Under extreme service conditions involving long-term high temperatures, thermo-mechanical cycling, and concurrent oxidation/corrosion, the design of aerospace structural alloys is simultaneously constrained by the exponentially expanding compositional space, the scarcity and high cost of high-fidelity property labels, and the limited transferability of strongly coupled multi-scale mechanisms. Along the “composition–process–microstructure–property–service” chain, a materials intelligent design paradigm is constructed with physics-based constraints at its core: multi-modal and multi-fidelity data are standardized, aligned across domains, and stored in a unified database; conservation laws, crystallographic symmetry, and phase-diagram consistency are embedded into classical machine learning models, convolutional neural networks, graph neural networks, and Transformer/pre-trained architectures; microstructural intermediates such as segmented phase maps and size distributions are explicitly introduced to strengthen the mapping among processing, microstructure, and properties; and uncertainty quantification, domain adaptation, and out-of-distribution detection are employed to control the risk associated with model extrapolation. At the decision-making level, generative design and multi-objective Bayesian optimization are incorporated to form a closed-loop “generation–screening–validation–update” workflow. For γ–γ′-strengthened Ni/Co-based superalloys, L1₂-strengthened heat-resistant/high-temperature Al alloys, and multi-principal/high-entropy alloys, multi-objective trade-offs are performed with respect to γ′ volume fraction and solvus temperature versus lattice misfit, precipitation and coarsening kinetics versus the synergy between thermal conductivity and strength, and sublattice occupancy versus long-range order. Overall, this physics-informed intelligent framework enables robust extrapolation that balances performance and confidence under small-sample, cross-domain, and multi-modal data conditions, and provides a unified feature space and evaluation criterion for the continuous iteration of long-life high-temperature alloys.

Zirconia (ZrO₂) ceramic fibers have been widely used in various fields due to their advantages of high-temperature resistance, low thermal conductivity, and good chemical stability. This paper reviews the research progress of ZrO₂ fibers in recent years, including stabilization strategies, preparation methods, and applications. First, the stabilizers and stabilization mechanism of ZrO₂ fibers are introduced briefly. Then, various preparation methods for ZrO₂ fibers are discussed, including electrospinning, solution blow spinning, centrifugal spinning, template method, and dry spinning. After that, the applications of ZrO₂ fibers in thermal insulation, air filtration, and water treatment are introduced in detail. Finally, the preparation and application prospects of ZrO₂ fibers are prospected.

As a high-performance thermosetting resin, cyanate ester resin demonstrates significant application potential in the fields such as aerospace, electronic packaging, and radar communications, owing to its unique chemical structure and excellent comprehensive properties. In recent years, modification of cyanate ester resin to further enhance its thermal stability, mechanical properties, and processability while reducing costs has become a research hotspot in the field of polymer and composite materials. This paper aims to review the latest research progress on modification methods for cyanate ester resins. By exploring the effects of various modification methods on the properties of cyanate ester resins and their respective advantages and disadvantages, it seeks to provide methodological references for developing cyanate ester resins suitable for space environmental applications and to support the broadening of their applications.

The Factory in Space represents a pivotal technological paradigm enabling long-duration space missions and the construction of space infrastructure. Its core lies in achieving a closed-loop system of manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, and resource recycling under extreme space environments characterized by microgravity, high vacuum, intense radiation, and extreme temperature fluctuations. This paper systematically reviews the key technologies across the entire lifecycle of space factories, encompassing ground-based design and validation, launch ascent and deployment, on-orbit operation and expansion, maintenance and upgrade, and decommissioning and recovery. It focuses on analyzing manufacturability constraints, digital twin, lightweight structures, manufacturing process characteristics, material performance verification, on-orbit fault diagnosis, robotic maintenance strategies, and in-situ resource utilization technologies. Drawing on NASA’s Archinaut/OSAM-2 program and verification cases from China’s Space Station, the study summarizes the current technological progress and existing bottlenecks, and provides an outlook on the future development vision of space factories.

Aerospace primary load-bearing components require structural materials that are lightweight and offer high specific stiffness, high specific strength, excellent wear resistance and good environmental adaptability, which poses a considerable challenge to conventional metals/alloys. In this work, SiCp/2024Al composites with dual-heterogeneous architecture were fabricated based on powder metallurgy route. By planetary ball milling, mechanically mixing, hot consolidation and extrusion, laminated bimodal grained Al matrix was inherited from the processed powder mixtures, integrated with micron and nano SiCp with deliberate spatial distribution. The dual-heterogeneous SiCp/2024Al composites exhibit outstanding comprehensive mechanical properties: elastic modulus >95.0 GPa, yield strength of 696.5 MPa, tensile strength of 792.1 MPa and elongation of 5.9%, maintaining comparable tensile strength while achieving a 136.0% increase in elongation, with only a 10.3% reduction in yield strength, compared with uniform ultrafine-grained counterparts reinforced solely with micron SiC particles. The superior strength is attributed to grain boundary strengthening and insufficient mobile dislocations, whereas the excellent strength-ductility synergy originates from hetero-deformation induced hardening and enhanced dislocation accumulation due to intragranular nano-precipitates. This study provides valuable insights for the toughness-strength balanced design and scalable production of lightweight Al matrix composites for aerospace load-bearing applications.

As deep space exploration missions progress and lunar base construction advances, in-situ lunar water ice extraction technologies have become pivotal for achieving resource self-sufficiency, reducing transportation costs, and supporting long-term lunar habitation. The permanently shadowed regions at the lunar poles are considered the most promising areas for water ice accumulation. However, the efficient extraction of water ice remains a significant challenge due to factors such as the extremely low thermal conductivity of lunar regolith, sublimation losses in the vacuum environment, and the formation of insulating layers. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the physical mechanisms governing the sublimation behavior of lunar water ice and the associated experimental simulation techniques. It also outlines the current state of in-situ heating extraction methods, including insertion heating, microwave heating, and solar heating, while highlighting the research progress and application potential of these approaches. A particular focus is placed on the impact of sublimation delay effects on extraction efficiency, with discussions on low-temperature isothermal heating strategies, the coupling of ice grain size with thermal field models, and the optimization of equipment layout. Based on this review, the paper offers insights into the future development trends of in-situ resource utilization systems for the Moon and emphasizes the need for enhanced coupling models of sublimation behavior with the actual properties of lunar regolith, as well as validation through ground-based environmental simulation experiments. These efforts are essential for advancing water ice extraction technologies toward greater efficiency and sustainability.

With the rapid development of space exploration, higher requirements have been put forward for aerospace equipment, functionality and serviceability of aerospace materials turn out to be increasingly significant. Therefore, high-performance fiber materials have been widely applied in the aerospace field due to their superior mechanical properties, lightweight characteristics, and weaveability. In recent years, researchers worldwide have conducted extensive studies on the preparation processes and intrinsic structures of aerospace fiber materials, and have carried out frontier explorations in areas such as mechanical reinforcement, space environment resistance and ultra-high temperature resistance. This paper systematically summarizes the currently widely used prevalent organic and inorganic high-performance fiber materials from the perspectives of structures, performance, and application. It particularly highlights cutting-edge technologies, material characteristics, and preparation methods of advanced textile materials in the aerospace field, as well as their application advantages in various aerospace sectors. Additionally, it outlines future development directions and application prospects of novel fiber materials in space technology, aiming to provide new insights for advancing aerospace fiber material research.

Aiming at the phenomenon of overly conservative flight load design results in the high-wind zone of traditional launch vehicle design methods—caused by factors such as the use of statistical high-altitude wind fields, independent work across departments, and repeated consideration of parameter deviations across disciplines—this paper proposes a probabilistic flight load design method for the high-wind zone based on measured high-altitude wind data. This method integrates wind-compensated trajectory design, six-degree-of-freedom Monte Carlo simulation, active load alleviation, and load synthesis techniques to provide flight loads experienced by various structural sections of the launch vehicle in the high-wind zone. These loads are derived from historical measured wind field data and satisfy a certain probability threshold. The advantages of this method lie in its direct use of measured high-altitude wind data, avoidance of repeated parameter deviation considerations, and integration of trajectory wind compensation and active load alleviation technologies. This technology has been successfully applied to the pre-launch quasi-real-time wind compensation for the ZQ-2EY2 launch vehicle, as well as the high-wind zone flight load design for the ZQ-3 launch vehicles. It has effectively increased the launch-day high-altitude wind clearance probability for the ZQ-2EY2 and significantly reduced the high-wind zone flight loads for the ZQ-3, thereby lowering structural weight and improving launch vehicle performance.The application of this technology effectively enhances the launch vehicle's payload capacity and adaptability to complex meteorological conditions. It provides greater possibilities and opportunities for space exploration, driving the advancement of space science research and experimentation.

Characterization and classification prediction of hypervelocity impact flash radiation are crucial for the assessment and diagnosis of structural material damage. On the hypervelocity impact range of China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center, tests have been conducted to study the radiation characteristics of impacts. The projectiles contained aluminum spheres and aluminum-polycarbonate combination, and various structural targets were naked Hexogen（RDX）, empty box, and packed RDX. Within an impact velocity range of 2.6 km/s to 7.3 km/s, measurements were taken of the time-series signals of radiation intensity across two channels: 800.0 nm and 393.4 nm. By comparing the radiation time-series data, significant differences were observed in the peak radiation signals generated by impacts on different targets, which also showed correlations with impact velocity. Through quantitative extraction of radiation peak features from the signals, the power-law variation relationship between radiation characteristics and impact velocity under different experimental conditions were studied. This analysis revealed distinct differences in radiation signal characteristics corresponding to various targets. Furthermore, by mapping these radiation features onto a two-dimensional plane and performing analysis of two-dimensional feature classification, it was demonstrated that the radiation characteristics of different targets could be effectively classified and predicted.

The pulsed laser has been proven to be a powerful tool for studying single event effects. In practical applications, laser test results must be correlated with high-energy particles to achieve accurate predictions of spatial SEE rates. Currently, most laser-high energy particle correlation methods are based on charge collection 3-D rectangular-parallel-piped or nested Parallelepiped models. These models still need to introduce the effect of ionization track differences. By adjusting the defocusing distance of the laser, an ionization track with varying feature sizes was obtained at different depths of the bipolar device operational amplifier LM324. The charge collection produced by the laser with different characteristic ionization tracks was compared, and the influencing factors and the action mechanism were analyzed. The results indicated that influenced by carrier density, the ionization track width at different depths of the semiconductor devices was the main factor that affected the charge collection. More charge was collected when the ionization track width in the surface area of the device was larger. The opposite result was observed in the depletion region and substrate layer. The implications of the results for laser-high energy particle correlations are further discussed. Considering the effect of the ionization track on the charge collection efficiency, the equivalent LET of the laser will be overestimated or underestimated.

Against the backdrop of the rapid development of global low-orbit constellations, highly efficient and reliable propulsion technology has become key to large-scale deployment. Electric propulsion systems are the preferred choice due to advantages such as high specific impulse and low cost. Among them, the permanent magnet Hall thruster, characterized by its zero quiescent power consumption, high reliability, and compact structure, is emerging as the mainstream technological approach for low-to-medium power applications. This paper systematically compares the characteristics of both permanent magnet and electromagnetic excitation technical schemes, with a focus on the performance evaluation of a magnet Hall thrusters batch-applied for the first time in a major domestic constellation, based on ground and in-orbit data. Analysis of long-term telemetry data indicates stable thruster operation and good consistency in key parameters, successfully fulfilling orbital control tasks and verifying its long-term reliability in the actual space environment. This study provides substantial data support and engineering reference for the selection and design of propulsion systems in subsequent Chinese low-orbit constellations.

The Earth’s magnetotail tail lobes are extended structures formed by solar wind compression on the sunward side of the magnetosphere. These regions are filled with low-density, high-temperature rarefied plasma, whose particle spectrum and flow characteristics significantly differ from typical magnetospheric environments like the solar wind. When the Moon periodically traverses this region, the interaction between charged particle streams and the lunar surface triggers redistribution of surface charge and alters the spatial migration characteristics of near-surface lunar dust. Therefore, this study employs the Spacecraft Plasma Interaction System (SPIS) software to simulate lunar surface charging behavior induced by charged particle streams arriving at and departing from the lunar surface within the magnetotail lobe environment. It investigates the evolution of lunar surface potential, current, and the spatial distribution of charged lunar dust during the particle influx process. Results indicate: During the initial charging phase, high-speed electron streams reach the lunar surface first, causing the surface potential to rapidly drop to approximately −39.00 V. As the negative surface potential intensifies, charged lunar dust generated by collisions with the electron stream migrates outward due to electrostatic repulsion, causing the potential to gradually rebound and stabilize between −1.00~−20.00 V. During the steady-state phase, electron, ion, and dust currents achieve flux equilibrium. Charged dust primarily accumulates within 0~100 m above the lunar surface, forming a near-surface dust layer with a density of approximately 10⁶ m⁻³.

Driven by the global commercial space wave, remote sensing constellations are accelerating their transformation towards ultra-large-scale deployment and multi-scenario market-oriented applications. Traditional simulation tools face prominent problems such as high model coupling, poor scalability, single scenario adaptability, and lack of commercial effectiveness quantification capabilities, making it difficult to support constellation design demonstration and operational decision-making. To address these issues, this paper focuses on the construction method of a large-scale multi-scenario space remote sensing satellite simulation system, and proposes and implements an integrated, high-fidelity, and scalable simulation platform. A four-layer architecture of “Application Layer - Task Layer - Service Layer - Basic Support Layer" is innovatively designed to break through the bottleneck of ultra-large-scale constellation simulation. An integrated modeling method combining component-based and parameterized approaches is adopted to realize flexible reuse and rapid configuration of core components such as satellite platforms and optical/synthetic aperture radar payloads. A multi-scenario driving mechanism based on standardized configuration files is constructed to support one-click switching of diversified scenarios including commercial mapping and agricultural monitoring. Based on the core logic of "mission-driven-resource collaboration - data closed-loop”, the complete link from mission analysis, resource scheduling to data output is connected, and commercial effectiveness indicators such as task completion rate and resource utilization rate are quantified. Simulation results show that the system can effectively support the simulation verification of constellations with a scale of 50~10 000 satellites, compared with the modeling cycle of traditional equipment systems (usually 1~2 months), the modeling cycle of the system can be shortened to within 1~2 days, significantly reduce the development risk and operational cost of commercial constellations, and improve the market response speed. The research in this paper provides key technical support for the digital construction, mission planning optimization and effectiveness evaluation of China’s ultra-large-scale commercial remote sensing constellations.

On May 29, 2025, The Tianwen-2 probe had been successfully launched, embarking on the China’s first asteroid and comet exploration mission. With a single launch, the mission aims to achieve sample return from asteroid 2016 HO3 and fly-by detection of comet 311P. The Asteroid Medium Angle Camera (AMAC) is one of the key optical payloads carried on the probe, designed for global imaging of asteroids. It is expected to determine physical parameters such as rotation characteristics, shape, and size of asteroids and main-belt comets, as well as study their surface morphology and other scientific objectives. This paper introduces the scientific objectives, functions, and performance specifications of the AMAC. It provides a detailed overview of the camera’s optical system design, structural design, electronics design, and FPGA software design. Additionally, the calibration tests, ground verification experiments, and their results are discussed. Currently, the camera has completed its first in-orbit imaging session, capturing some color images of earth and the Earth-Moon system. The output images are clear with accurate color reproduction.

Alumina-mullite biphasic fibers have attracted significant interest due to their exceptional mechanical properties and high-temperature stability. However, achieving the formation of mullite and α-Al₂O₃ biphasic structures at lower temperatures remains a challenge. This study introduces a novel approach for low-temperature preparation of alumina-mullite biphasic fibers. The method utilizes a biphasic hybrid sol precursor, leveraging the encapsulation effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG). Aluminum carboxylate sol and tetraethyl orthosilicate were selected as raw materials. PEG encapsulates both mullite and alumina precursor sol particles, creating a biphasic mixed sol system. Alumina-mullite biphasic fibers were then fabricated via a dry spinning process. Results show that when the Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio was between 60:15 and 70:15, the mullite precursor sol preferentially transformed to mullite. By encapsulating both mullite precursor sol particles (Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio of 65:15) and alumina sol particles with PEG 4 000, then concentrating and mixing the two sols, the fiber with a biphasic structure was formed at 1 300 °C. This structure consisted of rod-like α-Al₂O₃ and mosaic-shaped mullite. The study also clarified the underlying mechanism of PEG encapsulation, providing a theoretical basis for developing high-performance alumina-based fibers.

Kinetic impact is currently recognized internationally as the most engineering-feasible method for near-Earth asteroid defense. Ground-based testing plays a critical role in impact effect evaluation and in supporting the design and implementation of on-orbit missions. The successful execution of the USA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission has systematically validated the effectiveness of ground-based test and evaluation methodologies, thereby providing an important reference for future planetary defense missions. As China is currently planning its first on-orbit kinetic impact asteroid deflection demonstration mission, there is an urgent need to develop ground test and evaluation capabilities. This paper reviews the major advances in international ground-based experimental research on kinetic impact asteroid defense, outlines the framework and methodological system for ground-based impact effect evaluation, and summarizes the principal characteristics of international research in terms of experimental content, test methods, and ground test facility configurations. In light of China's mission requirements, recommendations are proposed with respect to, among other aspects, capability integration, gap remediation, and diagnostic enhancement. This study is intended to provide a reference for the establishment of a ground-based verification system for planetary defense in China.

With the deployment of large-scale satellite constellations, health management of spacecraft power systems has become a critical technology to ensure the long-term reliable operation of spacecraft in orbit, especially considering their energy supply role and high failure rates. However, due to the high cost of spacecraft testing and the strong confidentiality of data, high-quality public data resources in this field are scarce, which has limited the development and validation of related intelligent algorithms. This paper releases the XJTU-SPS dataset for all-in-the-loop health management of spacecraft power systems. The dataset is obtained based on a hardware fault injection test platform that is completely consistent with the design of real spacecraft power systems. The dataset covers all-in-the-loop health management tasks such as state forecasting, data reconstruction, condition identification, anomaly detection, and fault localization. It includes 4 sub-datasets, involving 33 sensors, 6 data collection cycles, 6 operating conditions, and 17 types of faults, with over 700 000 timestamps. In addition, the dataset also provides physical simulation models to support mechanism analysis, model comparison, and algorithm verification. We hope that XJTU-SPS can provide data support for research in spacecraft operations and maintenance, digital twin modeling, and physical informed algorithms, promote data openness and method innovation in the field, thereby improving the reliability, safety, and continuity of spacecraft in orbit.

Recovering the test model is important in developing the techniques of measuring the parameter continuously and directly during its flying process on the ballistic range. It is more difficult to recover the test model with hypervelocity on the ballistic range with the increase of flying velocity and mass, and the requirement is much higher for the design of test model and recovery system. Soft recovery techniques were studied for the test model with launching velocity above 3.0 km/s on the ballistic range. The design requirement for the test model and sabot was summarized in order to ensure the model integrity during its deceleration and recovery process. The design method of shielding heat was summarized in order to protect the data storage components installed in the test model. The deceleration and recovery system was also designed. The intact free-flight model was recovered safely with a mass of 837 g and a launching velocity of 3.3 km/s, and the whole measurement data from onboard diagnostics were obtained, i.e. the acceleration, external pressure and temperature during the process of launching, flying and recovery. Based on the measuring requirement of aerodynamic force and the development of soft recovery techniques, the test method of recovering the model softly and using repeatedly was proposed on the ballistic range.

Asteroid monitoring technology forms a cornerstone in the effort to foster a community with a shared future for mankind against asteroid threats. Conducting in-depth research on near-Earth asteroid (NEA) monitoring technologies is essential not only for safeguarding human development and survival but also for establishing independent decision-making authority in critical global security events and assuming a voice and leadership role in international space affairs. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the hardware components, detection objectives, mission scenarios, operating modes, scientific contributions, technical characteristics, and highlight features of major foreign ground-based and space-based monitoring systems. Based on this assessment, it identifies future development trends in asteroid monitoring. Additionally, in light of the current state of development in this field in China, the paper provides systematic recommendations focusing on top-level design, technological layout, scientific development, mission execution, and international cooperation. These recommendations aim to serve as a reference for China’s effort to address NEA impact risks and enhance its NEA monitoring capabilities.

On-orbit maintenance is crucial for ensuring the long-term operation of electronic equipment, and welding is an indispensable part of precision maintenance tasks for orbital electronic systems. However, the harmful gasses volatilized during soldering paste heating in space pose a serious threat to the sealed cabin environment. To address this challenge, this paper presents the design of an intelligent harmful gas purification system specifically tailored for the orbital environment. By developing a three-stage purification architecture leveraging microgravity fluid dynamics and innovative mechanical design, the system integrates mechanical filtration, harmful gas adsorption, and catalytic oxidation modules. A circuit control system was designed to enable intelligent regulation of the purification process. A three-dimensional transient simulation model was established using the COMSOL Multiphysics platform to validate the system’s purification performance under typical space station conditions. Results demonstrate that the system forms stable airflow paths driven by fan-induced negative pressure, achieving high efficiency in waste gas treatment. The close agreement between calculated and simulated results further verifies the rationality and accuracy of the model, providing a reliable simulation basis for the design and optimization of harmful gas purifiers in practical engineering applications.

Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG) is a class of amorphous alloy materials with high strength, excellent wear resistance, and corrosion resistance, showing significant application potential in precision manufacturing and aerospace structures. Due to its good thermoplastic forming ability in the supercooled liquid region, BMG is considered one of the potential materials for aerospace additive manufacturing. In the filament fabrication additive manufacturing process of BMG, the heating temperature directly affects the material’s softening state and forming quality, and its thermal response exhibits significant nonlinear and temporal characteristics, making accurate prediction difficult using traditional methods. Therefore, this paper proposes a simulation-driven transfer learning temperature prediction method: Using Vit106 metallic glass as the research object, an electro-thermal coupled simulation model is constructed to generate heating process data, and a temporal prediction model integrating convolutional neural networks and long short-term memory networks is designed. Model transfer is achieved through simulation pre-training combined with fine-tuning using a small amount of experimental data. Experimental results show that this method can still achieve high-accuracy multi-step temperature prediction under small sample real data conditions.

Metallic glasses are metastable materials characterized by short-range order and long-range disorder. They exhibit the mechanical properties of metals while displaying the thermoplastic processing characteristics typical of polymers. This unique combination enables additive manufacturing via Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), positioning it as a promising new technical route for in-space manufacturing of metal materials. This paper summarizes recent experimental progress in space-based additive manufacturing of metal materials and analyzes the feasibility of utilizing FFF technology for in-space manufacturing of metal materials. A process verification prototype was developed, which was successfully used to fabricate single-layer and multi-layer stacked samples of Vit106a metallic glasses. This study analyzes and verifies the feasibility of additive manufacturing for Vit106a metallic glasses through FFF and preliminarily determines the optimal printing process parameters, providing a technical foundation for the future of in-space additive manufacturing of metallic glasses.

Reconfigurable metasurfaces have attracted significant attention due to their capability for fast and flexible manipulation of electromagnetic (EM) waves. However, achieving wide-range continuous tuning remains a formidable challenge. In this work, we propose a reconfigurable metasurface based on a 3D buckling assembly strategy, comprising an array of meta-atoms selectively bonded to a biaxially pre-stretched flexible substrate. The controlled release of the pre-strain induces a structural transformation of the meta-atoms from 2D precursors to 3D configurations, thereby endowing the metasurface with 3D reconfigurability. The finite element analysis confirms the stable buckling behavior of the structure, while full-wave electromagnetic simulations further demonstrate that the meta-atoms maintain linear modulation of the geometric phase throughout the 3D reconfiguration process. Leveraging the Pancharatnam-Berry phase principle, a reconfigurable metalens and a dynamic beam deflector are designed and validated: the metalens achieves continuous focal length tuning from 70 mm to 295 mm, and the beam deflector enables EM wave deflection angles spanning 30.0° to 88.7°. By synergistically combining mechanical flexibility with electromagnetic tunability, this design enables continuous control over phase, focusing properties, and wavefront direction, offering a promising approach for reconfigurable imaging, sensing, and dynamic wavefront manipulation.

High-precision space missions, including gravitational wave detection, space-based high-resolution imaging, and advanced propulsion technologies, impose stringent requirements on ultra-quiet and ultra-stable experimental environments, in which low-frequency disturbance suppression is a critical challenge. To address the demands for low-frequency vibration isolation and high-resolution micro-thrust measurement under microgravity conditions, a space science experimental platform based on a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation composite bearing is proposed in this paper. By exploiting the flux pinning effect and hysteretic characteristics of the HTS magnetic levitation bearing, the platform simultaneously achieves passive low-frequency vibration isolation in the levitated state and ultra-low-friction circumferential rotation. A levitation damping system with frequency-independent hysteretic damping is established, enabling effective suppression of low-frequency disturbances. Power spectral density analysis indicates that the noise level can be controlled below 1 μm/Hz^1/2 above 10 mHz. Under space microgravity conditions, the influence of the gravitational unbalance potential well is significantly reduced, and the rotational coefficient of friction is expected to decrease from the order of 10⁻⁶ under terrestrial conditions to 10⁻⁷~10⁻⁸. As a result, long-duration micro-thrust measurements with a resolution of 0.1 μN can be achieved. The proposed superconducting magnetic levitation space experimental platform provides technical support for future high-precision space science experiments, including space electric propulsion performance verification and drag-free control validation.

To meet the demand for seamless global coverage in 6G networks, direct-to-cell satellite communication has emerged as a pivotal direction for next-generation communication systems. Recognizing the inherent limitations of traditional single-satellite architectures in delivering high-performance satellite communication services, distributed satellite cluster architectures offer distinct advantages. Building upon this, this paper proposes a dedicated geometric configuration optimization method tailored for such architectures. We design a deep learning framework incorporating attention-embedded convolutional learning to optimize the satellite cluster geometry via a data-driven approach, thereby achieving beam focusing and gain enhancement. Results demonstrate that, compared with existing configuration design schemes, the cluster geometry optimized by our proposed method yields superior beam pattern performance. Specifically, under identical beamwidth requirements, our method achieves significantly lower sidelobe levels. Furthermore, we analyze the impact of the number of satellites within the cluster on system performance, assuming a fixed total number of antenna elements. The study reveals that a higher number of satellites (finer granularity) substantially improves system performance. These findings validate the significant application value of the proposed distributed satellite cluster design methodology for realizing high-performance satellite communications.

As the demands for antenna precision and aperture size increase, conventional antenna configurations struggle to support both precision adjustment and the deployable design of large-scale antennas. The two mainstream technical approaches currently addressing these challenges are the design of adjustment mechanisms and on-orbit assembly, both of which require a modular antenna design with reserved gaps between modules for the installation of adjustment or connection mechanisms. An antenna truss structure with equal rib lengths and equal gaps can significantly reduce the engineering workload and has a substantial impact on advancing space antenna technology. This paper presents a topological design method for a modular antenna truss with equal rib lengths and equal gaps. Using hexagonal modules as the envelope geometry, the method analyzes and exploits the spatial geometric properties of the basic topological units. Under specified conditions of the fitted spherical radius, module height, module diameter, and module gap, an approximately equal-rib-length and equal-gap antenna truss model can be generated. Validation shows that for a fitted spherical radius of 150,000 mm, a module diameter of 15,000 mm, and a module gap of 500 mm, the rib length error is approximately 5.67 ten-thousandths (‱) of the individual module size, and the module gap error is about 4.93 ten-thousandths (‱) of the individual module size, both of which are generally within engineering tolerances.

To advance the development of lunar-based astronomical observation and to support the realization of astronomical observation capabilities for the International Lunar Research Station, it is essential to systematically conduct quantitative analysis of the key technical indicators of lunar-based astronomical observation equipment. Guided by the three core scientific objectives of lunar-based ultraviolet-optical-infrared observation, this study systematically analyzes observational requirements and further develops quantitative equipment specifications, clarifying the core technical requirements of lunar-based ultraviolet-optical-infrared telescopes in terms of observational wavebands, aperture, field of view, and spatial resolution. Considering engineering feasibility and maximizing the achievement of scientific objectives, a multi-module lunar-based telescope scheme consisting of a large-aperture survey telescope, a small-aperture telescope array, and an extreme ultraviolet telescope is proposed. This work establishes a bridge between scientific requirements and engineering implementation, providing important technical support and references for the future development of lunar-based ultraviolet-optical-infrared telescopes.

With the increasing frequency of human space activities, the number of space debris triggered by spacecraft disintegration has surged, posing a severe threat to the long-term safe operation of on-orbit spacecraft. Aiming at the problem of multi-debris removal associated with spacecraft disintegration, this paper constructs an optimization framework for orbit planning. The framework generates a candidate orbit set via a sequential density clustering algorithm based on dynamic centers, and then accomplishes the global optimal design of the debris remover’s orbit through a genetic algorithm-based “time point-orbit combination” optimization algorithm. Meanwhile, numerical simulations and performance analyses are conducted using tools such as aerospace tool kit on the basis of typical low Earth orbit scenarios. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm presents favorable effectiveness and generalization under engineering constraints, providing support for orbit planning in multi-debris removal missions related to spacecraft disintegration.

With the expansion of human space activities, the number of space objects is rapidly increasing, leading to a more complex orbital environment and higher demands on onboard perception systems. Event cameras, as neuromorphic vision sensors, provide high temporal resolution and wide dynamic range, making them suitable for extreme illumination and high-speed motion in space. In this work, we study event-based space object detection for on-orbit perception. To address the scarcity of domain-specific event data, we construct a large-scale dataset named E-SPARK using affine transformations and advanced event simulators. To model temporal dynamics in event streams, we further develop a YOLO-ConvLSTM detector that captures spatiotemporal features and improves performance under sparse responses. Experiments on both synthetic and real data show that event-based perception is more robust than conventional imaging in extreme environments. The proposed method achieves improved detection accuracy while maintaining high inference efficiency, making it suitable for resource-constrained spaceborne platforms.

In the application of spacecraft micro-vibration active vibration isolation systems, problems of nonlinear transmission paths and limited actuator output power are prevalent. It was considered of great significance to obtain superior active control performance while avoiding actuator over-driving. Traditional spacecraft micro-vibration active isolation systems primarily focused on either nonlinear compensation or controller output power constraints, while few algorithms simultaneously addressed both. To this end, a nonlinear active vibration isolation algorithm for spacecraft with output power constraints Minimum Output Variance Filtered-x Least Mean Square (MOV-VFxLMS) was proposed in this paper. By integrating Volterra nonlinear filtering with minimum output variance power constraint, the control performance of the active isolation system against nonlinear disturbances was further enhanced while ensuring that the actuator was not over-driven. Numerical simulations and ground experiments were conducted, the results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm could flexibly regulate the controller output power and prevent actuator saturation. The ground verification results indicated that, under typical operating conditions of the flywheel at 3 000 RPM and 6 000 RPM, the proposed algorithm exhibited an improvement of 12.8726 dB and 14.6382 dB in active vibration isolation performance, compared to the traditional minimum output variance adaptive control algorithm, significantly enhancing the micro-vibration suppression performance of the spacecraft under nonlinear disturbances.

During spacecraft operations such as attitude adjustment, orbital transfer, and multiple engine restarts, time-varying thrust often induces sloshing of the propellant inside the tank. This sloshing interacts with the spacecraft structure, leading to rigid-fluid coupled oscillations, which increase the complexity of high-precision control. A key scientific challenge lies in understanding the dynamics of rigid-liquid coupling under microgravity and variable gravity conditions. However, there remains a lack of dedicated experimental platforms and systematic studies for such coupling processes in microgravity environments. To address this gap, a free-sloshing experimental platform has been developed based on the drop tower. The setup consists primarily of a tank and an integrated tank-cage assembly. By applying initial external loads of varying forms and magnitudes, the platform enables the experimental simulation of free-sloshing dynamics in partially filled tanks. This system supports both ground and drop-tower experiments, allowing for studies of rigid-liquid coupling under variable acceleration, and provides valuable microgravity experimental data. The platform helps bridge the gap in experimental capabilities for studying propellant sloshing under microgravity.

With the rapid development of China’ s space technology, emerging tasks such as on-orbit assembly, extravehicular inspection, and space equipment manufacturing have imposed increasingly stringent requirements on novel connection and reversible attachment technologies under extreme environments. For complex operating conditions involving low temperature, vacuum, and microgravity, existing adhesion strategies, including magnetic adhesion, vacuum suction, and electrostatic adhesion, still suffer from limitations in applicable surfaces, energy consumption, structural lightweighting, and environmental adaptability. Among them, bioinspired dry adhesion has been regarded as a promising solution for miniature space attachment systems because it requires no continuous energy input, leaves no residue, and offers low mass and strong surface adaptability. However, classical contact mechanics models cannot adequately describe the adhesive behavior of non-spherical microstructures coupled with large deformation of soft materials. As a result, a unified physical framework for comparing dry adhesive microstructures with different materials, dimensions, and geometries is still lacking, which restricts the theoretical design and performance evaluation of high-performance bioinspired dry adhesives. To address this issue, this study proposes a flexible adhesion theory for bioinspired dry adhesive microstructures. Two key physical descriptors, namely the flexible figure of merit and the equivalent adhesion radius, are introduced to characterize the coupled effects of material compliance, structural scale, and interfacial adhesion capability, and to reveal the power-law scaling relationship governing adhesion strength with respect to geometric and material parameters. By moving beyond the dependence of conventional models on idealized contact forms, the proposed framework establishes a unified evaluation methodology for complex flexible microstructured adhesive systems. It provides a theoretical basis for performance analysis, cross-system comparison, and rational design of new dry adhesive materials, and offers a new analytical framework for the development of efficient and controllable microscale adhesion technologies in extreme environments.

In response to the increasingly severe space debris environment, a high-modulus bio-inspired helicoidal Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminate was designed and fabricated. Two-stage light gas gun hypervelocity impact tests and coupled Finite Element–Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics simulations were employed in combination to elucidate the phase evolution and spatial distribution characteristics of debris clouds, reveal the underlying performance enhancement mechanism of the high-modulus bio-inspired helicoidal laminate, and systematically compare the debris-shielding performance among the high-modulus helicoidal CFRP, high-strength helicoidal CFRP, and aerospace-grade aluminum alloy under varied impact scenarios. At an impact velocity of 1.35 km/s, the perforation diameter, residual fragment mass, and residual fragment kinetic energy of the high-modulus laminate are reduced by 9.25%, 85.19%, and 89.50%, respectively, relative to the high-strength counterpart. Notably, the high-modulus laminate exhibits markedly superior debris-shielding performance to both the high-strength helicoidal CFRP and aerospace-grade aluminum alloy under all tested impact conditions. Benefiting from its stiffness advantage, the high-modulus laminate enables rapid stress wave propagation over a larger effective region, suppresses material damage, and promotes complete fragmentation of space debris, thereby substantially improving debris-shielding performance.

When conducting space debris observation using optical payloads such as hosted payloads, the movement and attitude adjustments of the satellite platform cause inter-frame motion in the image sequence, directly affecting the accuracy of star map matching. Star image registration technology is an effective means to achieve image alignment and eliminate motion offset. Traditional astronomical image registration typically adopts a point- by-point matching strategy between point sets, but this blind point-to-point matching tends to generate redundant calculations and mismatches. Based on the space-based observation imaging model, this paper theoretically demonstrates the uniformity of star point motion in images and proposes a novel registration method guided by velocity fields—transforming the traditional single-point matching process into a globally optimized point set matching method. By fitting sample star points to the theoretical imaging model to determine their velocity field, the full image velocity field is then solved; this velocity field can roughly estimate the rigid transformation model of the image, thereby accelerating the star point matching process; the dual velocity field provides an effective motion prior, avoiding blind matching issues and significantly improving registration success rate and accuracy. Experiments on space-based images show that this method achieves a matching accuracy of 98.70% and a reprojection error below 0.09 pixels, confirming its potential application in the field of space debris observation.

For the requirement of in-situ utilization of Martian atmosphere resources in future Mars exploration missions, a non-thermal plasma Martian atmosphere oxygen production system was established. Carbon dioxide conversion experiments were conducted using a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge reactor under simulated Martian environmental conditions. This study investigated the effects of key operational parameters such as discharge power and gas flow rate on CO₂ conversion and oxygen production rate. It was found that increasing the discharge power could effectively promote CO₂ decomposition, and the optimal gas flow rate was determined. In-situ spectroscopic diagnostics were used to examine the species and distribution of molecular and ionic excited states of major gases under different operating conditions. The relationship between working performance and intensities of emission lines was evaluated. The experimental results demonstrate that the coaxial dielectric barrier discharge can effectively convert CO₂ under low pressure conditions, providing a valid basis for future engineering applications and potential extension to in-situ production of methane and/or other hydrocarbons.

With the deployment of a new batch of multi-wavelength, multi-messenger survey telescopes, the detection rate of transient sources has been increased significantly. With the discovery of hundreds of thousands of transient sources by these survey telescopes, the existing or planned telescopes are seriously insufficient to achieve all-sky, multi-dimensional (timing, imaging, spectral, polarization), multi-target simultaneous follow-up observations. The development of technologies such as lightweight focusing optics, high-precision deployable mast, and compact focal plane detectors has enabled micro-satellites to possess observational capabilities comparable to those of observatory-level space telescopes. The Chasing All Transients Constellation Hunters (CATCH) propose to deploy a constellation of hundreds of small satellites. Through intelligent distribution and deployment of the constellation, with different satellites configured with different kinds of payloads, CATCH will conduct uninterrupted observations as well as multi-dimensional simultaneous observations for numerous transients using multiple satellites. The key technologies of the CATCH constellation are lightweight focusing optics and compact focal plane detectors.

To address the frequent occurrence of detection and surveillance threats to in-orbit spacecraft and the difficulty in quantifying the level of such threats, this paper proposes an in-orbit threat level assessment method for spacecraft under space-based photoelectric detection scenarios. Without requiring actual detection imaging results, the method utilizes publicly available or reference data to simulate detection scenarios, thereby quantifying the threat level to in-orbit spacecraft. For visible-band detection imaging, a set of threat indicator models for optical detection images that characterize image information content is defined, leveraging optical imaging principles and the detectability evaluation metric based on the Johnson criteria. For long-wave infrared-band detection imaging, a cross-evaluation method combining the target’s apparent temperature difference and its equivalent size is proposed. Finally, the proposed assessment method is validated through simulation experiments using partially public spacecraft detection parameters. The potential value and significance of the proposed threat level assessment method in improving the space situational awareness chain and enhancing autonomous in-orbit protection capabilities are also preliminarily explored.

In deep space exploration missions, the pointing accuracy of high-gain antennas directly impacts the reliability of telemetry, tracking, and command communication, as well as data transmission efficiency. Addressing the technical challenge of in-orbit pointing calibration for high-gain antennas on deep space probes, this paper systematically analyzes the sources of pointing errors and proposes a novel method for calibrating the Earth-pointing direction of high-gain antennas based on the inversion of on-board automatic gain control telemetry data. By analyzing the flight characteristics and constraints of deep space probes, this method adopts a collaborative working mechanism between high-gain and low-gain antennas, providing a systematic solution for in-orbit antenna pointing calibration. Drawing on the engineering practice of the Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter, the design principles, implementation procedures, and error analysis methods of the calibration scheme are elaborated in detail. In-orbit testing demonstrates that this method effectively improves antenna pointing accuracy, with pointing errors better than 0.10°, thereby offering reliable technical support for deep space exploration missions.

High-accuracy reference frame transformations for spacecraft precision orbit determination rely on polar motion. To address the 13-day data latency in observed data and the lack of physical mechanisms in traditional prediction models, we propose a fusion prediction method combining Earth rotation dynamics and weighted least squares. This method inverts polar motion series into excitation functions via the Liouville equation, extrapolates them using a weighted least squares model with a time decay factor, and reconstructs predictions via dynamic integration. Experiments using 2019—2023 data demonstrate that this approach outperforms least squares+autoregressive model and International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service Bulletin A over 1~365 days, improving accuracy by 43.61%~46.50% and 16.26%~21.08%, respectively. Furthermore, 90-day simulations for navigation satellites such as Global Positioning System and Beidou Navigation Satellite System reveal a 23.97%~35.93% accuracy enhancement over Bulletin A. Results indicate that dynamic constraints effectively mitigate medium-to-long-term divergence, reducing frame transformation errors and supporting high-precision autonomous precision orbit determination and deep space exploration.

Aiming at the issues of latency in data processing and the difficulty of capturing short-period, high-frequency disturbances in existing polar motion observation techniques, this paper proposes a measurement method for Earth rotation polar motion based on the joint multi-station observation of high-precision fiber optic interferometers. Firstly, the linear projection equation between the observations of a single-station fiber optic interferometer and the polar motion parameters is derived based on the Sagnac effect, and a mathematical model for multi-station joint least-squares estimation is constructed. Secondly, the influence of the geometric distribution of observation stations on the stability of the solution is investigated, with the Condition Number of the design matrix introduced to quantitatively evaluate the system's performance. For various geographic distribution scenarios, simulation verification is conducted by constructing a complex polar motion physical model that incorporates both Chandler wobble and annual wobble components. The research results indicate that the measurement accuracy of polar motion is highly dependent on the geometric configuration of the observation network. A smaller condition number in the design matrix leads to a stronger suppression of random noise within the system. Compared to the dense distribution scheme ($ \kappa \approx 16.9 $), the wide-area distribution scheme (with a longitude span of approximately 50°) significantly reduces the condition number to $ \kappa \approx 3.1 $, effectively overcoming the ill-conditioned nature of the equations. Under the same hardware precision, the trajectory of the polar motion solution in the wide-area scheme highly converges to the true value, with the root mean square error reduced by approximately 80%. Furthermore, limit simulations provide the quantitative requirements for interferometer precision necessary to achieve a polar motion measurement accuracy of 0.001 0''. This study validates the feasibility of using ground-based inertial observation networks for autonomous, high-frequency, and real-time monitoring of Earth rotation polar motion, providing a theoretical basis and roadmap for the construction of high-precision ground-based inertial monitoring systems.