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This paper presents Rocket Experiment (REX) that was part of a dual payload rocket campaign for NASA's sounding rocket Black Brant IX with water recovery technology. This mission was a suborbital sounding rocket flight that was launched and recovered on April 4, 2018 and targeted the Vela supernova remnant. The purpose of REX was to classify the Technology Readiness Level of onboard devices designed for space applications. The devices were two wide-field X-ray telescopes consisting of a combination of Lobster-Eye (LE) optics with an uncooled Timepix detector (256 x 256 px @ 55 um), and additional sensors. The first telescope uses a two-dimensional combination of LE modules with a focal length of 1 m and a Field of View (FOV) of 1.0 x 1.2 deg and operates in the energy range of 3 - 60 keV. The second telescope was a one-dimensional LE with a focal length of 250 mm and a FOV of 2.7 x 8.0 deg for the energy range 3 - 40 keV. The X-ray telescopes were supplemented by a camera in the visible spectrum with 1,280 x 1,024 px resolution, which was used to obtain images of the observed sources and to verify the resulting pointing of the rocket carrier. Other devices also include infrared array sensors and inertial measurement units tested for future small satellite missions. The data handler and communication system were built using the Robot Operating System, and both the system and the electronics were deployed and operated in flight. The hardware was successfully recovered after the launch and the data were extracted., Comment: Submitted to Acta Astronautica

During flight, a sounding rocket is subject to a unique environment - severe vibrations and substantial heat flux. In order to design payloads, precise measurement of these conditions is required. This paper presents preliminary results from HEDGEHOG REXUS Project, whose scientific goal was to characterise the thermal and dynamic environment of REXUS sounding rockets. For this purpose, two new sensors have been designed - mechanical acceleration amplifier/filter and heat flux measuring device. Both provided interesting data - vibration and heat flux profiles allowed identification of key flight phases and quantitative description of certain phenomena during flight was performed. The experiment validated the sensors and provided heating and vibration profiles. Applicability of results and conclusions for future REXUS launches is discussed in the following paper.

Accepted: 2019-10-05, 資料番号: SA1190182000

A modified boundary condition is proposed which does not require alteration to a standard Navier-Stokes solver and which can be used to simulate the effects of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators. This boundary condition is used to examine the effect of actuator location and freestream velocity on the normal force (per unit span) generated by a DBD actuator operating on one side of a typical sounding rocket fin. A position between 35% and 50% chord is found to produce the largest force over a range of freestream velocities between 10 m/s and 90 m/s. This force increases with increasing speed up to approximately 45 m/s after which it remains relatively constant. Applying this force on a three fin sounding rocket for approxitely 7 s before apogee results in a predicted roll rate of approximately 3 RPM.

A hybrid rocket design methodology is dependent on a number of factors, such as mission requirements and resource availability and thus no single solution exists. An in-house software called the Hybrid Rocket Performance Simulator (HYROPS) was used as the foundation of the design process followed in this paper. The software is based on a one dimensional, unsteady combustion flow model that predicts the performance of a hybrid rocket motor as well as a generic 6-DOF flight dynamics simulator that determines the flight performance of a rocket. Parametric studies using the HYROPS software were conducted to investigate the effects of various design parameters on the performance of a sub-orbital hybrid rocket. The propellant combination used in this trade study was paraffin wax fuel with nitrous oxide. The various design parameters under analysis include chamber pressures, O/F ratio, and grain characteristics. Performance gain and mass saving obtained from the performance simulations reduce costs associated with the development of a hybrid rocket.

While the majority of operating suborbital rockets use solid rocket propulsion, recent advancements in the field of hybrid rocket motors lead to renewed interest in their use in sounding rockets. This paper presents results of optimisation of sounding rockets using hybrid propulsion. An overview of vehicles under development during the last decade, as well as heritage systems is provided. Different propellant combinations are discussed and their performance assessment is given. While Liquid Oxygen, Nitrous Oxide and Nitric Acid have been widely tested with various solid fuels in flight, Hydrogen Peroxide remains an oxidiser with very limited sounding rocket applications. The benefits of hybrid propulsion for sounding rockets are given. In case of hybrid rocket motors the thrust curve can be optimised for each flight, using a flow regulator, depending on the payload and mission. Results of studies concerning the optimal burn duration and nozzle selection are given. Specific considerations are provided for the Polish ILR-33 “Amber” sounding rocket. Low regression rates, which up to date were viewed as a drawback of hybrid propulsion may be used to the benefit of maximising rocket performance if small solid rocket boosters are used during the initial flight period. While increased interest in hybrid propulsion is present, no up-to-date reference concerning use of hybrid rocket propulsion for sounding rockets is available. The ultimate goal of the paper is to provide insight into the sensitivity of different design parameters on performance of hybrid sounding rockets and delve into the potential and challenges of using hybrid rocket technology for expendable suborbital applications.

This paper presents the results of analyses and simulations for the design of a small sounding platform, dedicated to conducting scientific atmospheric research and capable of reaching the von Karman line by means of a rocket launched from it. While recent private initiatives have opted for the air launch concept to send small payloads to Low Earth Orbit, several historical projects considered the use of balloons as the first stage of orbital and suborbital platforms, known as rockoons. Both of these approaches enable the minimization of drag losses. This paper addresses the issue of utilizing stratospheric balloons as launch platforms to conduct sub-orbital rocket flights. Research and simulations have been conducted to demonstrate these capabilities and feasibility. A small sounding solid propulsion rocket using commercially-off-the-shelf hardware is proposed. Its configuration and design are analyzed with special attention given to the propulsion system and its possible mission-orientated optimization. The cost effectiveness of this approach is discussed. Performance calculation outcomes are shown. Additionally, sensitivity study results for different design parameters are given. Minimum mass rocket configurations for various payload requirements are presented. The ultimate aim is to enhance low-cost experimentation maintaining high mobility of the system and simplicity of operations. An easier and more affordable access to a space-like environment can be achieved with this system, thus allowing for widespread outreach of space science and technology knowledge. This project is based on earlier experience of the authors in LEEM Association of the Technical University of Madrid and the Polish Small Sounding Rocket Program developed at the Institute of Aviation and Warsaw University of Technology in Poland.

Lightweight deployable space webs have been proposed as platforms or frames for a construction of structures in space where centrifugal forces enable deployment and stabilization. The Suaineadh project was aimed to deploy a 2×2m2 space web by centrifugal forces in milli-gravity conditions and act as a test bed for the space web technology. Data from former sounding rocket experiments, ground tests and simulations were used to design the structure, the folding pattern and control parameters. A developed control law and a reaction wheel were used to control the deployment. After ejection from the rocket, the web was deployed but entanglements occurred since the web did not start to deploy at the specified angular velocity. The deployment dynamics was reconstructed from the information recorded in inertial measurement units and cameras. The nonlinear torque of the motor used to drive the reaction wheel was calculated from the results. Simulations show that if the Suaineadh started to deploy at the specified angular velocity, the web would most likely have been deployed and stabilized in space by the motor, reaction wheel and controller used in the experiment.

Abstact This paper gives an overview of the Amelia small rocket program, developed to build low cost, reusable CanSat launchers and enable the construction of sounding rockets in Poland in the near future. The CanSat payload standard requires experiments to be containable in soda cans of 350 ml volume with a launch mass of up to 500 g. The paper covers early flown rocket designs as well as the recently tested two-stage Amelia 2 vehicle. A single stage, larger CanSat launcher is also presented. All of the vehicles are propelled by reusable composite solid rocket motors that will make it possible for small scientific experiments to be sent to altitudes of up to 10 km. One of the main goals is to develop rockets that are fully recoverable and reusable, thereby reducing operational costs. The sounding rocket that is viewed as a possible outcome of the presented research is also discussed. The work on the first rotating detonating engine flying demonstrator is also covered. This paper contains descriptions of the main subsystems of the rocket. Key technical facts and the vehicle visualizations are presented. The design methodology and calculation methods are also given. The paper contains a description of the technical equipment and background developed during the program, including propellant and motor production facilities and the launch pad. The results of the program, focused on using innovative propulsion technologies, are presented. This work is based on results of the joint project of the Space Technology Department of the Institute of Aviation and the Division of Aircraft Engines of the Institute of Heat Engineering of Warsaw University of Technology (WUT) with a key role played by members of the Students׳ Rocketry Group of the WUT Students׳ Space Association.

The suborbital flight is a kind of flight, which reaches the space and then comes back to ground without completing one orbital revolution. The atmospheric thermosphere extends from 85 km to 600 km in altitude. Therefore, the suborbital and low-thermospheric experiments to be performed at altitude below 300 km can be combined using the sounding rocket. These experiments include rocket staging, fairing separation, ultrasonic flight, reentry, aerobrake and recovery test, ultraviolet and ionization observations, ozone measurement, etc. The advent of Taiwan's sub-orbital and thermospheric experiments project can be traced back to 1997. This is the year Taiwan's National Space Organization (NSPO) was assigned to be responsible for procuring the sounding rocket for applications in science experiments and space technology research effort. From 1997 to 2010, 8 launches have been completed including one experimental hybrid rocket. All onboard instruments and sensors for sub-orbital and low-thermospheric experiments are developed and integrated by the domestic universities. More launches have been planned in the future. Opportunities for international cooperation in developing new instruments and payloads for future experiments will be possible.

This paper deals with the aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic trade-off analysis aiming to design a small hypersonic flying test bed with a relatively simple vehicle architecture. Such vehicle will have to be launched with a sounding rocket and shall re-enter the Earth atmosphere allowing to perform several experiments on critical re-entry technologies such as boundary-layer transition and shock–shock interaction phenomena. The flight shall be conducted at hypersonic Mach number, in the range 6–8 at moderate angles of attack. In the paper some design analyses are shown as, for example, the longitudinal and lateral-directional stability analysis. A preliminary optimization of the configuration has been also done to improve the aerodynamic performance and stability of the vehicle. Several design results, based both on engineering approach and computational fluid dynamics, are reported and discussed in the paper. The aerodynamic model of vehicle is also provided.

The Indian Space programme took birth on November 21, 1963, with the launch of Nike-Apache, an American sounding rocket from the shores of Thumba near Thiruvananthapuram on the west coast of India. From a family of operational sounding rockets known as the Rohini Sounding Rockets, India's launch vehicles have now grown up through SLV-3 and Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV) to the current gigantic satellite launchers, PSLV and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). Though we had failures in the initial launches of SLV-3, ASLV and PSLV, these failures gave Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) a thorough and in depth understanding of the nuances of launch vehicle technology that later led to successful missions. An entirely new dimension was added to the Indian space programme when a space capsule was recovered very precisely after it had orbited the Earth for 12 days. The future for launch vehicles in ISRO looks bright with the GSLV MKIII, which is currently under development and the pursuit of cutting edge technologies such as reusable launch vehicles and air-breathing propulsion.

This paper contemplates the efforts and developments in the field of sounding rockets carried out in Spain from the decade of the 1960s to the early 1990s when the use of such vehicles was abandoned worldwide. The initial sounding rocket planning within the National Space Research Programs around 1964 (when Spain joined ESRO) is presented. The status of the rocket technology in Spain in 1964 is analysed, reviewing the main technology gaps and the way they were filled to make the planned developments possible. Three Spanish sounding rockets are presented: the INTA-255 (150 km apogee with formative objectives, first launched in 1969), the INTA-300 (300 km apogee with high characteristics and commercial capabilities, first launched in 1974) and the INTA-100 (115 km apogee being finally a totally national product, first launched in 1980). Some guided rocket vehicle projects which were based, on some way, on the previous sounding rockets activities are also mentioned in this paper.

An overview of a sounding rocket, S-520-25th, project on space tether technology experiment is presented. The project is prepared by an international research group consisting of Japanese, European, American, and Australian researchers. The sounding rocket will be assembled by the ISAS/JAXA and will be launched in the summer of 2009. The sounding rocket mission includes two engineering experiments and two scientific experiments. These experiments consist of the deployment of bare electrodynamic tape tether in space, a quick ignition test of hollow cathode system in space, the demonstration of bare electrodynamic tether system in space, and the test of the OML (orbital-motion-limit) current collection theory.

A multitude of inter-disciplinary technologies have been mastered indigenously for realizing a series of operational space launch vehicles. The vehicles range from relatively tiny Rohini sounding rockets to gigantic satellite launchers, PSLV and GSLV. This paper gives the challenges faced, lessons learned during various development phases and the step-by-step evolution of launch vehicle technologies in India.

As a part of the Korea National Space Program, the Korean government has led the Sounding Rocket Program by Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) providing enhanced capabilities across a spectrum of earth sciences and/or astrophysics-related disciplines. In this paper, the Korean Sounding Rocket Program during 1993–2002 is introduced. This program includes Korea Sounding Rocket (KSR)-I, KSR-II, and KSR-III, and a total of five soundings were carried out. Two had flown in KSR-I series, two in KSR-II, and one in KSR-III. The main mission objective is to provide the opportunity to scientists for researching earth sciences and/or astrophysics and to improve Korean rocket development technologies including payload instruments, flight systems, ground systems, operational techniques, and interfaces between subsystems. As demand increased for launching of low-orbit earth satellites internally and externally, the Korean government was ambitiously firing the Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV) Program in 2002, based on experience throughout the Sounding Rocket Program and preparing the world market for space launch vehicles.

The locomotor activity of young Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) was studied during a Nike-Orion sounding rocket flight, which included a short-duration microgravity exposure. An infrared monitoring system was used to determine the activity level, instantaneous velocity, and continuous velocity of 240 (120 male, 120 female) fruit flies. Individual flies were placed in chambers that limit their motion to walking. Chambers were oriented both vertically and horizontally with respect to the rocket's longitudinal axis. Significant changes in Drosophila locomotion patterns were observed throughout the sounding rocket flight, including launch, microgravity exposure, payload re-entry, and after ocean impact. During the microgravity portion of the flight (3.8 min), large increases in all locomotion measurements for both sexes were observed, with some measurements doubling compared to pad (1 G) data. Initial effects of microgravity were probably delayed due to large accelerations from the payload despining immediately before entering microgravity. The results indicate that short-duration microgravity exposure has a large effect on locomotor activity for both males and females, at least for a short period of time. The locomotion increases may explain the increased male aging observed during long-duration exposure to microgravity. Studies focusing on long-duration microgravity exposure are needed to confirm these findings, and the relationship of increased aging and locomotion.

This paper presents the situation of the Spanish aeronautical industry in the early 1960s, the problems suffered during the first ESRO years, the situation in 1975 as a result of the first National Space Programme (1968–1974) and the specific developments carried out within that programme: the first Spanish satellite successfully launched in 1974 (INTASAT) and the first INTA sounding rockets launched from the own Arenosillo range. This justifies the importance of that Programme for the Spanish aeronautical industry, a programme that permitted its transition to the aerospace field. In parallel, agreements with NASA led to the installation of large space ground stations in Spain operated by INTA personnel, to support major NASA space missions, and to the operation of a very active rockets range. These actions allowed Spain to have one of the largest space sectors in Europe, in those years. This paper's purpose is to find out the main reasons behind this effort.

Sounding rocket programs for upper atmospheric research (UAR) commenced at Woomera in 1957, with the British Skylark project and the Anglo–Australian HARP rockoon program. Shortly afterwards, the Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) inaugurated its own sounding rocket program with the first successful Australian-built sounding rocket, Long Tom, developed from surplus British motors. This research would eventually lead to the development of Australia's first satellite, WRESAT, launched in 1967. Long Tom became the first more than 10 Australian designed and built sounding rockets that would be employed at Woomera until the demise of the WRE upper atmosphere program in 1976, as the Range was winding down to the cessation of the Anglo–Australian Joint Project. Like Long Tom, most of the early Australian sounding rockets were constructed by the WRE from surplus British motors, but after 1967 the later vehicles had a much higher local content, based on combinations of British motors and/or rocket motors developed in Australia. These new motors were named after constellations of the southern sky, while the rockets themselves bore the names of Australian native birds. This paper will outline the technical and scientific history of the Australian sounding rocket program, examining its origins and the reasons for its demise. It will look at the sequential development of the various Australian rockets and consider the particular research projects with which they were associated, the relationship with the WRESAT project and the move to Australian production after 1967.

University of Tokyo and Kobe University are planning a sounding rocket experiment of large membrane “Furoshiki Satellite” extension and large phased array RF transmission. The paper will describe the concept of “Furoshiki Satellite,” its application to phased array antenna, and the scenario of micro gravity experiment using a small sounding rocket. University of Tokyo has been proposing the idea of “Furoshiki Satellite,” a large membrane or a net structure, say 1 km × 1 km in size, extended by satellites which hold its corners. The attitude and the shape of the membrane or net structure is controlled by these corner satellites. As one application of Furoshiki Satellite, a large phased array antenna can be configured by several RF transmitters placed on several parts of the large net structure. It is difficult to control the position and attitude of the RF transmitters precisely, but using the “retro-directive” method, the tolerance of such position and attitude disturbance will be relaxed by large. This is one of promising systems’ concept of the future large solar power satellite or large antenna, because quite a large area can be obtained without any hard structure, and the weight will not depend very much on the size [S. Motohashi, T. Nagamura, Large scaled membrane structure Furoshiki Satellite—its concept and orbital/attitude dynamics, in: Proceedings of 20th International Symposium on Space Technology and Science (ISTS), 1996, p. 96-n-14]. To demonstrate the feasibility of the extension of large net structure and phased array performance, micro-gravity experiment is planned using a sounding rocket of ISAS/JAXA, Japan.

Astronautic and Rocket Society Celje (ARSC) formed a special working team for research and development of a small meteorological hail suppression rocket in the 70th. The hail suppression system was established in former Yugoslavia in the late 60th as an attempt to protect important agricultural regions from one of the summer's most vicious storm. In this time Slovenia was a part of Yugoslavia as one of the federal republic with relative high developed agricultural region production. The Rocket program ‘RCHX-STORM’ was a second attempt, for Slovenia indigenously developed in the production of meteorological hail suppression rocket. ARSC has designed a family of small sounding rocket that were based on highly promising hybrid propellant propulsion. Hybrid propulsion was selected for this family because it was offering low cost, save production and operation and simple logistics. Conventional sounding rockets use solid propellant motor for their propulsion. The introduction of hybrid motors has enabled a considerable decrease in overall cost. The transportation handling and storage procedures were greatly simplified due to the fact that a hybrid motor was not considered as explosive matter. A hybrid motor may also be designed to stand a severe environment without resorting to conditioning arrangements. The program started in the late 70th when the team ARSC was integrated in the Research and Development Institute in Celje (RDIC). The development program aimed to produce three types of meteorological rockets with diameters 76, 120 and 160 mm . Development of the RCHX-76 engine and rocket vehicle including flight certification has been undertaken by a joint team comprising of the ARCS, RDIC and the company Cestno podjetje Celje (CPC), Road building company Celje. Many new techniques and methods were used in this program such as computer simulation of external and internal ballistics, composite materials for rocket construction, intensive static testing of models and flight configuration with long flight-testing program. The main features of this project were discussed in this paper, summarizing the history of the development of the RCHX-STORM rockets family.

The present paper reports on the research activities in both experimental and numerical field carried out at MARS center for the realization of an experiment on the thermo-solutal-capillary migration of a dissolving drop, composed by a liquid binary mixture having a miscibility gap. The experiment will be carried out onboard of the sounding rocket MAXUS 5, by using the INEXMAM facility. The main goals of the analysis are ensuring that the diagnostic equipment performances cope with the stringent resolution requirements dictated by the physics and assessing of the experiment time profile.

The electrostatic levitation furnace (ELF) is one of the experimental facilities for materials science research planned to be embarked on the International Space Station. The most significant feature of the ELF is that it creates a free-drifting space inside the furnace chamber by controlling the experimental materials not to collide against the chamber wall. The purposes of this paper are to introduce the control system of the ELF and to show the results of a flight test on a small sounding rocket, called TR-IA. By adopting high-speed position detectors and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) technique, rapid calculation of material's position up to 1000 Hz realized. The maximum control input (voltage) and the control cycle were chosen as 3 kV and 100 Hz , respectively. The flight data show that complete melting/solidification of the material ( 0.5 g BiFeO 3 ) was accomplished. Though the material's motion was fully controlled during the experiment, unexpected shaking occurred at high temperature due to a sudden drop of electrostatic charge. This phenomenon is understood as the most important issue to be solved.

Argentina in the sixties and seventies, had experience for developing and for using sounding rockets and payloads to perform scientific space experiments. Besides they have several bases in Antarctica with adequate premises and installations, also duly equipped aircrafts and trained crews to flight to the white continent. In February 1965, scientists and technical people from the “Instituto de Investigacion Aeronautica y Espacial” (I.I.A.E.) with the cooperation of the Air Force and the Tucuman University, conducted the “Matienzo Operation” to measure X radiation and temperature in the upper atmosphere, using the Gamma Centauro rocket and also using big balloons. The people involved in the experience, the launcher, other material and equipment flew from the south tip of Argentina to the Matienzo base in Antarctica, in a C-47 aircraft equipped with skies an additional jet engine Marbore 2-C. Other experience was performed in 1975 in the “Marambio” Antartic Base, using the two stages solid propellent sounding rocket Castor, developed in Argentina. The payload was developed in cooperation with the Max Planck Institute of Germany. It consist of a special mixture including a shape charge to form a ionized cloud producing a jet of electrons travelling from Marambio base to the conjugate point in the Northern hemisphere. The cloud was observed by several ground stations in Argentina and also by a NASA aircraft with TV cameras, flying at East of New York. The objective of this experience was to study the electric and magnetic fields in altitude, the neutral points, the temperature and electrons profile. The objectives of both experiments were accomplished satisfactorily.

This paper reports on the results of the experiment PULSAR (Pulsating and Rotating Instabilities in Oscillatory Marangoni Flows), performed on the MAXUS 3 Sounding Rocket launched last November from the Swedish base in Kiruna. Aim of the experiment was the study of the oscillatory Marangoni convection in a cylindrical liquid bridge of silicone oil with kinematic viscosity of 5cSt. The experiment was motivated by preliminary on-ground numerical simulations and microscale experimental studies, that have pointed out that the oscillatory Marangoni instability appears at the beginning in the form of a pulsating regime, caused by a hydro-thermal standing wave, and then it turns to a rotating regime, caused by a traveling wave. The height of the bridge was equal to the disk diameter (20mm), and the imposed temperature difference was 15K during the first 460 s and 20K in the second part of the experiment, until the end of the microgravity period. The analysis of the temperature profiles, measured by thermocouples located near the disks at the same radial and axial coordinate but at different azimuthal coordinates (shifted at 90°), and the surface temperature distribution, measured by an infrared thermocamera, show that a pulsating and a mixed pulsating-rotating regimes have been established during the experiment. Unfortunately during the flight the accelerations level caused by two centrifuges with some biological samples in an adjacent module were above the expected values, so that disturbing g-jitter were encountered at different times during the microgravity mission. The effects are clearly visible and the numerical simulations had to make different assumptions to correlate the experimental results

Ground based experiments are conducted as a part of the OEDIPUS-C sounding rocket mission, scheduled for launch in the winter of 1995. Here OEDIPUS stands for Observation of Electrified Distribution in Ionospheric Plasma—a Unique Strategy. The OEDIPUS-C configuration consists of two spinning bodies connected by a 1 km long tether (the spin axis is nominally along the tether line). The objective is to assess dynamic behaviour of the tether and the payload. The test configuration consists of an end-body supported by a tether. The test procedure involves slow spin-up of the system and identifying the speeds corresponding to onset of the tether modes or the large amplitude end-body coning. This is referred to as the critical speed and corresponds to the stability boundary of the system. Experimental results are obtained for four different bodies to study the system stability over a wide range of mass and geometric parameters. Effect of offset of the tether attachment from the end-body centre of mass is also investigated. The observed critical speeds are compared with those given by the linear theory. The test results are generally in very good agreement with the theory, however several transient phenomena observed during the test suggest that system nonlinearities cannot be ignored when modelling such a complex system.

The “pre-history” of Aerojet is recalled, followed by a survey of Aerojet's solid-fuel and liquid-fuel JATOs (Jet-Assisted Take-Off) to aircraft prime powerplants, missile sustainer motors, boosters, sounding rocket engines and, finally, nuclear powered rocket engines (NERVA).

Following the success of the Texus 23 Campaign (November 1989), during which the Teletexus experiment was conducted a more ambitious Telescience experiment was accomodated on the 1991 MAXUS 1 Payload. The fluidynamic experiment on the oscillatory Marangoni flow was performed on board the rocket (launched at Kiruna, Sweden) using a modified TEM-06/4 module. The experiment was fully controlled by the PI (Professor Monti) directly from the Telescience Control Room located at MARS Center (Naples, Italy). The experiment was also aimed to demonstrate the capabilities of Telescience Service that ESA offers to the European Microgravity User Community. Respect to other experiments already tested and assessed during previous Texus missions (14b, 23), the Telescience operation mode included new state-of-art technologies and subsystems to demonstrate capabilities, flexibility and usefulness of this operation concept mainly in the perspective of Columbus utilization. Unfortunately due to a failure of the rocket system, the microgravity condition was not reached during the flight and the fluidynamic results were missed. However, in spite of the tumbling attitude of the rocket, the telescience link was successfully tested and the video/data/audio communication was correctly established between MARS and Esrange. This paper illustrates the technological aspects and gives an overview of the systems/equipments integrated and realized for the experiment control. In the first part the H/W configurations for the experiment monitoring and control, identified by the research team are illustrated. The relevant items of the H/W configuration include: the Telescience Work Stations architecture, the link channels used for the selection, transmission and reception of video/data/commands and the subsystems manufactured to improve the system versatility. The second part deals with the communication link used for transmission between Sweden and Italy of experimental data, facility status, voice, compressed video images, and commands, The role played by the S/W for a complete, comprehensible presentation of the many parameters relevant for the experiment control is discussed in the third part. The S/W, developed by the team, carried out different functions, as data selection and acquisition, graphic visualization, management of data/commands communication, data elaboration, facility/links monitoring, and decision support to PI. In particular the experience acquired during this experiment has demonstrated the importance and usefulness of the decision support, conceived to help the PI at the branch points. Finally the paper summarizes the experiment procedure, the behaviour of the different subsystems and the improvements obtained with respect to previous Texus experiences. The activities were carried out under ESA Contract 9392/91/NL/SF(SC).

The results of two Fluid Physics experiments on thermocapillary droplet motion under reduced gravity and of Earth-bound experiments using simulation liquids are presented and the experimental set-up and conditions are described in some detail. The microgravity experiments have been carried out in a sounding rocket, providing approx. 7 min of reduced gravity per launch. The experiments distinctly demonstrate thermocapillary droplet motion in microgravity. Experimental data are discussed and compared with theoretical predictions.

The requirement for a sounding rocket capable of carrying large and heavy payloads to high altitude has led to the development of the 0.52-m dia. single stage S-520 rocket. An automated approach was introduced in the grain design to achieve the optimal dual thrust time history. The S-520 carries 210 kg gross payload to 300 km altitude at 78° launch elevation angle.

An advanced mission to this unique satellite of Saturn appropriate to the turn-of-the-century time period is described. The mission concept evolves about one or more buoyant stations (balloons and/or airship) operating at varying altitudes in Titan's atmosphere. An orbiter of Titan provides communications link support and accomplishes remote sensing science objectives. Use of buoyant stations are favored over a fixed site lander for two reasons: (1) adaptable to several possible surface physical states and topographies; and (2) capable of exploring both the atmosphere and surface with regional and possibly global mobility. Auxiliary payload concepts investigated include tethered packages and sounding rockets deployed from the buoyant station, and haze probes and surface penetrators deployed from the orbiter. The paper describes science objectives and payloads, propulsion system/mass delivery trades, balloon design requirements and deployment/motion characteristics, and communications link geometry and data characteristics.

A floating zone experiment with a coated surface was performed in a sounding rocket. Analysis of the segregation showed that elimination of free surfaces decreased the convection in the liquid zone. Analysis of radial segregation during floating zone crystal growth under different experimental conditions demonstrated high sensitivity to interface shape and to convection. Under conditions of very weak convection, microgravity and coated surfaces, dopant concentration fields giving severe radial segregation were built up.

Missions in space within the next two decades will be of longer duration than those carried out up to the present time, and the effects of such long-term flights on biological organisms are unknown. Results of biological experiments that have been performed to date cannot be extrapolated to results in future flights because of the unknown influence of adaptation over a long period of time. Prior experiments with Axolotl, fishes, and vertebrates by our research team (in part with sounding rockets) showed that these specimens did not appear to be suitable for long-term missions on which minimization of expense, technique, and energy is required. Subsequent investigations have shown the suitability of the leech (Hirudo medicinalis), which consumes blood of mammals up to ten times its own weight (1 g) and can live more than 2 years without further food supply. Emphasis in the experiments with Hirudo medicinalis is placed on metabolic rhythm and motility. Resorption and diffusion in tissue, development, and growth under long-term effects of cosmic proton radiation and zero-gravity are other focal points. The constancy of cellular life in the mature animals is a point in favor of these specimens. We have also taken into account the synergistic effects of the space environment on the problems just mentioned. The life-support system constructed for the leech has been tested successfully in four sounding rocket flights and, on that basis, has been prepared for a long-term mission. Long-term investigations out of the terrestrial biosphere will provide us with information concerning the degree of adaptation of certain physiological and biochemical functions and as to what extent biological readjustment or repair processes can occur under the specific stress conditions of space flight.

The wetting kinetics of model tubes of different geometries has been studied experimentally under microgravity conditions by means of sounding rocket experiments. The experimental arrangement is discussed in some detail. Meniscus configurations in tubes of different shape and the liquid rise are determined from photographic pictures. Together with observed flow patterns valuable information concerning the hydrodynamic deformation of phase interfaces is obtained.

Experimental research under microgravity conditions was initiated in Germany in 1976 with the TEXUS sounding rocket programme (Technologische Experimente unter Schwerelosigkeit). Skylark 7 rockets with a Goldfinch Ilc first stage and a Raven XI second stage are used, providing free fall conditions with g-levels −4 g for approx. 360 s with payloads of ca 350 kg. Seven payloads have been launched in the meantime. With one exception all flights were nominal and more than 90% of the experiment hardware performed as programmed. The total number of experiments conducted amounts to 70, approx. 110 samples have been processed and 20 motion pictures of process were taken during flight. The focus of interest has been in the following areas: metals and composites, fluid mechanics, capillarity, electrolysis, diffusion and technology developments. An overview of the experiments performed is presented and some of the relevant results are presented.

The wetting kinetics of model tubes of different geometries has been investigated experimentally and theoretically under conditions of simulated zero-gravity and microgravity. Numerical calculations of meniscus configurations and the rise of the menisci in tubes of different shape are compared with photographic pictures obtained from sounding rocket experiments (TEXUS-Programme). It is demonstrated that menisci under microgravity conditions are essentially different from those of simulated zero-g-experiments. These results, together with observed streamline patterns, yield valuable information with respect to the hydrodynamic deformation of phase interfaces and dynamic contact angles.