Applied aspects of fundamental space research

V.A.Davydov, Yu.N.Makarov

Federal Space Agency

Space activities in Russia are aimed at meeting the requirements of government authorities, as well as the population needs in space systems and services. At present time no large-scale socio-economic, scientific and defense programs can be implemented without use of space technology, providing a single information space in the country, exploring and exploitingљ natural resources, monitoring environment and emergency situations.

Fundamental space exploration (FSE) provides the necessary basic data for understanding the processes taking place in the universe and for assessing their impact on Earth. In recent years the national program of fundamental space research has changed for the better side thus enabling to accelerate work on the practical implementation of major national projects on solar and solar-terrestrial links, astrophysics, planetary and small solar system bodies studies.

Perception of the Universe is done through space exploration by means of automatic and piloted spacecrafts in order to study the origin and evolution of the Universe, the beginnings of life on the Earth and the possibility of life existence in the galaxy, which require integrated exploration programs, enabling to understand and expand our knowledge about the galaxy and place of humanity in it.

Until 2015 the main content of FSE is closely related to the implementation of the Russian Federal Space Program tasks for 2006-2015 (FSP-2015). Although national exploration programs, for objective reasons, are behind the U.S. and European projects, scientific schools are saved and an instrumental basis for further deep research is laid down.

At present time 33 proposals covering all aspects of the FSE have been received for inclusion in the Russian Federal Space Program until 2025. We will consider the most promising ones, particularly in the field of solar physics.

It is known that the subject of research on solar physics and solar-terrestrial links is a variety of objects scalable by time and dimensions: the Sun, solar wind, plasma blanket of the Earth. All these objects are logically connected by the hierarchy of physical processes that describe kinetic and electromagnetic energy transfer from the Sun to the Earth.

Summing up the experience, including foreign projects, we can identify the following issues in the Sun and solar-terrestrial links studies.

1. Follow-on of research requires multipoint (multisatellite) simultaneous measurements in the Sun observations, in Earth magnetosphere and beyond. Within the framework of the STEREO project the Sun observations are carried out by 2 identical straddling spacecrafts (SC). THEMIS is studying the Earth magnetosphere using five microsatellites. TWINS explores 3-dimensional image of the Earth magnetosphere using two spacecrafts. MMS is a promising project on the Earth magnetosphere study, using four spacecrafts. Cross-Scale is a promising project of the European Space Agency on the near-Earth plasma study using twelve spacecrafts.

2. For monitoring technologies development and space weather forecasting the advance time of warnings should be substantially increased by shifting the observation point closer to the Sun. Solar Orbiter is aimed at the Sun study at distancesљ about 48Rs; Solar Probe Plus at distances about 9.5 Rs (Rs - average Sun radius).

3. Taking into account the requirements for a stable background environment and stable orbits, it is necessary to develop launch vehicles capable of placing spacecrafts to the Lagrange point L2, L4, L5 of the Sun-Earth system.

4. Promising approach to studying the processes in space plasma is performing active or controllable experiments when artificially created disturbances are introduced and their dynamics is analyzed. In active experiments injection of charged particles and plasma from spacecrafts into the plasma is supposed, as well as waves injection from satellites or from ground-based transmitters.

5. Observations from shadowless areas of the Moon surface are promising for carrying out continuous helioseismological observations of the Sun.

In the field of astrophysics FSE long-term goals are as follows:

-        verification of the Universe structure theories, principles of formation and evolution of stars, galaxies, meta-galaxies and other astro-physical objects;

-        identification of substance transformation patterns in the Universe, determination of various astrophysical objects interaction nature, obtainment of the fields and different substance types transformation features;

-        exploration of mechanisms for radiation levels in space;

-        exploration of gravitational interaction nature and patterns.

In the field of space astronomy FSE long-term goals are as follows:

-        stellar and galaxies exploration and cataloging, characterization of their proper motions and parallaxes for different applications;

-        planet search and exploration around nearby stars;

-        detailed study of objects motion dynamics in the solar system, including the Kuiper Belt objects;

-        patrol observations of celestial objects in circumsolar space to provide asteroidal and cometary defense of the Earth.

A natural step would be placing astronomical instruments on the Moon. Practical issues associated with implementation of this idea are at the stage of initial discussion.

Preference of the Moon in terms of astronomical observations are as follows:

-       lack of atmosphere makes it possible to obtain a stable image quality determined by the telescope parameters;

-       low night temperatures enable observations in the infrared range;

-       low gravity facilitates great tools construction;

-       the Moon is close enough to the Earth to ensure effective data exchange.

In the field of planetary science perspective goals are determined by the increasing interest to the problems of exploration and use of extraterrestrial resources, mechanisms of the Earth climate evolution, as well as search and study of extraterrestrial life forms. These goals can be formulated as follows:

-       detailed study of the Moon and Mars structure, the mineralogical content of their mantle, the circumplanetary space parameters, Mars atmosphere;

-       studying physical characteristics of planets and solar system bodies, specifyingљ their orbits and trajectories parameters, cataloging celestial bodies in the solar system;

-       search for life forms or its traces on Mars, Europe, Ganymede;

-       studying the meteoric matter distribution around the planets to create SC meteor protection tools.

Space tools for fundamental long term space research in the field of astrophysics and heliophysics will include multipurpose space platforms - observatories with optical infrared and ultraviolet telescopes with adaptive optics, scalable space radio telescopes, small space obser-vatories, X-ray and gamma-range interplanetary solar stereoscopic observatories, space gravita-tional laboratories and probes. Relative weight of scientific equipment will be 30-40%, data transmission speed - 15-20Mbaud, spatial resolution - 10^-2 arc.sec., available power - 5-10 kW; range measuring accuracy will be 10^-4 -10^-5 m, speed measuring accuracy- 10^-3 m/s, temperature measuring accuracy - 10^-3 K.

Planetary exploration with the use of planetary robotic rovers and other instruments will require development of robotics based on sixth generation computer with artificial intelligence, regeneration and self-study capabilities along with technology and planetological complexes development. Subsequently with the enhancement of the planetary exploration programs for meeting the increased requirements of human civilization arises a need of extraterrestrial resources (minerals, energy, etc.) use.

Piloted spaceflights to the planets, especially to Mars, will require the solution of important scientific, technical and technological problems of the crew's biosafety, prevention of exobiological forms entry to the Earth with the returning spacecrafts, as well as the entry of terrestrial life forms into the explored planets. Instrument for possible biological activity detection and monitoring, which will include an automated electron microscope with biological forms monitoring laboratory and dataware tools, should be developed.

Space studies prospects for the benefit of astrophysics, astronomy, heliophysics are closely related to the space objects and fields observation instruments development. In the first place, it concerns the development of advanced telescopes in different electromagnetic spectra, spectrometers for radiation spectrum and cosmic-ray particles energy recording, instruments for various fields parameters recording, etc. Additionally it is essential to solve the technological problems of improving spacecrafts technical characteristics for carrying out fundamental research, delivering spacecrafts into the operational orbit, providing informational support.