Long-term space mission requirements
Possible feeding systems for long term space missions after Apollo Applications Program
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Possible feeding systems for long term space missions after Apollo Applications Program
Long term behavior of blue photographic luminosity of Seyfert galaxy 3C 120 nucleus, considering similarity to quasar 3C 273B
Thick superinsulation system design for long term cryogenic storage using superfloc, radiation shield and spacer material
Planetary orbiter parameters long term variations under central body oblateness, solar and atmospheric drag perturbations
Long term behavior of energetic inner-belt protons
Long-term, periodically repeated caloric stimulation of the labyrinth receptors of the internal ear was studied on eight rabbits with immobilzed heads. Warm (20 C) water was used as a stimulus in a dose of 40 ml per min injected into the auditory meatus.
The long-term effects of storing batteries over a period of years prior to their use in a synchronous orbit application are discussed. A previous experiment is discussed where life testing was performed on cells after having stored the battery for a period of three years with the cell shorted and at a temperature on the order of 5-10 C. The test consisted of performing a sequence of 10 simulated eclipse seasons (equivalent in cycling of five years in synchronous orbit). Results of this test indicated very little degradation and change in the physical and chemical conditions of the cell. The program was extended for an additional year (battery was stored for four years) under the same conditions and testing. The results of the four year storage (one exception) indicate that no further change occurred that is significant from the three year test.
Short and long term variations in the solar constant are examined theoretically. The variations observed by the Solar Maximum Mission, lasting several days and associated with the passage of sunspot groups, strikingly demonstrates the well known lack of a bright ring effect around sunspots. This suggests that sunspot magnetic fields do not simply block the heat flowing upward into the photosphere. Rather, it is suggested that gravitational draining occurs; this cools sunspots and transports downward the heat that would otherwise flow into the photosphere. A model of sunspot temperature with depth shows modest support when compared with the empirical model of Van't Veer. Secular trends in the solar constant may occur and be associated with the influence of the convection zone magnetic field upon convective heat transport. As a start to understanding this problem, the Schwarzschild criterion has been modified to include the effects of magnetic field.
Facility for studying long-term effects of vacuum on materials described in report. Vacuum storage system maintains specimens at constant temperature and high vacuum. Enables specimens to be removed easily and safely for analysis. Nitrogen storage system maintains specimens at 77 degree F in pure, dry nitrogen gas under gauge pressure of 2 to 4 psi. Enables comparison of control specimens with specimens exposed to vacuum. Instrumentation-and-control system measures and records operating parameters and generates control signals and alarm indications as necessary.
Drifts and lifetimes predicted. Long-term Orbit Predictor (LOP) is trajectory-propagation computer program used as analysis tool for studies of lifetimes of orbiting spacecraft. Used for any planetary orbiting missions. LOP written in FORTRAN 77.
Life support systems represent one of the most critical aspects of human space exploration. Future long-term missions such as the establishment of human-tended Lunar and Martian bases require closed life support systems. A conceptual approach to an Engineered Closed/Controlled EcoSystem incorporating bioregenerative capabilities by integrating humans, plants, and waste management processes is presented. The integration of physical/chemical and biological waste treatment processes is suitable for supporting plant growth through hydroponics and materially closing the human and plant metabolic loops. This conceptual design separates wastes into individual loops for treatment according to the specific metabolic needs of humans and plants. The means through which an integrated Engineered Closed/Controlled EcoSystem meets the life support objectives of long-term space habitation are summarized.
Rossi X-my Timing Explorer observations of the black hole binary LMC X-3 reveal an extended very low X-ray state lasting from 2003 December 13 until 2004 March 18, unprecedented both in terms of its low luminosity (>15 times fainter than ever before seen in this source) and long duration (approx 3 times longer than a typical low/hard state excursion). During this event little to no source variability is observed on timescales of approx hours-weeks, and the X-ray spectrum implies an upper limit of 1.2 x 10(exp 35) erg/s, Five years later another extended low state occurs, lasting from 2008 December 11 until 2009 June 17. This event lasts nearly twice as long as the first, and while significant variability is observed, the source remains reliably in the low/hard spectral state for the approx 188 day duration. These episodes share some characteristics with the "anomalous low states" in the neutron star binary Her X-I. The average period and amplitude of the Variability of LMC X-3 have different values between these episodes. We characterize the long-term variability of LMC X-3 before and after the two events using conventional and nonlinear time series analysis methods, and show that, as is the case in Her X-I, the characteristic amplitude of the variability is related to its characteristic timescale. Furthermore, the relation is in the same direction in both systems. This suggests that a similar mechanism gives rise to the long-term variability, which in the case of Her X-I is reliably modeled with a tilted, warped precessing accretion disk.
The low-mass X-ray binary 4U1705-44 exhibits dramatic long-term X-ray time variability with a time-scale of several hundred days. The All-SkyMonitor (ASM) aboard the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the Japanese Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) aboard the International Space Station together have continuously observed the source from 1995 December through 2014 May. The combined ASM-MAXI data provide a continuous time series over 50 times the length of the time-scale of interest. Topological analysis can help us identify 'fingerprints' in the phase space of a system unique to its equations of motion. The Birman-Williams theorem postulates that if such fingerprints are the same between two systems, then their equations of motion must be closely related. The phase-space embedding of the source light curve shows a strong resemblance to the double-welled non-linear Duffing oscillator. We explore a range of parameters for which the Duffing oscillator closely mirrors the time evolution of 4U1705-44. We extract low period, unstable periodic orbits from the 4U1705-44 and Duffing time series and compare their topological information. The Duffing and 4U1705-44 topological properties are identical, providing strong evidence that they share the same underlying template. This suggests that we can look to the Duffing equation to help guide the development of a physical model to describe the long-term X-ray variability of this and other similarly behaved X-ray binary systems.
It is shown by an examination of Pioneer, Voyager and IMP spacecraft cosmic ray long-term modulation data, for the case of E greater than 60 MeV in the period 1972-1980, that (1) long-term modulation effects are propagated outward radially from the sun with a typical speed of 350-500 km/sec; (2) the average integral radial gradient over the period, between 2 and 23 AU, is 2.85 + or - 0.5% AU, and (3) the boundary of the heliocentric modulation region in the ecliptic plane, as derived from simple conventional modulation theory, is greater than 65 AU. It is concluded that the weak dependence of the average gradient upon cosmic ray intensity may be used to estimate the location of the boundary in a standard modulation model.
Microstructure of the 40-year service-exposed 1Cr-0.5Mo steel extracted from pressure vessels through the boat sampling technique was characterized using x-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry, electron backscatter diffraction, focused ion beam, and transmission electron microscopy. The microstructure degradation during long-term service was identified. Statistical crystal plastic ity models were developed to correlate the microstructure and mechanical properties quantitatively. The steel is found significantly strengthened but slightly embrittled. Nanoscale Mo 2 C carbides have nucleated within the ferrite matrix over the long-term service, resulting in significant strengthening of the matrix. The coarser grain boundary Cr 23 C 6 carbides, on the other hand, act as the damage accumulation sites and lead to the degradation.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) prepared this Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan (LTS&M Plan) for the Salmon, Mississippi, Site (the Salmon site) to describe LM’s plan and policy for future site activities. The Salmon site consists of 1470 acres in Lamar County, Mississippi, approximately 10 miles west of Purvis, Mississippi, and about 21 miles southwest of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The site is located over a large subsurface salt formation referred to as the Tatum Salt Dome. Two nuclear tests (Project Dribble) and two gas explosive tests (Project Miracle Play) were conducted in the salt dome between 1964 and 1970. Salmon, the first nuclear test, was conducted on October 22, 1964, and created a cavity approximately 2700 feet (ft) below ground surface (bgs). The second nuclear test, Sterling, was conducted on December 3, 1966. The Sterling test and the two gas explosions—Diode Tube on February 2, 1969, and Humid Water on April 19, 1970—were all conducted in the cavity created by the Salmon test. The four explosions were conducted as part of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s (AEC’s) Vela Uniform program. Testing at the site ended in 1970 after the second gas detonation. The tests resulted in residual contamination and postdetonation features that require long-term oversight.
Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) model parameters, Albedo quantities, and Nadir BRDF Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) products derived from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), on the Suomi-NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership) satellite are evaluated with spatially representative in situ tower albedometer measurements and through comparison with the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) long term record. White Sky Albedo (WSA), Black Sky Albedo (BSA), NBAR, and Quality Assurance (QA) results show that the VIIRS algorithm is performing well at the global scale and is able to provide global data products comparable with the heritage MODIS (with an absolute bias of 0.0069 for shortwave broadband WSA) despite the spectral, angular, and effective spatial resolution differences between the two sensors. Both VIIRS and MODIS albedo are shown to agree well with in situ albedo measurements at a number of spatially representative sites. This evaluation provides confidence that the high quality, daily VIIRS BRDF model parameters, Albedo, and NBAR products will be able to provide the long term continuity required by the modeling and monitoring communities.
This is the final performance report for our grant 'Long-Term Time Variability in the X-Ray Pulse Shape of the Crab Nebula Pulsar.' In the first year of this grant, we received the 50,000-second ROSAT (German acronym for X-ray satellite) High Resolution Images (HRI) observation of the Crab Nebula pulsar. We used the data to create a 65-ms-resolution pulse profile and compared it to a similar pulse profile obtained in 1991. No statistically significant differences were found. These results were presented at the January 1998 meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Since then, we have performed more sensitive analyses to search for potential changes in the pulse profile shape between the two data sets. Again, no significant variability was found. In order to augment this long (six-year) baseline data set, we have analyzed archival observations of the Crab Nebula pulsar with the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). While these observations have shorter time baselines than the ROSAT data set, their higher signal-to-noise offers similar sensitivity to long-term variability. Again, no significant variations have been found, confirming our ROSAT results. This work was done in collaboration with Prof. Stephen Eikenberry, Cornell University. These analyses will be included in Cornell University graduate student Dae-Sik Moon's doctoral thesis.