Preparation For Missions Research Articles

Warship spare parts allotment optimization method under mixed-constraints

The quantitative or qualitative constraints of the warship spare parts allotment optimization problems are mainly focused on by the group of international and domestic academics,the mixed problems which include all of them are relatively less in the previous papers. Firstly,the warship carrying spare parts at the mission preparation before sailing was taken as a research background,the warship support cost,warehouse space,carrying ability and maintainability were adopted as mixed-constraints conditions,an optimized model of the warship spare support probability was built,the method of scoring by experts,normalization and marginal algorithm were applied to build the warship spare parts allotment optimization model and process optimization. Secondly,the model algorithms and system resource constrained factors were being confirmed and dynamically updated. Finally,in the given example,the calculated result was analyzed,and the feasibility of the proposed method was verified.

Information Management Supporting Deployment of a Light Fieldable Laboratory: A Case for Ebola Crisis

Improved information collection, interpretation and processing are vitally important for optimized crisis response. A comprehensive information management (IM) system using ontology-based approach is aimed to handle heterogeneous information and to model the operational domain knowledge associated with the deployment of a light fieldable laboratory (LFL) during the recent Ebola crisis in Guinea. This LFL mission was part of the B-LiFE (Biological Light Fieldable Laboratory for Emergencies) project which integrates analytical and space-based technologies. LFL can be considered as a toolbox where all operational functions and related tools are incorporated into a single information space. Ontology can therefore be applied to facilitate the preparation and management of next LFL missions. The aim is to provide technical compatibility of information shared between tools and to align terminology and definitions while complying with guidelines, best practices and procedures. Accordingly, the LFL domain becomes a formalized and structured modeling of LFL concepts, procedures and functions which, in turn, helps distinguishing functions which are necessary for the mission from those which are incompatible according to a given mission or scenario. Such consistent logical modelling allows then to efficiently plan and configure any LFL mission by selecting and activating in due time, among all available functions and tools, those which are strictly mandatory.

Application of Cabauw Lidar Data for Campaigns, New Methodology Development and Satellite Validation Activities

Cabauw lidar data were used for the development of several new methods, as well as in the validation of new techniques based on other sensor data. The potential of the site that is equipped with a suite of in-situ and remote sensing equipment provides the possibility to develop new methods, and test them using independent observations.Examples are shown for several recent campaigns conducted at the site, new methods developed using lidar data, and for satellite validation, including preparation for future missions.

ESA’s Spaceborne Lidar Mission ADM-Aeolus; Recent Achievements and Preparations for Launch

Within ESA’s Living Planet Programme, the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission (ADM-Aeolus) was chosen as the second Earth Explorer Core mission in 1999. It shall demonstrate the potential of high spectral resolution Doppler Wind lidars for operational measurements of wind profiles and their use in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). Spin-off products are profiles of cloud and aerosol optical properties. ADM-Aeolus carries the novel Doppler Wind lidar instrument ALADIN.Recently the two ALADIN laser transmitters were successfully qualified and delivered for further instrument integration. The instrument delivery will follow later this year and the satellite qualification and launch readiness is scheduled for 2016.In February 2015, an Aeolus Science and Calibration and Validation (CAL/VAL) Workshop was held in ESA-ESRIN, Frascati, Italy, bringing industry, the user community and ESA together to prepare for the Aeolus Commissioning and Operational Phases. During the Workshop the science, instrument and product status, commissioning phase planning and the extensive number of proposals submitted in response to the Aeolus CAL/VAL call in 2014 were presented and discussed. A special session was dedicated to the Aeolus CAL/VAL Implementation Plan.In this paper, the Aeolus mission, status and launch preparation activities are described.

Chemical Potency and Degradation Products of Medications Stored Over 550 Earth Days at the International Space Station.

Medications degrade over time, and degradation is hastened by extreme storage conditions. Current procedures ensure that medications aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are restocked before their expiration dates, but resupply may not be possible on future long-duration exploration missions. For this reason, medications stored on the ISS were returned to Earth for analysis. This was an opportunistic, observational pilot-scale investigation to test the hypothesis that ISS-aging does not cause unusual degradation. Nine medications were analyzed for active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) content and degradant amounts; results were compared to 2012 United States Pharmacopeia (USP) requirements. The medications were two sleep aids, two antihistamines/decongestants, three pain relievers, an antidiarrheal, and an alertness medication. Because the samples were obtained opportunistically from unused medical supplies, each medication was available at only 1 time point and no control samples (samples aged for a similar period on Earth) were available. One medication met USP requirements 5months after its expiration date. Four of the nine (44% of those tested) medications tested met USP requirements 8months post expiration. Another three medications (33%) met USP guidelines 2-3months before expiration. One compound, a dietary supplement used as a sleep aid, failed to meet USP requirements at 11months post expiration. No unusual degradation products were identified. Limited, evidence-based extension of medication shelf-lives may be possible and would be useful in preparation for lengthy exploration missions. Only analysis of flight-aged samples compared to appropriately matched ground controls will permit determination of the spaceflight environment on medication stability.

Odabrani aspekti situacijske svijesti pilota

This paper tries to find the answers to the following questions: What does Situational Airworthiness (SA) truly mean from the viewpoint of the pilot ability to keep acceptable safety level on each phase of the aircraft mission execution? Which element of the aviation model has the highest influence on that pilot ability? Which sub-factors have the highest influence on the probability of achieving and maintaining an acceptable level of sub-areas of SA by the pilot during the preparation and execution of air missions? Moreover, the paper discusses sub-subjects as the definition of SA, relations between processes and the status of SA. The conclusions of the paper are partially based on the Authors’ research of the years 2012-2013.

Onboard cross-calibration of the Pille-ISS Detector System and measurement of radiation shielding effect of the water filled protective curtain in the ISS crew cabin

As a preparation for long duration space missions it is important to determine and minimize the impact of space radiation on human health. One of the methods to diminish the radiation burden is using an additional local shielding in the places where the crewmembers can stay for longer time. To increase the crew cabin shielding a special protective curtain was designed and delivered to ISS in 2010 containing four layers of hygienic wipes and towels providing an additional shielding thickness of about 8 g/cm2 water-equivalent matter. The radiation shielding effect of the protective curtain, in terms of absorbed dose, was measured with the thermoluminescent Pille-ISS Detector System. In order to verify the reliability of the Pille system an onboard cross-calibration was also performed. The measurement proved that potentially 25% reduction of the absorbed dose rate in the crew cabin can be achieved, that results in 8% (∼16 μGy/day) decrease of the total absorbed dose to the crew, assuming that they spend 8 h in the crew cabin a day.

Beyond astronaut's capabilities: The current state of the art.

Space agencies have developed extensive expertise with sustaining human presence in low earth orbits and microgravity. Prolonged human presence in space beyond EarthâĂŹs orbit presents additional, some still unsolved issues. These are linked to the distance to Earth (impossibility of effective tele-operation, psychological effects linked to remoteness from Earth, required autonomy, the handling of emergencies, long mission durations), and to the environments beyond the Earth magnetosphere (radiation levels, local environments including atmospheres, dust, gravity, day-night cycles). These issues have impacts on the spacecraft design, the mission operations, astronaut selection and preparation and required supporting/ enabling technologies. This paper builds upon previous work by Rossini et al. , in critically reviewing and updating the current state of scientific research on enhancing astronaut's capabilities to face some of these challenges. In particular, it discusses the pertinence and feasibility of two approaches aiming at enhancing the chances of success of human missions: induced hibernation state and brain-machine interfaces.

The Utilization of Plant Facilities on the International Space Station—The Composition, Growth, and Development of Plant Cell Walls under Microgravity Conditions

In the preparation for missions to Mars, basic knowledge of the mechanisms of growth and development of living plants under microgravity (micro-g) conditions is essential. Focus has centered on the g-effects on rigidity, including mechanisms of signal perception, transduction, and response in gravity resistance. These components of gravity resistance are linked to the evolution and acquisition of responses to various mechanical stresses. An overview is given both on the basic effect of hypergravity as well as of micro-g conditions in the cell wall changes. The review includes plant experiments in the US Space Shuttle and the effect of short space stays (8–14 days) on single cells (plant protoplasts). Regeneration of protoplasts is dependent on cortical microtubules to orient the nascent cellulose microfibrils in the cell wall. The space protoplast experiments demonstrated that the regeneration capacity of protoplasts was retarded. Two critical factors are the basis for longer space experiments: a. the effects of gravity on the molecular mechanisms for cell wall development, b. the availability of facilities and hardware for performing cell wall experiments in space and return of RNA/DNA back to the Earth. Linked to these aspects is a description of existing hardware functioning on the International Space Station.

Communication and Collaboration Among Heterogeneous Unmanned Systems Using SAE JAUS Standard Formats and Protocols

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT) and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) completed a successful at-sea exercise with autonomous UAS and UUV systems demonstrating communication and collaboration. The exercise represented for the first time the use of standard protocols and formats that effectively support cross-domain unmanned system operations. Four man-portable Iver2 UUVs operating in coordinated missions autonomously collected environmental data, which was compressed in-stride, re-formatted, and exfiltrated via UAS relay for display and tactical decision making. Two UAS with autonomous flight take-off and mission execution were sequenced to serve as ISR platforms and to support communications as RF relays for the UUVs performing Intelligence Preparation of the Environment missions. Two Command and Control nodes ashore provided unmanned system tasking and re-tasking, and they served to host and display both geo-positional data and status for UAS and UUV vehicles during the operational scenarios run during the exercise. The SAE Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS) standards were used for all message traffic between shore-based C2 nodes, UAS, and UUVs active in the exercise area. Development for this project highlighted both the strengths and shortfalls of JAUS and captured the requirements for moving forward in effective cross-domain communications that support distributed, agile C2 nodes to meet evolving CONOPS for growing unmanned system presence and mission roles. The JAUS architecture was introduced to the NUWC and GTRI unmanned systems though an instantiation of the Mission Oriented Operating Suite (MOOS) autonomy framework on secondary CPUs integrated into the Iver2 UUVs and the GTRI UAS. This work represents a critical step in communications for networking of heterogeneous unmanned systems and establishes a solid platform for alignment of development and ongoing programs.

The Chang’e-3 lander and rover mission to the Moon

The Chang’e-3 (CE-3) lander and rover mission to the Moon was an intermediate step in China’s lunar exploration program, which will be followed by a sample return mission. The lander was equipped with a number of remote-sensing instruments including a pair of cameras (Landing Camera and Terrain Camera) for recording the landing process and surveying terrain, an extreme ultraviolet camera for monitoring activities in the Earth’s plasmasphere, and a first-ever Moon-based ultraviolet telescope for astronomical observations. The Yutu rover successfully carried out close-up observations with the Panoramic Camera, mineralogical investigations with the VIS-NIR Imaging Spectrometer, study of elemental abundances with the Active Particle induced X-ray Spectrometer, and pioneering measurements of the lunar subsurface with Lunar Penetrating Radar. This special issue provides a collection of key information on the instrumental designs, calibration methods and data processing procedures used by these experiments with a perspective of facilitating further analyses of scientific data from CE-3 in preparation for future missions.

Preface: The Chang'e-3 lander and rover mission to the Moon

The Chang'e-3 (CE-3) lander and rover mission to the Moon was an intermediate step in China's lunar exploration program, which will be followed by a sample return mission. The lander was equipped with a number of remote-sensing instruments including a pair of cameras (Landing Camera and Terrain Camera) for recording the landing process and surveying terrain, an extreme ultraviolet camera for monitoring activities in the Earth's plasmasphere, and a first-ever Moon-based ultraviolet telescope for astronomical observations. The Yutu rover successfully carried out close-up observations with the Panoramic Camera, mineralogical investigations with the VIS-NIR Imaging Spectrometer, study of elemental abundances with the Active Particle-induced X-ray Spectrometer, and pioneering measurements of the lunar subsurface with Lunar Penetrating Radar. This special issue provides a collection of key information on the instrumental designs, calibration methods and data processing procedures used by these experiments with a perspective of facilitating further analyses of scientific data from CE-3 in preparation for future missions.

The P7 approach to the Olympic challenge: Sharing a practical framework for mission preparation and execution

The Olympic Games represent the biggest and third biggest sporting occasions in the world (Summer and Winter, respectively). As such, dealing with the various challenges and optimising performance at this event has been an important dual focus for team leaders, coaches, performers, and their supporting sport psychologists. In this paper, we share an organisational approach to planning and preparation that, in our experience, provides an effective set-up for athletes, coaches, and support teams alike. Specifically, this presented framework enables the focused tasking of support staff and resources to address both individual and specific challenges. To illuminate the route via which this approach delivers its impact, underpinning mechanisms, advantages, and other considerations are also presented.

NUNDO: a numerical model of a human torso phantom and its application to effective dose equivalent calculations for astronauts at the ISS.

The health effects of cosmic radiation on astronauts need to be precisely quantified and controlled. This task is important not only in perspective of the increasing human presence at the International Space Station (ISS), but also for the preparation of safe human missions beyond low earth orbit. From a radiation protection point of view, the baseline quantity for radiation risk assessment in space is the effective dose equivalent. The present work reports the first successful attempt of the experimental determination of the effective dose equivalent in space, both for extra-vehicular activity (EVA) and intra-vehicular activity (IVA). This was achieved using the anthropomorphic torso phantom RANDO® equipped with more than 6,000 passive thermoluminescent detectors and plastic nuclear track detectors, which have been exposed to cosmic radiation inside the European Space Agency MATROSHKA facility both outside and inside the ISS. In order to calculate the effective dose equivalent, a numerical model of the RANDO® phantom, based on computer tomography scans of the actual phantom, was developed. It was found that the effective dose equivalent rate during an EVA approaches 700 μSv/d, while during an IVA about 20 % lower values were observed. It is shown that the individual dose based on a personal dosimeter reading for an astronaut during IVA results in an overestimate of the effective dose equivalent of about 15 %, whereas under an EVA conditions the overestimate is more than 200 %. A personal dosemeter can therefore deliver quite good exposure records during IVA, but may overestimate the effective dose equivalent received during an EVA considerably.

Radiative Aerothermodynamics of Entering Space Vehicles: Toward the Use of State-to-State Approach

Modern problems of radiative aerothermodynamics of entering space vehicles are demonstrated and analyzed in the paper. New radiative gas dynamic problems concerned to coupling processes of non-equilibrium dissociation with radiation heat transfer in shock layers generated above large scale re-entry space vehicles returning from orbital and super orbital space mission are considered in the first part. Three-dimensional numerical simulation data on radiative aerothermodynamics of Martian entry probes Pathfinder, Exomars and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) are presented and analyzed in the second part. It is shown that integral radiative heating of leeward surface of the entry probes exceeds corresponding convective heating. The third part is dedicated to consideration preliminary numerical simulation results on radiative gas dynamics of Galileo probes. At first, a review of the available results obtained during the mission preparation and post-flight analyses has been undertaken to select a computational matrix. This matrix has been selected by accounting for previous numerical efforts from the literature to crosscheck the results. Then, a model based on previous efforts has been set up for computing the flow-field around the probe at high altitude. Finally the test case matrix has been computed and crosschecked with existing numerical predictions performed. Some possibilities of innovative magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) technologies being applied to solve problems of re-entry vehicles heat protection are discussed in the fourth part. All presented data demonstrate necessity of further development of the radiative aerothermodynamics based on state-to- state approaches.

Flight demonstration of formation flying capabilities for future missions (NEAT pathfinder)

PRISMA is a demonstration mission for formation-flying and on-orbit-servicing critical technologies that involves two spacecraft launched in low Earth orbit in June 2010 and still in operation. Funded by the Swedish National Space Board, PRISMA mission has been developed by OHB-Sweden (formerly Swedish Space Corporation) with important contributions from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR/GSOC), the French Space Agency (CNES), and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The paper focuses on the last CNES experiment achieved in September 2012 that was devoted to the preparation of future astrometry missions illustrated by the NEAT and µ-NEAT mission concepts. The experiment consisted of performing the type of formation maneuvers required to point the two-satellite axis to a celestial target and maintain it fixed during the observation period. Achieving inertial pointing for a LEO formation represented a new challenge given the numerous constraints from propellant usage to star tracker blinding. The paper presents the experiment objectives in relation with the NEAT/µ-NEAT mission concept, describes its main design features along with the guidance and control algorithms evolutions and discusses the results in terms of performances achieved during the two rehearsals.

Salt balance: From space experiments to revolutionizing new clinical concepts on earth – A historical review

For a long time, sodium balance appeared to be a “done deal” and was thought to be well understood. However, experiments in preparation of space missions showed that the concept of osmotic sodium storage and close correlations of sodium with water balance are only part of the regulatory mechanisms of body salt.By now it has turned out that the human skin is an important storage place and regulator for sodium, that sodium storage involves macrophages which in turn salt-dependently co-regulate blood pressure, that body sodium also strongly influences bone and protein metabolism, and that immune functions are also strongly influenced by sodium. In addition, the aging process appears to lead to increased body sodium storage, which in turn might influence the aging process of the human body.The current review article summarizes the developments that have led to these revolutionizing new findings and concepts as well as consequences deriving from these findings. Therefore, it is not intended in this article to give a complete literature overview over the whole field but to focus on such key literature and considerations that led to the respective developments.

Scientists Identify Exploration Goals for Venus

Since the turn of the millennium, a large proportion of NASA's planetary science missions—including spacecraft and payloads on four orbiting missions and three rovers—has targeted Mars in preparation for future human missions to the red planet. Less studied, however, is Venus.

Dynamics of towed large space debris taking into account atmospheric disturbance

The problem of deorbiting large space debris (SLD) by means of a tethered space tug is considered. A mathematical model that describes the plane motion of the system is developed. The model takes into account the effects of the atmosphere and the rotary motion of the SLD around the SLD center of mass. The effects of the moment of tension force, gravitational moment, and pitch moment on the SLD behavior are studied. The evolution of the phase space of an angle of attack during the SLD descent is considered. Singular points are found for special cases of motion. It is shown that the effect of the atmosphere on the SLD dynamics can be neglected above an altitude of 300 km. The situation that a tether becomes slack is observed. In this case, the SLD can oscillate with increasing amplitude and even pass into rotation. This is a dangerous situation that can lead to tether rupture. A method of thrust control that provides tension in the tether during the SLD deorbiting is presented. A slack tether is also observed at atmospheric entry. This phenomenon is caused by the difference in drag forces that act on the SLD and on the space tug. The obtained results can be used in the preparation of missions of space debris deorbiting.

Correlation analysis of indicators of physical condition, health and physical fitness of soldiers involved in peacekeeping operations

Purpose: to identify the main physical qualities, which positively influence the physical state, health and military - professional career peacekeepers when performing tasks in different climatic conditions. Material : the study involved 98 military service under the contract the first age group (men). Analyzed contingent divided into groups according to climatic conditions of service: in the highlands - 37 person, in hot climates - 35 person, in towns and areas with limited space - 26 person. A correlation analysis between the results of running 100 meters, pulling, running 3 kilometre and indicators of the health and physical condition of the soldiers. Results : It was determined that the participation in peacekeeping missions in mountainous areas and in areas with a hot climate is the quality of the underlying physical endurance. With the participation in peacekeeping missions in populated areas and in areas with limited space - this is the strength and speed. Conclusions : on improving these physical qualities should focus during lessons in physical training of peacekeepers in the centers of immediate preparation for missions.