Life In Space: An Introduction To Space Life Sciences And The International Space Station

The impact of the space environment upon living organisms is profound. Its effects range from alterations in sub-cellular processes to changes in the structure and function of whole organ systems. As the number of astronaut and cosmonaut crews flown in space has grown, so to has our understanding of the effects of the space environment upon biological systems. There are many parallels between the physiology of space flight and terrestrial disease processes, and the response of astronaut crews themselves to long-duration space deployment is therefore of central interest. In the next 15 years the International Space Station (ISS) will serve as a permanently manned dedicated life and physical sciences platform for the further investigation of these phenomena. The European Space Agency's Columbus module will hold the bulk of the ISS life science capability and, in combination with NASA's Human Research Facility (HRF) will accommodate the rack mounted experimental apparatus. The programme of experimentation will include efforts in fundamental biology, human physiology, behavioural science and space biomedical research. In the four decades since Yuri Gagarin first orbited the Earth, space life science has emerged as a field of study in its own right. The ISS takes us into the next era of human space exploration, and it is hoped that its programme of research will yield new insights, novel therapeutic interventions, and improved biotechnology for terrestrial application. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Space astronomy in Japan

Japan's two X-ray astronomy satellites, HAKUCHO and TENMA, have been actively in operation leading to deeper understandings of the neutron star physics. Other satellite and balloon projects have been performed under international collaborators.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

The Infrared Space Observatory

The first true infrared observatory in space, ESA's Infrared Space Observatory (ISO), was launched 17 November 1995. Since one and a half years, it has made more than 15,000 observations with its four versatile instruments: a camera, a photo-polarimeter and two spectrometers. This paper presents an overview of the satellite, its payload, the operations of the observatory and gives an outlook of the events to come. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

空间紫外天文探测者

现代紫外天文学的测波段是３１００－１００Ａ,和Ｘ线相接,紫外观测要把望远镜到１５０ｋｍ高度以上,以避开臭氧层和大气吸收。９０年代以发射的专用紫外空间探测器有Ａｓｔｒｏ－１,Ａｓｔｒｏ－２,ＩＵＥ,ＥＵＶＥ,在ＨＳＴ和ＴＲＡＣＥ上也安装有紫外空间探测器。这些紫外空间观测已覆盖了全部紫外光谱。１９９９年６月２４日发射升空的ＦＵＳＥ卫星是ＮＡＳＡ的“起源计划”项目,将通过氘或“重氢”的探测来研究轻元素丰     

Analysis of the Space Debris Impacts Risk on the International Space Station

Öpik's analytical expressions relate in a simple way the semimajor axis, eccentricity and inclination of the projectile orbit to the magnitude and direction of the relative velocity vector at impact on a given target on circular orbit. These interesting quantities, along with the impact probability of any given projectile, can be all represented on a suitable projection giving a comprehensive picture of the impact risk on the selected target. By means of this theory a complete analysis of the impact risk on the International Space Station (ISS) is performed. It is found that the large majority of the debris population is on orbits such that a correlation exists between their impact velocity on the ISS and the angle between the velocity vector of the impactor and that of the ISS. The impactor population also is separated in terms of nature of the projectiles, with most of the low-medium velocity ones being particles related to solid rocket motor slag condensates. On the other hand, the highest velocity projectiles are composed mainly by fragments of past in-orbit explosions.The flux of projectiles on the ISS has been calculated for the planned operative lifetime of the Station, by assuming a realistic scenario of the future debris environment evolution and the actual planned altitude profile for the ISS mission. There is a factor 2-3 variation of the flux due to the changing ISS altitude. The most dangerous part of the mission appears to be the central one, when the ISS will orbit at about 450 km above the Earth.     

Detectors For Space Science

The design of detector systems for flight applications requires the consideration of a number of issues unique to space instrumentation. Flight detectors must endure hostile radiation environments and thermal extremes. Paramount importance is given to reliability since inflight replacement is at best difficult and usually impossible. Flight detectors are also significant cost and design drivers since they often determine key requirements for flight instruments such as volume, mass, power consumption, heat dissipation and communications budgets. In this paper we describe the primary concerns in developing flight detector systems, and review the challenges posed by future NASA and ESA space science missions for detector development.     

Temperatures of Meteoroids in Space

Abstract On the basis of reported optical measurements of iron and stony meteorites, upper and lower limits for solar absorptance and hemispherical emittance of the surfaces of meteoroids have been established. Temperatures of three classes of meteoroids, none larger than approximately 10 meters in radius, have been calculated for various orbits and a/e ratios. These classes are light chondrites, dark chondrites and the irons. Temperatures for a meteoroid in a Mercury orbit range from 100° C for a light chondrite to 400° C for an iron.     

The Next Generation Space Telescope

The design life time of the Hubble Space Telescope will nominally end in 2005. Even though it might be possible to extend the operational life beyond that date it is evident that a successor to Hubble must be planned for now. Based on the report ‘HST and Beyond’ (Dressler 1996)) and aligned with the NASA ‘Origins’ program a study has been initiated to explore options for a telescope with an aperture of larger than 4 meters and possibly as large as 8 meters, optimized for the near infrared (≈ 1-5 micron) to be placed in an orbit far from Earth. The study started in December 1995 and has been proceeding with considerable momentum. At the current time three studies have been completed (NASA in-house, TRW, and Lockheed), which are being used to explore technological and programmatic challenges. The studies are to be merged. It is impressive to see what can be done with existing technology and within the capabilities of existing organizational arrangements. The goal is to complete the study within one year with the goal of entering into phase A as soon as possible. Formal agreements between ESA and NASA will have to be negotiated if Europe is to play a meaningful role in this exercise. Without such agreements, it is clear that European astronomers will not have access to the NGST in the way that they currently enjoy the opportunities provided by the HST. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

行星际磁云研究新进展

从飞船的观测结果、磁云形态及演化的理论模型、磁流体动力学(MHD)数值模拟、激波对磁云的作用、多重磁云等5个方面，评述了行星际磁云的研究成果及最新进展。在太阳峰年，大部分的非重现性地磁暴都与磁云有关。最近的研究表明，压缩后的磁云往往能产生更大的地磁效应。深入研究磁云对空间天气研究有着特殊的价值，特别是对提高大磁暴的预报水平有着重要帮助。     

Formaldehyde Polymers in Interstellar Space

Refractory grains of graphite and silicates ejected from cool giant stars acquire mantles of organic polymers typified by polyoxymethyline in interstellar clouds. Infrared emission from theTrapezium nebula is consistent with the occurrence of such polymers. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

空间VLBI的研究现状

评述了过去近三十年中空间VLBI的发展．其内容包括空间VLBI的简短发展历史,空间VLBI与地面VLBI的不同、空间VLBI的目前状况和空间VLBI的未来展望。着重介绍了作为首次空间VLBI的VSOP的各个方面情况,并给出了VSOP的连续谱、谱线普查样本,供参考。     

Quasi-Thermal Noise Diagnostics in Space Plasmas

We present the method of plasma diagnostics by quasi-thermal noise spectroscopy and show examples of application in the solar wind and the Earth's plasmasphere. Using only an electric antenna and a radio receiver, diagnostics of various space environments (magnetized or not) can be obtained in situ. Because of its accuracy, this technique can be used to cross-check other plasma sensors. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.