Acta Astronautica最新文献

{"title":"Climate-adaptive Morphological Multi-Objective Optimization for Hemispherical Habitats at the Lunar South Pole","authors":"Jingjing Shao, Hongyuan Mei, Qianqian Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.09.036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.09.036","url":null,"abstract":"Climate-adaptive architectural design for extreme climates is a core issue in global sustainable development. Studying extraterrestrial extreme climates offers a novel perspective for climate-adaptive design under terrestrial extreme conditions. Establishing a sustainable habitat at the lunar south pole is a critical challenge for long-term lunar habitation, with the core task being the creation of a high-performance architectural system adapted to extreme low-angle solar conditions. This study considers the ≤3° low-angle solar exposure at the lunar south pole—an extraterrestrial extreme climate—as a constraint and establishes a multi-scale climate-adaptive design framework spanning material, form, and spatial dimensions. A performance-driven design method integrating solar radiation simulation, structural mechanics analysis, and multi-objective genetic algorithms is proposed to optimize the geometry of hemispherical habitats. Using solar energy capture as the primary objective, the study simultaneously evaluates structural stress distribution and internal spatial efficiency, generating and optimizing 900 design variants across three fixed-surface-area groups (200 m<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup>, 340 m<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup>, 480 m<ce:sup loc=\"post\">2</ce:sup>). Results show that a flattened hemispherical form with a radius-to-height ratio of 0.3–0.4 achieves the best balance across multiple performance criteria, improving solar radiation capture by up to 87% compared to traditional spherical designs while maintaining lower structural stress and reasonable usable spatial volume. This research validates an energy-performance-oriented approach to architectural form optimization under extreme solar conditions, providing a practical solution for lunar base design and a transferable methodological framework for energy-efficient architectural form design in high-latitude, low-sunlight regions on Earth.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149084278","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}

{"title":"Constellation-based moving-target tracking: Mission scheduling via differential evolution and attitude control via reinforcement learning","authors":"Wenlong Lu, Hongji Zhuang, Qiang Shen, Yongchun Xie, Shufan Wu, Vladimir Yu. Razoumny","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.09.025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.09.025","url":null,"abstract":"Agile satellites represent the next generation of earth observation satellites (EOS), characterized by enhanced attitude maneuverability. As observation targets shift from static ground-based objects to time-sensitive moving targets, the rapid movement of these targets poses significant challenges to satellite observation tasks. The combination of high satellite agility and rapid target movement makes the task allocation of multiple agile earth observation satellites (AEOS) inherently complex. Furthermore, potential actuator faults in satellites add to the complexity of attitude control and task allocation. Motivated by these challenges, this study addresses the task allocation problem for multiple AEOS tracking time-sensitive moving targets under actuator faults, with the goal of maximizing overall observation profit. To tackle the task allocation difficulties for large-scale observation tasks of multiple satellites, we propose an improved differential evolution (DE) algorithm incorporating a hybrid initialization strategy to enhance the quality of initial solutions, along with additional advanced techniques such as destroy-and-repair mechanism. The proposed evolutionary algorithm is reconstructed through CUDA programming to enable accelerated operation on a GPU, which not only significantly reduces computation time but also demonstrates superior efficiency in large-scale task allocation scenarios. At the control level of single satellite, the tracking problem under actuator faults is reformulated as an attitude control problem, for which we develop a fault-tolerant reinforcement learning (RL) framework to ensure robust target tracking. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, showcasing both the superior performance of the heuristic task allocation strategy based on the improved DE algorithm and the reliable tracking capability of the RL-based control method. The source code of HIDE is available at <ce:inter-ref xlink:href=\"https://github.com/LUWENL/HIDE\" xlink:type=\"simple\">https://github.com/LUWENL/HIDE</ce:inter-ref>.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149084324","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}

{"title":"Ground and parabolic flight testing of a magnetic and electrostatic separation system for lunar regolith beneficiation","authors":"Blake A. Coffman, Jacob N. Ortega, Peter Bachle, Jeffrey Smith, Fateme Rezaei, David Bayless, William Schonberg, Kirby Runyon, Frank D. Han","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.09.032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.09.032","url":null,"abstract":"We present an end-to-end design, build, and testing, of a regolith beneficiation system under both Earth gravity and simulated lunar gravity. The system combines a dual-stage magnetic separator followed by an electrostatic sieve to enrich high-value minerals from bulk lunar regolith simulant, targeting plagioclase feldspar which spans the solid-solution series between anorthite and albite. The magnetic separator consists of a dual-strength set of N-52 and N-42 neodymium permanent magnets to sort the simulant particles based on their magnetic susceptibility. The downstream electrostatic sieve separates particles by size using a single-phase 50% duty-cycle wave with a peak voltage between 3.0 kV and 6.0 kV and operating frequencies ranging from 15 Hz to 30 Hz. The combined system produces four output streams: concentrated iron particulates, bulk basalt, and two sized anorthite fractions according to a target particle size range. The design objective was to obtain an anorthite-rich feedstock exceeding 70 wt% within a <mml:math altimg=\"si3.svg\" display=\"inline\"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>20</mml:mn><mml:mspace width=\"0.33em\"></mml:mspace><mml:mi mathvariant=\"normal\">μ</mml:mi><mml:mi mathvariant=\"normal\">m</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> to <mml:math altimg=\"si45.svg\" display=\"inline\"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>200</mml:mn><mml:mspace width=\"0.33em\"></mml:mspace><mml:mi mathvariant=\"normal\">μ</mml:mi><mml:mi mathvariant=\"normal\">m</mml:mi></mml:mrow></mml:math> size range. A prototype unit was first designed, built, and tested under Earth gravity to prove the concept. Then an adapted unit was built and tested under simulated lunar gravity through parabolic flights. Experiments using multiple lunar regolith simulants under both Earth and reduced-gravity conditions demonstrate consistent mineral and size separation, with improved performance observed under lunar gravity. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) with Rietveld refinement confirmed the success of the reduced-gravity separation: for the L2W60-g814 Mare simulant, plagioclase increased from 35.5 wt% in the feed to 70.6 wt% in the recovered product, approximately doubling its concentration and meeting the system design objective. Pyroxene and olivine, initially present in the feed, were not detected above the approximate XRD detection limit in the reduced-gravity product. These results demonstrate that combined magnetic and electrostatic beneficiation can successfully produce a concentrated plagioclase-rich feedstock under lunar-relevant gravity conditions, supporting its use as a front-end process for lunar <ce:italic>in-situ</ce:italic> resource utilization (ISRU) such as downstream aluminum and oxygen extraction and additive manufacturing.","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"41 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149084633","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}

{"title":"Cooperative sovereignty on Mars: Lessons from the International Telecommunication Union and Universal Postal Union","authors":"Alexander H. Ferdinand Ferguson,&nbsp;Jacob Haqq-Misra","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As humans make ambitious efforts toward long-duration activities beyond Earth, new challenges will continue to emerge that highlight the need for governance frameworks capable of managing shared resources and technical standards in order to sustain human life in these hostile environments. Earth-based governance models of cooperative sovereignty can inform governance mechanisms for future Mars settlements, particularly regarding inter-settlement relations and the technical coordination required for multiple independent settlements to coexist. This study analyzes the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU), two of the oldest international organizations, which have successfully established evolving standards across sovereign nations. This analysis of the development and governance structures of these two organizations, and how they resolved key sovereignty issues, reveals principles that could be applicable to future settlements beyond Earth, particularly on Mars. Key insights include the strategic necessity of institutional neutrality, the management of asymmetric power relations, and the governance of shared resources under conditions of mutual vulnerability. The study distinguishes between a “Survival Layer” of technical standards essential for immediate safety and an “Operational Layer” governing economic and political activities, suggesting different governance approaches for each. Although some of these examples of cooperative sovereignty on Earth might not be sufficient for Mars due to its unique environment, lessons from the ITU and UPU case studies offer valuable strategies for designing flexible and sustainable governance models that can function from inception through explicit Earth-based coordination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 47-53"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146146607","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}

{"title":"A novel state estimation framework for a four-wheeled lunar rover with active articulated suspensions","authors":"Giacomo Franchini ,&nbsp;Patrick Roncagliolo ,&nbsp;Davide Graziato ,&nbsp;Alessandro Ruggiero Chiminelli ,&nbsp;Andrea Merlo ,&nbsp;Marcello Chiaberge","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, space agencies and private companies have shown a renewed interest in Moon exploration, with the ultimate goal of having a permanent human presence on the surface by the 2030s. A crucial step in this direction involves deploying robotic missions. To this purpose, at Thales Alenia Space Italia S.p.A., a versatile, multipurpose four-wheeled robotic platform with active suspensions has been designed as a common reference mobility system able to perform a multitude of tasks on the Moon, spanning from South Pole exploration to In Situ Resource Utilization. In this context, we propose a state estimation framework based on factor graph optimization to perform sensor fusion and estimation of rover odometry. The implementation relies on the ROS 2 package <em>Fuse</em>, which has been optimized and extended with 3D sensors and motion models. The paper contributions are twofold: firstly, we developed a method for estimating the rover’s linear and angular body velocities based on data from the wheel-steer-suspension assembly encoders. Three-dimensional components of the body velocity and the associated covariance matrix are computed by accurately determining the plane of instantaneous motion of the rover. Secondly, dedicated sensor models are used to fuse the estimated body velocities with readings from the on-board IMU and with odometry input computed from a visual pipeline. The latter can be obtained both from a stereo camera by matching visual features, or by registering point clouds gathered by time-of-flight sensors, allowing autonomous navigation in any lighting condition. Constraints derived from different sensors are joined by leveraging a motion model that encapsulates the entire span of locomotion modalities allowed by the rover geometry. The method has been validated in simulations built on Project Chrono and with the rover prototype navigating in a representative facility. Results demonstrate that the framework is highly optimized, efficiently facilitating the integration of multiple sensor readings from various sources, delivering fused odometry outputs at a high frequency, and ensuring accurate and real-time state updates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 54-70"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134797","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}

{"title":"Parametric evaluation of a cavity flameholder with transverse reacting hydrogen injection applied to a scramjet combustor","authors":"William Veber Moisés da Silva ,&nbsp;André Fernando de Castro da Silva ,&nbsp;Vinicius Malatesta ,&nbsp;Cornelis Henricus Venner","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.01.059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.01.059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scramjet engines offer great potential for hypersonic propulsion and space access, but efficient combustion remains challenging due to the extremely short residence time for fuel–air mixing and burning. This study presents a parametric investigation of a cavity flameholder with upstream transverse hydrogen injection applied to the HyShot-IV scramjet combustor geometry, using RANS-based CFD simulations in Ansys CFX. The model incorporates the <span><math><mi>k</mi></math></span>–<span><math><mi>ω</mi></math></span> SST turbulence model and the Burning Velocity Model to analyze the impact of cavity aspect ratio (AR) on key performance parameters, including mixing efficiency, combustion-chamber efficiency, flame stabilization, and pressure recovery. Six configurations were examined: one baseline without a cavity and five cavity cases with <span><math><mrow><mi>A</mi><mi>R</mi><mo>∈</mo><mrow><mo>{</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>;</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>4</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>;</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>4</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>5</mn><mo>;</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>5</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>75</mn><mo>;</mo><mspace></mspace><mn>7</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>}</mo></mrow></mrow></math></span>. Results demonstrate that cavity flameholders significantly enhance combustion performance by generating recirculation zones, stabilizing the flame, and intensifying turbulence, which collectively promote efficient fuel–air mixing, and these favorable effects are further amplified with increasing AR. Case E (<span><math><mrow><mi>A</mi><mi>R</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>7</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>0</mn></mrow></math></span>) achieved the highest performance, with mixing and combustion efficiencies of 72.3% and 72.5%, respectively, at the expense of a moderate reduction in pressure recovery to 53.8%. Conversely, smaller cavities, such as in Case A (<span><math><mrow><mi>A</mi><mi>R</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>3</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></math></span>), provided limited mixing improvements, with a mixing efficiency of 55.9%, yet retained higher pressure recovery at 56.7%. Key flow features observed include shear layers, cavity expansion shocks, and counter-rotating vortex pairs (CVPs), which interact with shock waves and boundary layers to enhance fuel distribution and combustion. Larger cavities, such as in Cases D (<span><math><mrow><mi>A</mi><mi>R</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>5</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>75</mn></mrow></math></span>) and E, promoted earlier hydrogen consumption and sustained combustion zones. The baseline configuration, lacking a cavity, exhibited the lowest performance metrics, with poor mixing efficiency (51.3%) and delayed combustion, underscoring the importance of cavity-induced structures for efficient scramjet operation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 156-177"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134800","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}

{"title":"Numerical simulation and analysis of nozzle mechanical erosion in hybrid rocket motors under overload conditions","authors":"Yiming Ke ,&nbsp;Hao Zhu ,&nbsp;Shuting Wang ,&nbsp;Yuanjun Zhang ,&nbsp;Hui Tian ,&nbsp;Guobiao Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.01.062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.01.062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hybrid rocket motors (HRMs) are gaining widespread application due to their advantages, including high safety, ease of thrust control, and multiple restart capability. However, nozzle ablation remains a critical technical bottleneck limiting their development. This study presents a numerical investigation of nozzle mechanical erosion in HRMs under overload conditions. The mechanical erosion of nozzles for four propellant grain configurations tube, star, single-channel wheel, and multi-channel wheel were computationally analyzed. The results reveal a strong correlation between nozzle mechanical erosion and the propellant-grain type, as well as a significant dependence on motor overload conditions. Under certain operating scenarios, the peak erosion rate increases by more than threefold compared with that under non-overload conditions. As overload increases, the peak erosion rate initially rises and then stabilizes. For the motor configurations studied, when the overload exceeds 10 g, the maximum erosion rate remains nearly constant. Furthermore, the magnitude of the overload effect on erosion and particle distribution varies with grain type. Overall, the influence of overload is more pronounced for single-channel grains than for multi-channel grain. Within the single-channel grains, the degree of influence decreases in the following order: cylindrical, star, and wheel grain. It is worth noting that this study focuses on the mechanical erosion of HRMs nozzle under overload conditions and does not consider the effect of overload on the combustion state.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 122-140"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174807","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}

{"title":"Predefined-time sliding mode control with RBF neural network for space tethered satellite deployment","authors":"Cong Xue ,&nbsp;Guanghui Sun ,&nbsp;Xiangyu Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a novel predefined-time sliding mode controller for the space tethered satellite (STS) system, incorporating a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). First, a nonlinear dynamical model of the STS deployment is derived. Then, a modified nonsingular terminal sliding surface and corresponding nonsingular terminal sliding mode controller (NTSMC) with RBFNN are introduced. The predefined-time control ensures system convergence within a specified time, meeting mission requirements. Additionally, the RBFNN is employed to estimate and compensate for external disturbances, thus enhancing the system’s disturbance rejection capability. Meanwhile, the stability and predefined-time convergence of the proposed NTSMC are proved based on the Lyapunov theorem. Finally, numerical simulations of STS deployment are conducted, demonstrating the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed control scheme.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 178-186"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146153016","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}

{"title":"On the analytical study and convergence properties of state-dependent linearization of the CR3BP in the cislunar region","authors":"Salvatore Rea ,&nbsp;Riccardo Bevilacqua ,&nbsp;Emanuela Gaglio","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This work characterizes linearized CR3BP propagation accuracy in the cislunar region through convergence analysis and Monte Carlo robustness assessment over hundreds of initial conditions. Results quantify order error scaling with timestep, identify phase-space regions where linearization remains valid, and provide practical guidelines for relinearization cadence selection in Earth–Moon mission design.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 38-46"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146175231","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}

{"title":"Evaluation of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques for use on long duration spaceflight missions","authors":"Sage O. Sherman,&nbsp;Allison P. Hayman","doi":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.02.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Degraded mental performance is a risk for astronauts on long duration spaceflight missions for which non-invasive, unobtrusive countermeasures are currently under investigation. Inducing neuromodulation using non-invasive brain stimulation (NiBS) techniques may be a useful and safe countermeasure approach to stimulate neural processes, but to date a synthesis of promising techniques has not been performed. This work evaluates four NiBS techniques: transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM), and stochastic resonance (SR). We identify each technique's most promising attributes for efficacy in improving human performance while demonstrating the ability to be administered in a spaceflight environment. The evaluation scored each technology on three variables related to supporting human performance and mental health, and three variables related to crew and mission implementation. This analysis suggests that the separate NiBS techniques map better to addressing these specific variables. However, none of the techniques evaluated have currently been demonstrated in space. It is unknown whether the spaceflight environment affects the brain and its neural mechanisms in a way that impacts its interaction with NiBS techniques. We recommend continued investment to address these limitations. Further, the methods in this paper to assess emergent medical countermeasures may be applied for other technologies and be directed toward specific mission requirements, be it spaceflight, ground-studies, or field assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":44971,"journal":{"name":"Acta Astronautica","volume":"244 ","pages":"Pages 71-81"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134798","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}