Determination of spacecraft and phobos parameters of motion in the Phobos-Grunt project

For the needs of the upcoming flight to Phobos within the framework of the project Phobos-Grunt, a dynamical numerical theory of the motion of Phobos is developed on the basis of Earth-based and spacecraft (SC) optical measurements and Earth-based radio observations of the SC motion. The theory uses the most reliable astronomical constants. Within the framework of a unified dynamical model, an algorithm is proposed for the joint correction of Phobos and the spacecraft parameters of motion, among which are the secular acceleration of Phobos and its gravitational constant. The accuracy of the obtained ephemeris is estimated for the time of the SC arrival to Phobos.     

Planetary protection principles used for Phobos-Grunt mission

The article presents an analysis of the Phobos-Grunt mission, a classification of its phases in terms of planetary protection, and the main principles of activities management and definition of actions for fulfilling the planetary-protection requirements developed by Committee on Space Research.     

The design philosophy of the Phobos-Grunt space vehicle

This paper covers the main features of Russia??s Phobos-Grunt space mission, whose primary goal is to return soil samples from the Martian satellite Phobos. The mission scenario, major design solutions, and evolution of the project throughout its development are described.     

The NATALYA-2M spectrometer of high-energy radiations for the CORONAS-PHOTON space project

The NATALYA-2M high-energy radiation spectrometer is an element of the complex of scientific equipment of the CORONAS-PHOTON satellite. The instrument intended for registering gamma radiation of solar flares in the broad energy range of 0.2–1600 MeV as well as neutrons of solar origin with energies of 20–300 MeV represents itself as a scintillation spectrometer based on CsI(Tl) crystals with a total area of 32 × 38 cm² and the thickness of 18 cm. The spectra and time profiles of the gamma quanta count rates are measured in four subranges: R (0.2–2 MeV), L (1–18 MeV), M (7–250 MeV), and H (50–1600 MeV). Depending on the gamma radiation energy, the effective area of the instrument varies within the range from 750 to 900 cm², and the energy resolution at the Cs-137 line (662 keV) is 10%, it being about 30% at energies higher than 50 MeV. A system of stabilization based on the signal from the generator of reference light pulses is used to provide stability and automated adjustment of the parameters of spectrometric modules. The measuring channels of the instrument are calibrated during the flight using a source of “tagged” gamma quanta on the Co-60 radioactive isotope. Polystyrene scintillation counters are used to provide protection from the background of charged particles. The “CORONAS-PHOTON” spacecraft (SC) was launched from the Plesetsk spaceport on January 30, 2009, to a low circular near-Earth orbit (the altitude is 550 km, the inclination is 82.5°). On February 27, the first scientific data were obtained from the NATALYA-2M instrument. The results of the flight calibration of the instrument detectors in different energy channels demonstrated good agreement with the ground measurements. The paper describes the instrument and observational potentials of the NATALYA-2M spectrometer, gives the results of the adjustment and calibration, and exemplifies the registration of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)on the orbit.     

A faint object spectrometer for the infrared

A cryogenic astronomical spectrometer for the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility is described. This spectrometer will employ an array of at least 20 detectors and provide a resolving power of 100 to 1500 at 1–5 m. The resolving power will be adjustable by changing gratings.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

Software design for panoramic astronomical pipeline processing

We describe the software requirement and design specifications for all-sky panoramic astronomical pipelines. The described software aims to meet the specific needs of superwide-angle optics, and includes cosmic-ray hit rejection, image compression, star recognition, sky opacity analysis, transient detection and a web server allowing access to real-time and archived data. The presented software is being regularly used for the pipeline processing of 11 all-sky cameras located in some of the world's premier observatories. We encourage all-sky camera operators to use our software and/or our hosting services and become part of the global Night Sky Live network.     

The gamma ray spectrometer for the Solar Maximum Mission

The Solar Maximum Mission Gamma Ray Experiment (SMM GRE) utilizes an actively shielded, multicrystal scintillation spectrometer to measure the flux of solar gamma rays. The instrument provides a 476-channel pulse height spectrum (with energy resolution of 7% at 662 keV) every 16.38 s over the energy range 0.3–9 MeV. Higher time resolution (2 s) is available in three windows between 3.5 and 6.5 MeV to study prompt gamma ray line emission at 4.4 and 6.1 MeV. Gamma ray spectral analysis can be extended to 15 MeV on command. Photons in the energy band from 300–350 keV are recorded with a time resolution of 64 ms. A high energy configuration also gives the spectrum of photons in the energy range from 10–100 MeV and the flux of neutrons 20 MeV. Both have a time resolution of 2 s. Auxiliary X-ray detectors will provide spectra with 1-sec time resolution over the energy range of 10–140 keV. The instrument is designed to measure the intensity, energy, and Doppler shift of narrow gamma ray lines as well as the intensity of extremely broadened lines and the photon continuum. The main objective is to use this time and spectral information from both nuclear gamma ray lines and the photon continuum in a direct study of the dynamics of the solar flare/particle acceleration phenomena.     

Time series data correction for the Chang'E-1 gamma-ray spectrometer

The main goal of the gamma-ray spectrometer(GRS) onboard Chang'E1(CE-1) is to acquire global maps of elemental abundances and their distributions on the moon,since such maps will significantly improve our understanding of lunar formation and evolution.To derive the elemental maps and enable research on lunar formation and evolution,raw data that are received directly from the spacecraft must be converted into time series corrected gamma-ray spectra.The data correction procedures for the CE-1 GRS time series...     

Golf: A resonance spectrometer for the observation of solar oscillations

GOLF (Global Oscillations at Low Frequencies) is an instrument to study the line-of-sight velocity of the solar photosphere, to be flown on the SOHO satellite in 1995. It uses a sodium vapour cell in resonance scattering mode, in order to measure the absolute Doppler shift of the solar sodium absorption lines. We detail laboratory tests to determine the performances of the cell built for the experiment. The results are in good agreement with numerical simulations of the resonance processes. As a final result, we can conclude that the level of performances required for the flight instrument will be obtained.     

Stable isotope laser spectrometer for exploration of Mars

On Earth, measurements of the ratios of stable carbon isotopes have provided much information about geological and biological processes. For example, fractionation of carbon occurs in biotic processes and the retention of a distinctive 2-4% contrast in 13C/12C between organic carbon and carbonates in rocks as old as 3.8 billion years constitutes some of the firmest evidence for the antiquity of life on the Earth. We have developed a prototype tunable diode Laser spectrometer which demonstrates the feasibility of making accurate in situ isotopic ratio measurements on Mars. This miniaturized instrument, with an optical path length of 10 cm, should be capable of making accurate 13C/12C and 15N/14N measurements. Gas samples for measurement are to be produced by pyrolysis using soil samples as small as 50 mg. Measurements of 13C/12C, 18O/16O and 15N/14N have been made to a precision of better than 0.1% and various other isotopes are feasible. This laser technique, which relies on the extremely narrow emission linewidth of tunable diode lasers (<0.001 cm(-1)) has favorable features in comparison to mass spectrometry, the standard method of accurate isotopic ratio measurement. The miniature instrument could be ready to deploy on the 2003 or other Mars lander missions.     

FREGATE,a gamma-ray spectrometer for HETE

The FREnch GAmma-ray TElescope (FREGATE) on board HETE, is aimed to provide accurate spectral information on-ray bursts at low energies. Four cleaved NaI crystals provide a good sensitivity between 5 keV and 400 keV. In this paper we describe the main characteristics of this instrument: its geometry, energy resolution, and sensitivity, as well as the modes of operation and the data recorded.     

A multiplex imaging spectrometer for low energyX-ray astronomy

A multiplexX-ray image analyser is described. It consists in a time-modulated coded aperture associated with a solid state detector. The system combines the high efficiency and good spectral resolution of solid state spectrometers with the spatial resolution of the coded aperture (200 ).The device can be installed at the focus of a grazing incidence telescope to make images and spectra of faint astronomicalX-ray sources.     

A method and results of color calibration for the Chang'e-3 terrain camera and panoramic camera

The terrain camera(TCAM) and panoramic camera(PCAM) are two of the major scientific payloads installed on the lander and rover of the Chang'e 3 mission respectively. They both use a Bayer color filter array covering CMOS sensor to capture color images of the Moon's surface. RGB values of the original images are related to these two kinds of cameras. There is an obvious color difference compared with human visual perception. This paper follows standards published by the International Commission on Illumination to establish a color correction model, designs the ground calibration experiment and obtains the color correction coefficient. The image quality has been significantly improved and there is no obvious color difference in the corrected images. Ground experimental results show that:(1) Compared with uncorrected images, the average color difference of TCAM is 4.30, which has been reduced by 62.1%.(2) The average color differences of the left and right cameras in PCAM are 4.14 and 4.16, which have been reduced by 68.3% and 67.6% respectively.     

A high-resolution bragg spectrometer for the observation of the hot interstellar medium X-ray emission

We present a high-resolution Bragg spectrometer designed for the observation of the soft X-ray cosmic diffuse background. The instrument concept is derived from the de Broglie geometry for the study of extended sources. It consists in a mosaïc of spherical TlAP crystals associated with position sensitive detectors located on the focussing surface. The spectral resolution and its variation with the field of view is estimated by Monte-Carlo simulations for different X-ray energies chosen among the most intense lines emitted by an astrophysical plasma in the temperature range 1–4×10⁶K. The estimated sensitivity and the simulations of actual space observations show that the instrument is capable to separate the strongest lines emitted by the most abundant ions (OVII,OVIII, FeXVII, NeIX, etc.) and to map the whole sky during a six month mission.     

AOST: Fourier spectrometer for studying mars and phobos

An AOST Fourier spectrometer of the Phobos-Soil project is intended for studying Mars and Phobos by means of measurements of IR radiation spectra of the Martian surface and atmosphere, the Phobos surface, and the spectrum of solar radiation passing through the Martian atmosphere on its limb. The main scientific problems to be solved with the spectrometer on Mars are measurements of methane content, search for minor constituents, and study of diurnal variations in the temperature and atmospheric aerosol. The spectrometer will also study the Martian and Phobos surface both remotely and after landing. The spectral range of the instrument is 2.5?C25 ??m, the best spectral resolution (without apodization) is 0.6 cm^?1, and the instantaneous field of view is 2.5°. The recording time of one spectrum is equal to 5 s in solar observations and 50 s in observations of Mars and Phobos. The instrument has self-thermal stabilization and two-axis pointing systems, as well as a built-in radiation source for flight calibration. The spectrometer mass is 4 kg, and power consumption is up to 13 W. Scientific problems, measurement modes, and, briefly, engineering implementation of the experiment are discussed in this work.     

A broadband spectrometer for decimeter and microwave radio bursts

Observations of solar microwave bursts with high temporal and spectral resolution have shown interesting fine structures (FSs) of short duration and small bandwidth which are usually superimposed on the smooth continuum. These FSs are very intense (up to 10¹⁵ K) and show sometimes a high degree of circular polarization (up to 100%). They are believed to be generated by electron cyclotron maser emission (ECME) in magnetic loops. Another type are the microwave type III bursts, which are drifting microwave FSs, and are probably the signatures of travelling electron beams in the solar atmosphere. The exact emission mechanisms for these phenomena, in particular the source configuration, the plasma parameters and the distribution of radiating electrons are not clear. For a detailed study of these problems new observations of intensity and polarization with high resolution in time and in frequency in decimeter and microwave wavebands are essential. In order to investigate these features in greater detail, spectrometers with high temporal and spectral resolution are being developed by the solar radio astronomy community of China (Beijing Astronomical Observatory (BAO), Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), Yunnan Astronomical Observatory (YAO), and Nanjing University (NJU)). The frequency range from 0.7 to about 12 GHz is covered by about five spectrometers in frequency ranges of 0.7–1.4 GHz, 1–2 GHz, 2.4–3.6 GHz, 4.9–7.3 GHz, and 8–12 GHz, respectively. The radiospectrometers will form a combined type of swept-frequency and multi-channel receivers. The main characteristics of the solar radio spectrometers are: frequency resolution: 1–10 MHz; temporal resolution: 1–10 ms; sensitivity: better than 2% of the quiet-Sun level. We pay special attention to the sensitivity and the accuracy of polarization. Now, the 1–2 GHz radiospectrometer is being set up. The full system will be set up in 3–4 years.Presented at the CESRA-Workshop on Coronal Magnetic Release at Caputh near Potsdam in May 1994.     

CASPIR: A cryogenic array spectrometer imager for the MSSSO 2.3 m telescope

CASPIR is a near-infrared spectrometer/imager being built for the Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories' 2.3 m telescope. The instrument is based on a SBRC 256×256 InSb detector array and uses AR-coated Sapphire, MgO, CaF₂, and BaF₂ optics to produce two imaging focal plane scales with 0.5/pixel and 0.25/pixel. Spectral resolving powers of 500 will be achieved through a 1×128 slit with three grisms designed for the J, H, and K bands. IJ, JH, and HK cross-dispersed échelle grisms will achieve resolving powers of 1100 through a 1×15 slit. Coronograph and imaging polarimetry modes will also be available. The various observing configurations are selected via five remotely controlled wheels. The instrument design and system architecture are discussed, and preliminary detector performance figures reported.