Spacecraft Environment Engineering 

Abstract: The paper “Environmental Testing for Launch and Space Vehicles”[1] is reviewed basied on the author’s experience. It is pointed out that the structural design of space systems is dictated by the “ rigors” of the environmental testing in verifying the design of space systems and screening flight hardware for qualify of workmanship. The paper also analyzes the key procedures in acoustic testing ,vibration testing and shock testing.

Abstract: The simulation of lunar surface terrain is carried out in the indoor test facility for lunar rover. Based on the physical and mechanical characteristics of real lunar soil, the possibility of using the volcanic ash to simulate the lunar soil is explored. By a comparison of their engineering properties, the crushed volcanic ash is shown to be a good choice for the simulation, which provides a good starting point for further lunar surface terrain simulation and terrain test of lunar rover.

Abstract: There is a great hidden danger in spacecraft with remainder particles in its mission life. The classification and hazard of remainders produced in spacecraft assembly are introduced. The mechanism of remainder being produced is analyzed, which amounts to four sources: assembly process, components or workers, storage process, and toxical gas. The control of remainder particles along with the method for inspection and its removal in common use are put forward.

Abstract: The simulation facility described in this paper is the first of its kind under development in China for investigation of deep dielectric charging on satellites. A Sr90/Y90 beta emitting source and a 5~100 keV electron gun are integrated in a single vacuum chamber for simulating deep dielectric charging/discharging and for measuring the conductivity of dielectric materials, respectively. Irradiation tests on dielectric materials were conducted using the beta source and the electron gun, separately, in which some discharging waveforms were recorded as a result of a few kVs of surface charging on the sample. This facility is designed to provide a theoretical and technical support for future design against deep dielectric charging on China’s subsequent middle-and-high altitude Earth satellites.