Establishing a Robotic, LEO-to-GEO Satellite Servicing Infrastructure as an Economic Foundation for Exploration

The strategy for accomplishing civilian exploration goals and objectives is in the process of a fundamental shift towards a potential new approach called Flexible Path. This paper suggests that a government-industry or public-private partnership in the commercial development of low Earth orbit to geostationary orbit (LEO-to-GEO (LTG)) space, following or in parallel with the commercialization of Earth-to-LEO and International Space Station (ISS) operations, could serve as a necessary, logical step that can be incorporated into the flexible path approach. A LTG satellite-servicing infrastructure and architecture concept is discussed within this new strategic context. The concept consists of a space harbor that serves as a transport facility for a fleet of specialized, fully- or semi-autonomous robotic servicing spacecraft. The baseline, conceptual system architecture is composed of a space harbor equipped with specialized servicer spacecraft; a satellite command, communication, and control system; a parts station; a fuel station or depot; and a fuel/parts replenishment transport. The commercial servicer fleet would consist of several types of spacecraft, each designed with specialized robotic manipulation subsystems to provide services such as refueling, upgrade, repair, inspection, relocation, and removal. The space harbor is conceptualized as an ISS-type, octagonal truss structure equipped with radiation tolerant subsystems. This space harbor would be primarily capable of serving as an operational platform for various commercially owned and operated servicer spacecraft positioned and docked symmetrically on four of the eight sides. Several aspects of this concept are discussed, such as: system-level feasibility in terms of ISS-truss-type infrastructure and subsystems emplacement and maintenance between LEO and GEO; infrastructure components assembly in LEO, derived from ISS assembly experience, and transfer to various higher orbital locations; the evolving Earth-to-orbit (ETO) capability to deliver humans and cargo to LEO for assembly purposes; system architectural definition, optimal orbital parameters, mass estimations, delta velocity ( V) estimations, power and propulsion options, and assessments of various critical technologies. Large-scale, robotic, LTG satellite servicing is considered as an essential economic pre-condition and next parallel or sequential step on the road toward exploration beyond LEO. Such a step might produce the necessary pre-requisite economic value that can be used by future decision makers to justify further investment in exploration beyond LEO

Military Leader Development and Autonomous Learning: Responding to the Growing Complexity of Warfare

The complexity in today’s operational military environment and the responsibility of leadership in this environment has exponentially increased over the past century. This trend will continue as global economies, political structures, and technologies continue to evolve. Learner autonomy is recognized as a paramount concern in leadership programs, including military programs. The purpose of this article is to increase awareness of the need for learner autonomy among military leaders; however, the implications may be generalizable to any organization responsible for developing leaders who operate in ambiguous and complex environments

Asynchronous Decentralized Task Allocation for Dynamic Environments

This work builds on a decentralized task allocation algorithm for networked agents communicating through an asynchronous channel, by extending the Asynchronous Consensus-Based Bundle Algorithm (ACBBA) to account for more real time implementation issues resulting from a decentralized planner. This paper specfically talks to the comparisons between global and local convergence in asynchronous consensus algorithms. Also a feature called asynchronous replan is introduced to ACBBA's functionality that enables e ffcient updates to large changes in local situational awareness. A real-time software implementation using multiple agents communicating through the user datagram protocol (UDP) validates the proposed algorithm.United States. Air Force (grant FA9550-08-1-0086)United States. Air Force Office of Scientific Research (grant FA9550-08-1-0086)Aurora Flight Sciences Corp. (SBIR - FA8750-10-C-0107

Urban and river flooding: Comparison of flood risk management approaches in the UK and China and an assessment of future knowledge needs

Increased urbanisation, economic growth, and long-term climate variability have made both the UK and China more susceptible to urban and river flooding, putting people and property at increased risk. This paper presents a review of the current flooding challenges that are affecting the UK and China and the actions that each country is undertaking to tackle these problems. Particular emphases in this paper are laid on (1) learning from previous flooding events in the UK and China, and (2) which management methodologies are commonly used to reduce flood risk. The paper concludes with a strategic research plan suggested by the authors, together with proposed ways to overcome identified knowledge gaps in flood management. Recommendations briefly comprise the engagement of all stakeholders to ensure a proactive approach to land use planning, early warning systems, and water-sensitive urban design or redesign through more effective policy, multi-level flood models, and data driven models of water quantity and quality

A dictionary of the Pathan tribes on the north-west frontier of India

A dictionary of the the Pashtun tribes prepare by the General Staff Army Headquarters, India. Publisher - Calcutta: Superintendent Government Printing, Indi

Special Orders No. 129

Otto L. Amsler\u27s return orders from Bordeaux, France.https://digitalcommons.northgeorgia.edu/alumni/1005/thumbnail.jp

Special Orders No. 97

Otto L. Amsler\u27s orders to report to Headquarters Base Station no. 2 in Bordeaux, France.https://digitalcommons.northgeorgia.edu/alumni/1004/thumbnail.jp

Orientation for Entertainers Preparing to Tour Military Installations in the Northeast Area

An orientation packet prepared for USO Tour entertainers by the Recreation Division of the USAF from 1970.https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/theatre-uso-tour/1015/thumbnail.jp

AR 10-50, Organization and Functions, United States Army Medical Intelligence and Information Agency, 16 July 1975.

The purpose of the regulation is described as setting “… forth the mission and principle functions of the United States Medical Intelligence and Information Agency, a Field Operating Agency of the Office of The Surgeon General…”[US Army]. In other words, the MIIA is a special purpose organization reporting to The Surgeon General, chief of the Army Medical Department and senior medical staff officer in the US Department of the Army. The mission of the MIIA…”is to produce medical scientific and technical intelligence (S&TI) and general medical intelligence (GMI) studies required by the Department of Defense; to provide timely medical intelligence support to the Office(s) of The Surgeon(s) General, Major Commands and Staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and other Government agencies as required; and to coordinate the exploitation of foreign medical materiel with other Government agencies as directed.” That means that the MIIA provides intelligence to the Department of Defense and the Air Force and Navy as well as to the Army

HQ AMC GO 5, Missile Intelligence Directorate, US Army Missile Command, Huntsville, Alabama, 19 January 1968.

This order established the Missile Intelligence Directorate (MID) as an intelligence agency assigned to the US Army Missile Command to “… develop, maintain, and disseminate foreign scientific and technical intelligence concerning ground forces, surface-to-surface, surface-to-air, and anti-ballistic missile systems in response to valid Department of Defense, Department of the Army, and Army Materiel Command production requirements.” This order established the second intelligence production organization within the Army Materiel Command. The first being the US Army Foreign Science and Technology Center