Abstract: Disclosed is a distributed control method of cooperatively allowing a control strategy for satisfying a constraint on an aggregated resource and simultaneously achieving or maintaining a performance of a system to be determined in a real-time manner by any one of a plurality of entities which have the highest need for the resource at any given time, without providing a specified management entity. The proposed method or “card game scheme” of the present invention is designed to dynamically carry out a function of satisfying a constraint on an aggregate resource and simultaneously achieving or maintaining a performance of the entire system, based on a distributed control with high flexibility, wherein an “agent”, i.e., a software having a function of performing autonomous determination and control, is set in each of the entities, to allow the entities to dynamically take turns to perform a processing of determining a strategy for resource allocation.

Abstract: An ultrahigh altitude sun-synchronous orbit satellite system having one or plural satellites orbiting the sun such that the satellites revolve around the earth in a substantially circular or elliptic motion at an altitude of several million kilometers from the earth, beyond the sphere of earth gravity influence. The satellites are placed on an orbital plane relative to both the sun and the earth and keep a distance and geometry between the satellites, sun and earth substantially constant. The satellite system performs any one of the services of space observation, global observation, and satellite communication. The satellites orbit the sun with both inclination and eccentricity distinct from those of the revolution of the earth and revolve around the earth with a sun synchronous property in which the local solar time is kept constant at a point on the surface of the earth directly beneath the satellite.

Abstract: In a method for injecting a plurality of spacecraft into different circum-earth or interplanetary orbits individually in a single launch, a plurality of spacecraft coupled to an assist module are injected into an interplanetary orbit having a periodicity synchronous with the earth's revolution period. Then, in a maneuver allowing the assist module to re-counter with and pass near to the earth (Earth swing-by), the assist module appropriately performs an orbital change maneuver and a separation maneuver for each of the spacecraft in a sequential order. Through these maneuvers, a closest-approach point to the earth is changed for each of the spacecraft so as to drastically change a subsequent orbital element for each of the spacecraft. The assist module takes a sufficient time to determine a target orbit for each of the spacecraft with a high degree of accuracy until a half month to several days before a closest-approach time in the Earth swing-by.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for designing an orbit of a spacecraft which allows the spacecraft to take a small-radius halo orbit near a Lagrange point while avoiding the prohibited zone where the spacecraft may be shadowed or might be prevented from making communication. The method makes it possible to have a closed orbit although being similar to a Lissajous orbit, under a restricted condition where a propulsion force magnitude applied to a spacecraft is fixed, and where it rotates at a constant angular velocity, based on the equation of motion close to a Lagrange point. The method also provide a theory for guiding/controlling the orbit of a spacecraft, that is, the embodiment of the above orbit design method.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for designing an orbit of a spacecraft which allows the spacecraft to take a small-radius halo orbit near a Lagrange point while avoiding the prohibited zone where the spacecraft may be shadowed or might be prevented from making communication. The method makes it possible to have a closed orbit although being similar to a Lissajous orbit, under a restricted condition where a propulsion force magnitude applied to a spacecraft is fixed, and where it rotates at a constant angular velocity, based on the equation of motion close to a Lagrange point. The method also provide a theory for guiding/controlling the orbit of a spacecraft, that is, the embodiment of the above orbit design method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a device, which is in one hand implemented as a man-machine system in which the operations are shared such that a driver takes in charge of an inter-vehicle distance and speed control, while on the other hand a quantity of controls for stabilizing the inter-vehicle distance sequence is calculated automatically and additionally incorporated by the addition in respective vehicles. The stabilization of the inter-vehicle distance can be realized by employing the distributed control method in which a set of acceleration and deceleration information from a vehicle traveling ahead is appropriately integrated and transmitted in relay to a following vehicle. This enables the stabilization of the inter-vehicle distance sequence without requiring the inter-vehicle distance measurement in itself and the easy installation of equipment, and realizes a method in which safety is ensured by allowing the driver to still take charge of a local control.

Abstract: Disclosed is a liquid-fuel storage vessel for use in a vapor jet system to store liquid fuel, wherein the vapor jet system is adapted to jet the fuel in a state after being vaporized inside the liquid-fuel storage vessel, outside the liquid-fuel storage vessel, to obtain a thrust. The liquid-fuel storage vessel comprises: a hollow tank for storing the liquid fuel, wherein the tank has an ejection port for ejecting the vaporized fuel, outside the liquid-fuel storage vessel therethrough; a heating device for heating the tank; and a porous metal formed to have a plurality of interconnected cells and provided inside the tank, wherein at least a part of the liquid fuel is held in the cells of the porous metal, and heat energy given from the heating device to the tank is transferred to the liquid fuel through the porous metal to cause vaporization of at least a part of the liquid fuel. The liquid-fuel storage vessel of the present invention can obtain a stable thrust level and ensure spacecraft attitude control.

Abstract: A thruster is provided that makes it possible to reduce and eventually eliminate the toxicity of storable liquid propellant and improve the low-temperature environment adaptability of propulsion system using the storable liquid propellant. The thruster produces thrust by using catalytic decomposition gas obtained by catalytically decomposing nitrous oxide with a nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst.

Abstract: Disclosed is a distributed control method of cooperatively allowing a control strategy for satisfying a constraint on an aggregated resource and simultaneously achieving or maintaining a performance of a system to be determined in a real-time manner by any one of a plurality of entities which have the highest need for the resource at any given time, without providing a specified management entity. The proposed novel method or “card game scheme” of the present invention is designed to dynamically carry out a function of satisfying a constraint on an aggregate resource and simultaneously achieving or maintaining a performance of the entire system, based on a distributed control with high flexibility, wherein an “agent”, i.e.

Abstract: A system which comprises a sun-synchronous orbit satellite (3) revolving around the sun (5) and apparently revolving around the earth at a period of approximately one year while keeping the direction and the geometry to the sun and the earth (4) constant at an ultrahigh altitude of several millions km keeping clear of the influence zone of the earth, and which provides any of astronomical or global observation service and communication service. An observation satellite, which meets such conditions that a vector normal to a virtual orbital plane centering around the earth is substantially fixed regardless of revolution, can sweep the substantially entire celestial sphere during a single revolution while avoiding the effect of light and heat from the earth, and can keep a local solar time at a sub-satellite point on the surface of the earth constant, can be attained.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for injecting a plurality of spacecrafts into different circum-earth or interplanetary orbits individually in a single launch. A plurality of spacecrafts coupled to an assist module are injected into an interplanetary orbit having a periodicity synchronous with the earth's revolution period. Then, in a maneuver for allowing the assist module to re-counter with and pass near to the earth Earth swing-by), the assist module appropriately performs an orbital change maneuver and a separation maneuver for each of the spacecrafts in a sequential order. Through these maneuvers, a closest-approach point to the earth is changed for each of the spacecrafts so as to drastically change a subsequent orbital element for each of the spacecrafts. The assist module takes a sufficient time to determine a target orbit for each of the spacecrafts with a high degree of accuracy until a half month to several days before a closest-approach time in the Earth swing-by.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for improving a phenomenon of traffic congestion, that could occur even if there is no particular obstacles existing on the way, in an automobile or vehicle traffic on a highway or a railway, in which the method allows for a driver to be incorporated in a controlling operation effectively and safely. The present invention provides a method and a device, which is in one hand implemented as a man-machine system in which the operations are shared such that a driver takes in charge of an inter-vehicle distance and speed control, while on the other hand a quantity of controls for stabilizing the inter-vehicle distance sequence is calculated automatically and additionally incorporated by the addition in respective vehicles.

Abstract: A large membrane space structure deployed and spanned by centrifugal force owing to the spin motion, contains a hub located at a central portion thereof and a sail including a plurality of petals attached to the hub by supports. Each of the petals has regions symmetrical to an imaginary center line passing through the center of the hub. Membranes are spanned on the regions. Each of the membranes is divided into parts of suitable shapes, and adjacent membranes are discretely connected to each other by bridge belts to suppress the residual crease strain. The petals are symmetric with respect to the center of the hub. Deployment force is provided in the circumferential direction by the introduction of imaginary tension lines. The petals may be connected to each other to help deployment.

Abstract: A large membrane space structure deployed and spanned by centrifugal force owing to the spin motion, contains a hub located at a central portion thereof and a sail including a plurality of petals attached to the hub by supports. Each of the petals has regions symmetrical to an imaginary center line passing through the center of the hub. Membranes are spanned on the regions. Each of the membranes is divided into parts of suitable shapes, and adjacent membranes are discretely connected to each other by bridge belts to suppress the residual crease strain. The petals are symmetric with respect to the center of the hub. Deployment force is provided in the circumferential direction by the introduction of imaginary tension lines. The petals may be connected to each other to help deployment.

Abstract: When the operation of an electromagnetic thruster valve disposed in a fluid assage for establishing the connection between a gas tank and a thruster unit for jetting gas filled in the gas tank is controlled to follow a thrust command, rise time of thrust at certain thrust is measured based on a state of the operation of the electromagnetic thruster valve. Then, the measured value and a predetermined delay value are subject to a comparison. The obtained difference is used as previous delay time to correct delay time of operation control of the electromagnetic thruster valve with respect to a next thrust command when the operation of the electromagnetic valve is controlled.

Abstract: A sample collector of this invention includes a projectile projecting unit n which a projectile is loaded and which has a projecting outlet for projecting out the projectile loaded therein, an enclosed container which is communicated with the projecting outlet of the projectile projecting unit, which has a projectile passing hole arranged at a position located away from the projecting outlet, the passing hole allowing the projectile to pass through it after the projectile is projected out from the projecting outlet, and which covers a space between the projecting outlet of the projectile projecting unit, and a kinetic energy absorbing mechanism which is arranged around a projectile path between the projecting outlet of the projectile projecting unit and the projectile passing hole of the enclosed container. The kinetic energy absorbing mechanism may be an independent active type such as brushes or an integral passive type structured by a part of the container.