Transmission electron microscopy of an interplanetary dust particle with links to CI chondrites

The majority of hydrated interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) have compositions that resemble CI and CM chondrites, however, their mineralogies are most similar to the fine grained material in certain altered type-3 carbonaceous and ordinary chondrites. During the transmission electron microscope studies of hydrated IDPs, a unique particle was discovered whose mineralogy is very similar to that reported from CI chondrites. W7013F5 is the first IDP whose mineralogy and chemistry approximates that of CI chondrites. The similarity in mineralogy and mineral chemistry suggests that W7013F5 was altered under conditions similar to those that existed on the CI parent bodies

A second anniversary operational review of the OmniTRACS(R): The first two-way mobile Ku-band satellite communications system

A novel two-way mobile satellite communications and vehicle position reporting system that is currently operational in the United States and Europe is described. The system characteristics and service operations are described in detail. Technical descriptions of the equipment and signal processing techniques are provided

Paper Session I-C - Robotics for Interstellar Missions

This paper discusses the requirements for robotics in future interstellar missions and describes the various robotic development activities at NASA KSC that are laying the basis for the robotics of the future. The first longduration interstellar missions, which might occur at the end of the 21 st century, would probably be preceded by trips to outer planets in the Solar System and by near-Solar interstellar probe missions. The time span, dangers, and uncertainties involved would almost certainly decree that the first missions be unmanned. If an interstellar mission involved a surface landing, all initial exploration would be performed by robots or other autonomous devices. These robots of the next century must possess true autonomy: onboard intelligence; sensor systems to provide information on the visual scene, temperature, radiation, task forces, and torques; stable locomotion; self-maintenance and repair capabilities; and so on. The varied sensor data must be integrated into an intelligent understanding of the environment to support decisions concerning that environment—for example, avoiding collisions or other dangers, or selecting areas of interest for exploration. The capability to store and transmit data, and to modify behavior based on experience, would also be required. Many of these capabilities are in their infancy today. However, NASA is expanding the state-of-the-art of robotics in directions which, while supporting near-term endeavors, will eventually lay the necessary foundation for the interstellar missions of the next century. For instance, the NASA KSC robotics program is making very meaningful contributions in areas of robot mobility, collision avoidance, vision systems, and special endeffectors. One example of this activity concerns the KSC Thermal Protection System robot, which provides an autonomous mobile platform and special end-effectors and vision systems for navigation, inspection, and positioning tasks. The robot can also store task data for downloading at a later date. Other developments at KSC include special mechanisms and controls for robotic space vehicle cleaning and component inspection, and the development of self-diagnostics for automated systems. In summary, while we are presently a long way from achieving the robotics capabilities to support interstellar missions, present-day robotics development activities at KSC and at other NASA centers are laying the groundwork for these exciting future endeavors

Hardware interface unit for control of shuttle RMS vibrations

Vibration of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (RMS) increases the time for task completion and reduces task safety for manipulator-assisted operations. If the dynamics of the manipulator and the payload can be physically isolated, performance should improve. Rockwell has developed a self contained hardware unit which interfaces between a manipulator arm and payload. The End Point Control Unit (EPCU) is built and is being tested at Rockwell and at the Langley/Marshall Coupled, Multibody Spacecraft Control Research Facility in NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama

A new method for deriving composition of S-type asteroids from noisy and incomplete near-infrared spectra

The surface composition of S-type asteroids can be determined using band parameters extracted from their near-infrared (NIR) spectra (0.7-2.50 $\mu$m) along with spectral calibrations derived from laboratory samples. In the past, these empirical equations have been obtained by combining NIR spectra of meteorite samples with information about their composition and mineral abundance. For these equations to give accurate results, the characteristics of the laboratory spectra they are derived from should be similar to those of asteroid spectral data (i.e., similar signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and wavelength range). Here we present new spectral calibrations that can be used to determine the mineral composition of ordinary chondrite-like S-type asteroids. Contrary to previous work, the S/N of the ordinary chondrite spectra used in this study has been decreased to recreate the S/N typically observed among asteroid spectra, allowing us to obtain more realistic results. In addition, the new equations have been derived for five wavelength ranges encompassed between 0.7 and 2.50 $\mu$m, making it possible to determine the composition of asteroids with incomplete data. The new spectral calibrations were tested using band parameters measured from the NIR spectrum of asteroid (25143) Itokawa, and comparing the results with laboratory measurements of the returned samples. We found that the spectrally derived olivine and pyroxene chemistry, which are given by the molar contents of fayalite (Fa) and ferrosilite (Fs), are in excellent agreement with the mean values measured from the samples (Fa$_{28.6\pm1.1}$ and Fs$_{23.1\pm2.2}$), with a maximum difference of 0.6 mol\% for Fa and 1.4 mol\% for Fs.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journa

Electron energy-loss spectroscopy of carbon in interplanetary dust particles

The nature of the carbon-bearing phases in IDP's provides information regarding the chemical and physical processes involved in the formation and evolution of the early solar system. Several carbon-bearing materials have been observed in IDP's, but details of their nature, abundance, and distribution are still poorly known. A knowledge of the abundance and nature of carbon in IDP's is useful in constraining the sources of IDP's and for comparisons with other chondritic materials. Estimates of carbon abundance in anhydrous and hydrated IDP's indicate that most of these particles have significantly higher carbon than the carbonaceous chondrites. Mineralogical analyses show that carbonates are only a minor component of most hydrated IDP's, and so the high carbon abundances in this group of IDP's indicates that other carbon-bearing phases are present in significant concentrations. Using the technique of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), we have identified two forms of carbon in a hydrated IDP, oxidized carbon (carbonates), and amorphous elemental carbon

Coffee pulp, a by-product of coffee production, modulates gut microbiota and improves metabolic syndrome in high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rats

Waste from food production can be re‐purposed as raw material for usable products to decrease industrial waste. Coffee pulp is 29% of the dry weight of coffee cherries and contains caf‐feine, chlorogenic acid, trigonelline, diterpenes and fibre. We investigated the attenuation of signs of metabolic syndrome induced by high‐carbohydrate, high‐fat diet in rats by dietary supplementation with 5% freeze‐dried coffee pulp for the final 8 weeks of a 16‐week protocol. Coffee pulp decreased body weight, feed efficiency and abdominal fat; normalised systolic blood pressure, left ventricular diastolic stiffness, and plasma concentrations of triglycerides and non‐esterified fatty acids; and improved glucose tolerance in rats fed high‐carbohydrate, high‐fat diet. Further, the gut microbiota was modulated with high‐carbohydrate, high‐fat diet and coffee pulp supplementation and 14 physiological parameters were correlated with the changes in bacterial community structures. This study suggested that coffee pulp, as a waste from the coffee industry, is useful as a functional food for improving obesity‐associated metabolic, cardiovascular and liver structure and function, and gut microbiota

Spitzer Observations of Long-term Infrared Variability among Young Stellar Objects in Chamaeleon I

Infrared variability is common among young stellar objects, with surveys finding daily to weekly fluctuations of a few tenths of a magnitude. Space-based observations can produce highly sampled infrared light curves, but are often limited to total baselines of about 1 month due to the orientation of the spacecraft. Here we present observations of the Chameleon I cluster, whose low declination makes it observable by the Spitzer Space Telescope over a 200-day period. We observe 30 young stellar objects with a daily cadence to better sample variability on timescales of months. We find that such variability is common, occurring in ~80% of the detected cluster members. The change in [3.6]–[4.5] color over 200 days for many of the sources falls between that expected for extinction and fluctuations in disk emission. With our high cadence and long baseline we can derive power spectral density curves covering two orders of magnitude in frequency and find significant power at low frequencies, up to the boundaries of our 200-day survey. Such long timescales are difficult to explain with variations driven by the interaction between the disk and stellar magnetic field, which has a dynamical timescale of days to weeks. The most likely explanation is either structural or temperature fluctuations spread throughout the inner ~0.5 au of the disk, suggesting that the intrinsic dust structure is highly dynamic

Evidence-based vector control? Improving the quality of vector control trials.

Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) such as malaria, dengue, and leishmaniasis cause a high level of morbidity and mortality. Although vector control tools can play a major role in controlling and eliminating these diseases, in many cases the evidence base for assessing the efficacy of vector control interventions is limited or not available. Studies assessing the efficacy of vector control interventions are often poorly conducted, which limits the return on investment of research funding. Here we outline the principal design features of Phase III vector control field studies, highlight major failings and strengths of published studies, and provide guidance on improving the design and conduct of vector control studies. We hope that this critical assessment will increase the impetus for more carefully considered and rigorous design of vector control studies