Mini-inflation prior to the cosmic confinement transition?

The onset of the confinement transition in the early universe is studied within the Friedmann model. Exploiting a bag model equation of state for the deconfined matter, which is generalized to include also metastable states, the possibility of a mini-inflationary epoch is demonstrated. A criterion of metastability is derived to estimate parameters of this mini-inflation.     

On Increasing the Accuracy of Star Trackers to Subsecond Levels

Modern star trackers are based on photodetector arrays such as CCD or CMOS arrays. The accuracy of commercially available devices is ~1–3 arcseconds. However, the development of the space industry calls for higher orientation accuracies, which are needed in laser space communications, monitoring of near-Earth space and space debris, high-precision global mapping, and remote sensing of the Earth. The problems associated with enhancing the accuracy of modern star trackers are discussed.     

Proposal for Creating a Device for Deorbiting Low-Earth-Orbit CubeSats

The article discusses proposals for creating a standard unit based on CubeSat technology, an independent autonomous aerobraking device based on inflatable balloons or a solar sail cone section. The proposed devices have a simple start-up system and are an additional component in the CubeSat assembly for deorbiting from low-Earth orbits.     

Optimization of ice cuttings transportation by cable-suspended core auger drills

Ice cores contain an abundance of information about the Earth''s climate in the past,and recovered from shallow drilling down to 300--350 m give sufficient information for reconstructing of the last climatic chan- ges and for monitoring of pollution from human being． Cable-suspended core auger drills use an armored cable with a winch to provide power to the down-hole motor system and to retrieve the down-hole unit． Because of their lightweight,convenient transportation and installation,high penetration rates and low power consumption, core auger drills are widely used for shallow drilling in ice． Nowadays at least 14 types of auger electromechani- cal drills were designed and tested in different foreign and national glaciological laboratories． However,auger options were usually determined by experience,and the main parameters (helix angle of the fights and rotational speed) are varied in a wide range from drill to drill． If parameters of auger are not chosen properly,poorly en- gineered drills had troubles with low efficiency of cuttings transportation,jam of ice cuttings,repeated fragmen- tation,cutters icing and stop penetration,abnormal power consumption,high rotation torques,and so on． Thus,this paper presents the method of optimization of ice cuttings transportation of cable-suspended core auger drill on the base of the theory of rotary auger． As the result,the optimal helix angle was determined correspond- ing to the rotational speed from the transportation efficiency point of view．     

Concept development for a space solar power station

This paper introduces a concept for the development of a space solar power station, starting from the manufacture of a photoemissive panel to the creation of a prototype of an industrial power plant. Balloon systems play a special role both in the testing of the power plant and in the operation of prototypes of solar power stations.     

Analysis of Key Technologies for a Space Geophysics Mission: Required Accuracies and Engineering Solutions

Solar System Research - Abstract—The paper analyzes the Russian scientific and technological capabilities to manufacture a space-borne observation platform for high-precision monitoring of...     

On the potentiality of using the fluorescence of humic substances for the determination of hydrological structures in coastal sea waters and in inland water basins

This paper describes the potentialities of the characteristics of the fluorescence of humic substances (HS), namely, their intensity normalized to the Raman band intensity of water and the shape of their fluorescence band, as indications of the hydrological structures of the surface water layer in marine coastal areas (using the example of the North Sea region near the East Frisian Islands and the estuary zone of the Weser River) and in inland water basins (using the example of the Rybinsk Reservoir). We demonstrate that the HS fluorescence band??s shape parameters allow stricter discrimination of the dominant water masses as compared to the admixtures?? concentration-related indicators (the salinity, electric conductivity, and HS fluorescence intensity).     

Application of detailed magnetotelluric sounding to prospecting for small-size deposits of hydrocarbons in the basement

Hydrocarbon (HC) deposits can be associated with local vertical conducting zones in the crust and basement. These zones are usually characterized by a low level of electric components of the magnetotelluric (MT) field in a broad frequency range and by a normal level of magnetic components. For this reason, detailed MT studies are highly effective in prospecting for small-size HC deposits in the basement.     

Proposals for the construction of space systems based on small spacecraft and a transport and power module with a nuclear power plant

The concept of interconnected satellite systems for various scientific and engineering applications based on small spacecraft and a transport and power module with a nuclear power plant is discussed. The system is connected by laser radiation from the transport and power module that supplies power to small satellites, establishes high-speed data transmission, and is used to perform high-precision measurements of intersatellite distances. Several practical use cases for such a connected system are considered.     

Relativistic Gravitational Experiment in the Earth Orbit: Concept,Technology, and Configuration of Satellite Constellation

An arrangement of the orbital experiment on the measurement of the light propagation delay in the gravitational field of the Earth (Shapiro effect) using laser interferometry based on a cluster of small spacecraft (SC) is proposed. SC layouts, launch technology, and high-precision measurements of their orbital parameters are considered.