within air space. However, given the technology involved in crewed high altitude balloon flights, which is more similar to spacecraft engineering than to traditional hot-air or gas ballooning, it is necessary to evaluate the various legal regimes, codes, and regulations that would apply to such flights, especially regarding licenses and liabilities. For high altitude balloon flights commencing in Europe, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) would very likely be the competent certification or licensing agency for these flights, although there would likely be input from various national aviation authorities as well. However, because the European Commission (EC) has not yet issued regulations regarding commercial spaceflight, particularly the use of high altitude balloons, new rules and regulations governing such flights may still need to be drafted and promulgated. With the development of suborbital passenger vehicles such as bloon, Spaceplane as well as SpaceShipTwo (which is British-owned) this is clearly the appropriate time for the EC or other competent institutions to issue regulations regarding suborbital passenger flight. Rules and regulations regarding suborbital passenger transport such as liability and waivers to protect third parties, governments, and operators, need to be addressed by the European Union (EU) as a whole or at least by national or regional governments wishing to attract suborbital passenger flights to their territory. After all, it would be in Europe׳s financial and other interests to create and foster a favorable legal and commercial environment for the aerospace business within the borders of the EU.

The BABEL Tower

The idea of reaching the heavens has captivated humans throughout the ages. Rockets have proved extremely inefficient in overcoming this challenge and constructing a “Centrifugally Extended Carbon Nano-Tube Tether Space Elevator” (CECNTTSE) presents unsolved technological challenges. The authors conclude that to efficiently achieve the goal of unrestricted movement away from Earth’s gravitational pull; both the current state of the art and the proposed method for a Space Elevator should be reinvented. Therefore, the authors propose the “Buoyant Advanced Building Elevator Lightweight” (BABEL) Tower, a new concept of “a floating tower” capable of reaching up to the Karman Line and beyond. While providing the structural support to a sub-orbital elevator and offering a better launching platform for space vehicles, with built-in rocket engines, directed specifically to LEO but also beyond. Using a (hybrid) LTA and electromagnetically driven elevator car, this super-tall tower could lift tremendous amounts of cargo (and passengers) while avoiding problems associated with space elevators, and could be more feasible in a shorter time. This concept combines characteristics of the Skylon Tower (of London) and the Burj Khalifa (of Dubai) into a flared tensegrity structure with buoyant platforms, “linked” every 2.5 km and tethered to the ground. This anchor-mooring system will support a beam-stalk like buoyant shaft. The estimated aspect ratio (2.5:100) for each wing of its “Y-shaped footprint” will be 2500 meters wide at sea level. The platforms and the shaft “must be built” following a modular principle. Its buoyancy will be generated using a perfect vacuum inside its cells, thus becoming; lighter than air, free from the scarce availability of helium, and safe from hydrogen’s reactiveness. Because its foundations would have to resist the up-thrusting forces that the buoyant structure will produce (instead of the compressive forces caused by weight), the engineering of this buoyant tower is structurally comparable to a maritime spar platform for deep-water oil-extraction. This concept will have a high potential efficiency in reducing the cost per kilogram to be in transit to orbital insertion. In providing an infrastructure of planetary scale, this tower could provide the requisite platforms for other uses such as astronomical observation, clean solar energy distribution (by laser beaming), space tourism, telecommunications, research laboratories, aerosols dispersion, carbon and methane sequestration, airship hub terminals, etc.

Drag reducing properties of microalgal exopolymers

Dilute aqueous solutions of polymers released by marine phytoplankton (microalgae) were shown to effectively reduce drag in capillary pipe flow. Tests were performed in a capillary turbulent flow viscometer which extruded small samples under high pressures. In all, 22 species were screened, and the products of one chlorophyte and four rhodophyte species proved especially effective. The viscoelastic polymers produced by these species delayed the transition from laminar to turbulent flow to significantly higher Re. In general, polymeric regime segments come off the maximum drag reduction asymptote at characteristic retro-onset points, and come to lie approximately parallel to, but displaced upwards from the Prandtl-von Karman line. The delay to transition was shown to be dependent on additive polymer concentration, capillary diameter, and temperature. Ionic concentration, ionic composition, or pH had little effect on drag reducing properties.