Acta Astronautica最新文献

Characteristics of Flow and Heat Transfer Dominated by Combustion Mode Transition in a Cavity-Based Scramjet 燃烧模式转换主导的腔型超燃冲压发动机流动与传热特性

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-11-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.11.006

Qi Chen, Yongchao Sun, Dapeng Xiong, Yiwen Xiao, Zibo Zhou, Suodangran Li, Mingbo Sun, Chenglong Wang, Hao Wang

{"title":"Characteristics of Flow and Heat Transfer Dominated by Combustion Mode Transition in a Cavity-Based Scramjet","authors":"Qi Chen, Yongchao Sun, Dapeng Xiong, Yiwen Xiao, Zibo Zhou, Suodangran Li, Mingbo Sun, Chenglong Wang, Hao Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.11.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.11.006","url":null,"abstract":"Combustion-mode changes alter the flow structure and wall loading of scramjet combustors, with implications for thermal-protection design. This study examines the associated pressure and heat-flux responses in an ethylene-fueled combustor with a rear-wall-expansion cavity. Steady three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations were performed for 72 conditions spanning equivalence ratio, injection location, fuel-injection total temperature, and isothermal wall temperature. Flow-field diagnostics and cross-condition comparisons were used to relate combustion and flameholding modes to mean lower-wall pressure and heat flux. The combustion-mode groups exhibit distinct load distributions, with higher mean pressure and heat flux in ram mode than in scram mode. However, pressure and thermal loading do not respond identically to changes in operating conditions. Increasing wall temperature raises the overall mean pressure, whereas the overall mean heat flux decreases over the sampled 300–900 K levels and recovers at 1200 K. This non-monotonic response reflects competition between the gas–wall temperature difference and changes in combustion organization. The maximum-pressure and maximum-heat-flux conditions occur at different wall temperatures, highlighting the need to assess mechanical and thermal loads separately. The results link combustion organization to wall loading and provide a basis for configuration-specific thermal-protection assessment.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149358810","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

From Sputnik I to SpaceX: How the Governance of Space Activities is Evolving From a State-Centred Legal Order to Actor-Centred Norms of Behaviour 从斯普特尼克1号到太空探索技术公司：太空活动的治理如何从以国家为中心的法律秩序演变为以行为主体为中心的行为规范

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-11-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.050

Hallam Burnapp

引用次数: 0

Effects of jet-jet interaction on crater formation and particle ejection during plume-surface interaction at Martian pressure 火星压力下喷流-喷流相互作用对陨坑形成和粒子喷射的影响

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-11-04 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.056

Takahiro Ukai, Ping Han Chung, Yuki Takarada, Bradley Craig, Konstantinos Kontis, Shinkyu Jeong, Kitae Park, Kangkuk You

{"title":"Effects of jet-jet interaction on crater formation and particle ejection during plume-surface interaction at Martian pressure","authors":"Takahiro Ukai, Ping Han Chung, Yuki Takarada, Bradley Craig, Konstantinos Kontis, Shinkyu Jeong, Kitae Park, Kangkuk You","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.056","url":null,"abstract":"Regolith erosion and scattering caused by the impingement of a descent thruster plume pose a significant challenge during powered-descent soft landings in planetary exploration missions. This plume-surface interaction (PSI) can damage landers and surrounding equipment, thereby threatening mission success. A jet-jet interaction technique, in which lateral fluid injection interacts with a plume, has been proposed as a flow-control strategy to reduce these risks by controlling the plume structure. In this study, we investigate the influence of this technique on crater formation and particle scattering at a Martian surface pressure of 600 Pa using a supersonic jet impinging on a glass granular bed in a large vacuum chamber. The experimental results show that interaction between a Mach 4.0 main jet and four Mach 2.5 injectors enhances radial particle scattering, resulting in the formation of a wider crater with gentler side slopes. This jet-jet interaction may improve landing stability by altering crater shape, but it also increases the amount of ejecta.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"6 1","pages":"966-975"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149358814","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Sustained Agglomerate Flow and Low-Gravity Prediction of Chang’e-6 Lunar Regolith 嫦娥六号月球风化层持续凝聚流及低重力预测

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-11-03 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.071

Bao Charun, Wang Qinyu, Zhang Daobo, Cui Yifei, Wang Guodong, Feng Peng

{"title":"Sustained Agglomerate Flow and Low-Gravity Prediction of Chang’e-6 Lunar Regolith","authors":"Bao Charun, Wang Qinyu, Zhang Daobo, Cui Yifei, Wang Guodong, Feng Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.071","url":null,"abstract":"Lunar regolith is expected to serve as a primary in situ resource for processing and construction. However, its cohesion-dominated flow behavior remains difficult to predict, posing risks of clogging, unstable discharge, and inefficient material handling within in situ resource utilization (ISRU) systems. This study investigates the dynamic angle of repose (DAoR) of authentic Chang’e-6 lunar farside regolith using rotating-drum measurements and a wedge-based force-balance model. The CE-6 sample exhibits sustained agglomerate flow in the slumping regime, with periodic avalanches and persistent cohesive clusters rather than continuous rolling flow. Across the tested Froude number, Fr, which represents the ratio of rotational inertial to gravitational effects, DAoR decreases from 50.4° ± 3.1° at <ce:italic>Fr</ce:italic> = 3.3×10<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−4</ce:sup> to 41.1° ± 1.8° at <ce:italic>Fr</ce:italic> = 3.3×10<ce:sup loc=\"post\">−3</ce:sup>, indicating that increased inertia disrupts particle agglomerates and reduces effective cohesion during flow. A force-balance framework incorporating gravity, inertia, and cohesion is developed, with particle-scale van der Waals and electrostatic forces upscaled using Rumpf’s formulation. Given an independently measured static repose angle and the required material parameters, the model reproduces the measured <ce:italic>Fr</ce:italic>-dependent trend without fitting to the CE-6 DAoR values and provides conditional particle-size and gravity-level extrapolations. These findings reveal the cohesion-dominated nature of lunar regolith flow and provide a quantitative basis for designing reliable drilling/mining, transportation/mobility, and material processing systems for future space-mining and ISRU operations.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149358812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Feasibility of force-controlled contact capacitor-discharge stud welding in vacuum for local interface creation on spacecraft-relevant aluminium surfaces 力控接触电容-放电螺柱真空焊接在航天器相关铝表面形成局部界面的可行性

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-11-02 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.066

Marek Gebura, Lukáš Karaffa, Tomáš Dvorák, Naďa Beronská, Erika Hodúlová, Daniel Dřímal, Miroslav Čavojský, Selim Burak Cantürk, Rastislav Sekerka, Jaroslav Bruncko, Miroslav Michalka

引用次数: 0

Comparative study on the impact energy absorption of contact and spaced aluminum honeycomb structures 接触与间隔铝蜂窝结构冲击吸能比较研究

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-10-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.063

Zhaojun Pang, Dejin Wang, Wei Zhao, Lijun Mao

{"title":"Comparative study on the impact energy absorption of contact and spaced aluminum honeycomb structures","authors":"Zhaojun Pang, Dejin Wang, Wei Zhao, Lijun Mao","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.063","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.063","url":null,"abstract":"This study experimentally and numerically investigates the dynamic response and energy absorption characteristics of aluminum honeycomb core/Al2024 aluminum alloy composite target plates subjected to high-velocity harpoon penetration. Particular attention is given to the influence of structural configuration by comparing contact and spaced target plates. The experimental results show that, despite having identical material compositions and geometric dimensions, the contact target plate exhibits a ballistic limit velocity approximately 0.59% higher than that of the spaced target plate, indicating superior penetration resistance. This improvement is attributed to more efficient load transfer and energy dissipation within the contact configuration. Finite element models were established in ABAQUS/Explicit and validated against the experimental results. Good agreement was achieved in terms of penetration behavior, damage morphology, and ballistic performance, demonstrating the reliability of the numerical model. Localized circular perforations were observed on the impact surface, while significant tearing deformation and crack propagation occurred on the rear surface. Energy absorption analysis indicates that the contact target plate absorbs more impact energy than the spaced target plate. The Al2024 aluminum alloy plate accounts for more than 68% of the total absorbed energy, whereas the contribution of the aluminum honeycomb core is relatively limited. Although the total absorbed energy varies with impact velocity, the energy absorption proportion of each structural component remains nearly unchanged. The findings provide useful guidance for the design and optimization of lightweight protective structures against harpoon penetration.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149358816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Numerical Modeling of Hypervelocity Damage to Protected Spacecraft Ammonia Fluid Lines using Physics-Informed Machine Learning 基于物理信息的机器学习的航天器氨流体管道超高速损伤数值模拟

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-10-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.069

A.E. Kraus, A.E. Buzyurkin, I.I. Shabalin, E.I. Kraus

{"title":"Numerical Modeling of Hypervelocity Damage to Protected Spacecraft Ammonia Fluid Lines using Physics-Informed Machine Learning","authors":"A.E. Kraus, A.E. Buzyurkin, I.I. Shabalin, E.I. Kraus","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.069","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents a numerical investigation of the dynamic deformation and failure of spacecraft thermal-control-system components under hypervelocity impact by anthropogenic space-debris particles. A three-dimensional numerical model of the interaction of spherical Al2017-T4 particles with a protected 316L stainless-steel ammonia fluid line was developed using NASA experimental data. Tubes with diameters of 12.7 and 25.4 mm, filled with liquid ammonia and protected by multilayer insulation (MLI) with an outer Beta cloth layer, were considered. After comparison with the experimental data, the model was used for a parametric study of impacts by 0.1–1.5 mm particles at velocities of 3–12 km/s. The simulations were performed with the Reactor3D software package using a hybrid mesh–meshfree method. The damage criterion was loss of pressure integrity due to the formation of a through-hole in the tube wall. A physics-informed binary classification model distinguishing retained and lost pressure integrity was constructed from 63 three-dimensional simulations. Logistic regression yielded ROC-AUC = 0.9667. Using physically motivated dimensionless parameters, an analytical ballistic-limit relation was obtained that defines the boundary between pressure-integrity retention and depressurization of the fluid line.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"220 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149358815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Multi-Agent Cooperative Exploration Scheme Construction and Cluster Intelligent Path Planning for Asteroid Surface Roving 小行星表面漫游多智能体协同探索方案构建与集群智能路径规划

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-10-31 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.059

Boyang Sun, Hongda Ge, Yiyang Qin, Yonglong Zhang, Junfeng Li

{"title":"Multi-Agent Cooperative Exploration Scheme Construction and Cluster Intelligent Path Planning for Asteroid Surface Roving","authors":"Boyang Sun, Hongda Ge, Yiyang Qin, Yonglong Zhang, Junfeng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.059","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.059","url":null,"abstract":"Asteroid surface exploration requires specific and reasonable path planning grounded in physical mechanisms under the condition of irregular microgravity and complex terrain. This study proposes a heterogeneous Multi-Agent cluster architecture with hybrid centralized and distributed mission scheme, comprising a Mothership, Sub-Satellites, Sub-Probe Leaders and Sub-Probe Members. For the hopping Sub-Probe Leader, a standardized interpretable multi-objective function system are constructed based on its dynamics characteristics on the asteroid surface, which consists of fundamental environmental terms and composite objectives for timeliness, energy consumption and safety. Sub-Probe Members follow their Leader through an innovatively designed distributed intelligent self-organizing algorithm relying on local interactions. A sensitivity analysis experiment is conducted, and among seven paths with different objectives on Gaspra each achieves the lowest value in its designated metric, verifying the effectiveness of the multi-objective system. Besides, two typical asteroid surface exploration mission scenarios are simulated with 99.42% coverage across the entire surface, which validate the engineering feasibility of the proposed cluster scheme. The planned paths demonstrate generalizability across different types of asteroids through further simulations and the distributed intelligent algorithm for Sub-Probe Members maintains autonomous leader following and adaptive obstacle avoidance.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"64 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149358817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Thermal Property Engineering of Lunar Regolith via Spark Plasma Sintering 基于火花等离子烧结的月球风化层热性能工程

IF 3.7 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-10-15 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.033

J.A. Foster, K.L. Yung

{"title":"Thermal Property Engineering of Lunar Regolith via Spark Plasma Sintering","authors":"J.A. Foster, K.L. Yung","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.033","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.033","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The extreme logistical challenges of Lunar exploration and habitation encourage in situ resource utilisation. Spark Plasma Sintering is a technique capable of rapidly consolidating Lunar regolith without additives, leveraging the vacuum conditions of the Lunar surface. The manufactured components could be used for thermal energy storage, construction, or precision engineering, applications that are sensitive to how the thermal properties vary across the Lunar temperature range of -120°C to 120°C. Understanding how the sintering process influences the thermal properties is essential for optimal design and performance. This study investigates the effects of SPS process parameters on the coefficient of thermal expansion, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity of sintered regolith simulants. Both a mare and a highland simulant were sintered to expand the current body of knowledge with this data and with evaluation of the implications for in situ utilisation. The findings show that sintering temperature is the most influential factor affecting all three thermal parameters. Variations in thermal conductivity and heat capacity with density suggest that engineering trade-offs are necessary to optimise the thermal performance of thermal storage systems, structural materials, and precision components.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"251 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149201317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Multidimensional Spaceflight Stressors Disrupt Blood-Brain Barrier: A Comprehensive Review of Molecular Mechanisms 多维空间飞行压力源破坏血脑屏障：分子机制的综合综述

IF 3.5 2区物理与天体物理

Acta Astronautica Pub Date : 2026-10-14 DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.020

Yitong Guo, Rong Liang, Jiajia Yang, Dong Ming

{"title":"Multidimensional Spaceflight Stressors Disrupt Blood-Brain Barrier: A Comprehensive Review of Molecular Mechanisms","authors":"Yitong Guo, Rong Liang, Jiajia Yang, Dong Ming","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.10.020","url":null,"abstract":"Spaceflight exposes astronauts to multiple stressors—microgravity, cosmic radiation, elevated CO<ce:inf loc=\"post\">2</ce:inf>, and social isolation—that can disrupt blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity. This review examines the molecular mechanisms by which each stressor targets the neurovascular unit. Microgravity destabilizes endothelial tight junctions via Rac1/Wave2/Arp3 suppression; radiation triggers oxidative DNA damage and PI3K/Akt-driven inflammation; hypercapnia downregulates tight-junction proteins and disrupts aquaporin-4 polarity; and social isolation compromises claudin-5 while inducing astrocytic remodeling. These pathways converge on shared nodes—oxidative stress, MMP-9 activation, and cytoskeletal disruption—that may amplify barrier dysfunction. We evaluate potential countermeasures, including Rac1 agonists, PI3K/Akt inhibitors, antioxidants, organ-on-chip platforms, and fluid biomarkers (GFAP, S100β), and propose that integrating standardized organ-chip systems with real-time in-flight biomarker monitoring could accelerate countermeasure development and help preserve CNS health on long-duration missions.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149221735","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0