IGAS (Innovative GPS Antenna System) – A Novel GPS Antenna Concept for Spin-Stabilized Sounding Rockets

This paper addresses a novel GPS antenna system for spin-stabilized sounding rockets and launch vehicles. It describes the concept as well as the first realization of the newly developed system. Furthermore it presents the results of on-ground tests conducted on a turn-table with the system installed into a mock-up of a rocket section. The promising outcome of these tests justified the subsequent preparation of a flight experiment. In the second part of this paper, the results of the maiden flight of the IGAS system onboard a real sounding rocket, the Rexus-4 vehicle, are summarised and discussed. The qualification flight has demonstrated that the system, in general, performs well and even outperforms the traditionally used combination of tip and blade antennas. However, it has also been recognized, that further adaptations in the GPS receiver software

MORABA - Operational Aspects of Launching Rockets

Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA), a division of the Space Operations and Astronaut Training Department of DLR (German Aerospace Center) provides the national and international scientific community with the opportunity to prepare and implement rocketand balloon-borne experiments. The fields of research include aeronomy, astronomy, geophysics, material science and hypersonic research and are conducted in cooperation with a variety of international partners. In addition satellite missions can be supported by mobile tracking radars for trajectory determination and TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Command) mobile ground stations. MORABA also offers a number of mechanical and electrical systems for use on rocket, balloon and short term satellite missions. Since 1967 more than 250 campaigns have been performed in Antarctica, Australia, Brazil, France, Greenland, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the USA. Depending on the scientific objectives, an appropriate launch range is selected and complemented or fully equipped with MORABA’s mobile infrastructure, such as launcher, telemetry, telecommand and tracking stations. MORABA procures the suitable converted military surplus or commercial launch vehicles, as well as all necessary mechanical and electrical subsystems to the customers. This paper gives an overview of the MORABA infrastructure for sounding rocket launching and satellite TT&C. A short survey of MORABA support of several satellite projects in the past is also provide

Sensorless freehand 3D ultrasound using regression of the echo intensity

Sensorless freehand 3D ultrasound in real tissue: speckle decorrelation without fully developed speckl

VLM-1 - Vehicle Design and Analysis (XTRAS-TN-VLM-20150302)

This report is a summary of the activities performed by the X-TRAS (Expertise Raumtransportsysteme) group within the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in 2014, based on the data and design created by the VLM-1 development team of DLR and the Brazilian Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA/IAE). The analyses were conducted with the present configuration of the VLM-1 Carrier, which is close to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of the Vehicle. VLM-1 is a three-staged solid propellant rocket, capable of scientific suborbital and microsatellite launches. The first two stages feature identical S50 solid rocket motors with thrust vector control and a fixed-nozzle, spin stabilized S44 solid rocket motor in third stage on top. Its maiden flight will take place at Alcantara launch site (Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara) in Brazil. VLM-1 unites flightproven, robust sounding rocket heritage technology and hardware, newly developed motors and structures, and advanced control systems in order to provide efficient launch services. Investigations in this report include, but are not limited to: aerodynamics, trajectory and performance, load analysis, control systems and flight stability, guidance and navigation, mechanical design, separation processes, trust vector control, solid rocket motors, electrical and RF systems, ground infrastructure, fairing separation, launcher testing and qualification, costs, mission cases, and future upgrades; The VLM-1 launcher’s capabilities and system design are described and analyzed in this case study

High-Dose Treosulfan and Melphalan as Consolidation Therapy Versus Standard Therapy for High-Risk (Metastatic) Ewing Sarcoma.

Ewing 2008R3 was conducted in 12 countries and evaluated the effect of treosulfan and melphalan high-dose chemotherapy (TreoMel-HDT) followed by reinfusion of autologous hematopoietic stem cells on event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival in high-risk Ewing sarcoma (EWS). Phase III, open-label, prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial. Eligible patients had disseminated EWS with metastases to bone and/or other sites, excluding patients with only pulmonary metastases. Patients received six cycles of vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide induction and eight cycles of vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide consolidation therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive additional TreoMel-HDT or no further treatment (control). The random assignment was stratified by number of bone metastases (1, 2-5, and > 5). The one-sided adaptive-inverse-normal-4-stage-design was changed after the first interim analysis via Müller-Schäfer method. Between 2009 and 2018, 109 patients were randomly assigned, and 55 received TreoMel-HDT. With a median follow-up of 3.3 years, there was no significant difference in EFS between TreoMel-HDT and control in the adaptive design (hazard ratio [HR] 0.85; 95% CI, 0.55 to 1.32, intention-to-treat). Three-year EFS was 20.9% (95% CI, 11.5 to 37.9) in TreoMel-HDT and 19.2% (95% CI, 10.8 to 34.4) in control patients. The results were similar in the per-protocol collective. Males treated with TreoMel-HDT had better EFS compared with controls: median 1.0 years (95% CI, 0.8 to 2.2) versus 0.6 years (95% CI, 0.5 to 0.9); = .035; HR 0.52 (0.28 to 0.97). Patients age < 14 years benefited from TreoMel-HDT with a 3-years EFS of 39.3% (95% CI, 20.4 to 75.8%) versus 9% (95% CI, 2.4 to 34); = .016; HR 0.40 (0.19 to 0.87). These effects were similar in the per-protocol collective. This observation is supported by comparable results from the nonrandomized trial EE99R3. In patients with very high-risk EWS, additional TreoMel-HDT was of no benefit for the entire cohort of patients. TreoMel-HDT may be of benefit for children age < 14 years

Zoledronic acid add-on therapy for standard-risk Ewing sarcoma patients in the Ewing 2008R1 trial

Purpose: The phase III, open-label, prospective, multicenter, randomized Ewing 2008R1 trial (EudraCT2008-003658-13) was conducted in 12 countries to evaluate the effect of zoledronic acid (ZOL) maintenance therapy compared with no add-on regarding event-free survival (EFS, primary endpoint) and overall survival (OS) in standard-risk Ewing sarcoma (EWS). Patients and Methods: Eligible patients had localized EWS with either good histologic response to induction chemotherapy and/or small tumors (<200 mL). Patients received six cycles of VIDE induction and eight cycles of VAI (male) or eight cycles of VAC (female) consolidation. ZOL treatment started parallel to the sixth consolidation cycle. Randomization was stratified by tumor site (pelvis/other). The two-sided adaptive inverse-normal four-stage design (planned sample size 448 patients, significance level 5%, power 80%) was changed after the first interim analysis using the Muller-Schafer method. Results: Between April 2010 and November 2018, 284 patients were randomized (142 ZOL/142 no add-on). With a median follow-up of 3.9 years, EFS was not significantly different between ZOL and no add-on group in the adaptive design (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.43-1.28, P = 0.27, intention-to-treat). Three-year EFS rates were 84.0% (95% CI, 77.7%-90.8%) for ZOL vs. 81.7% (95% CI, 75.2%-88.8%) for no add-on. Results were similar in the per-protocol collective. OS was not different between groups. The 3-year OS was 92.8% (95% CI, 88.4%-97.5%) for ZOL and 94.6% (95% CI, 90.9%-98.6%) for no add-on. Noticeable more renal, neurologic, and gastrointestinal toxicities were observed for ZOL (P < 0.05). Severe renal toxicities occurred more often in the ZOL arm (P = 0.003). Conclusions: In patients with standard-risk localized EWS, there is no additional benefit from maintenance treatment with ZOL