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Under the guidance of Vladimir Aslanov, Professor at the Department of Theoretical Mechanics, Anastasia Romanenko, a master’s degree student from Samara University, calculated the optimal conditions for a mission to the Martian satellite Phobos. And everything began with much reading science fiction by the girl in her childhood. If we recall that this genre is based on fiction based on science and can be brought to life in future, our heroine turns out to be one of those who “were born to make a fairy tale come true”. And the famous science-fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who failed to await for flights to the Mars during his lifetime, would certainly have shaken the hand of the girl from Samara, because she is taking real steps towards conquering the mysterious red planet.
Kir Bulychev and robotics
“What was your childhood like and when did you discover your aptitude for the exact sciences?”
“Being a child, I read a lot of science fiction, mostly about outer space and interplanetary flights. Perhaps the love for outer space is from there. My favorite writer was Kir Bulychev and his books about the girl Alica Selezneva and her adventures. And it became clear about my aptitude for the exact sciences in secondary school”.
“What did your parents do?”
“My Dad is an associate professor at Samara University, engaged in researching, which, however, is not related to the celestial mechanics and dynamics of space flights. And my Mom is a teacher at the Samara Regional Centre for Gifted Children. To my mind, parents’ professions and lifestyle influence their child’s life choices, as well”.
“What school did you go to, did anything important for you happen there?”
“Until the 9th grade, I studied at School No. 36, then entered the Samara International Aerospace Lyceum, which gave me advanced knowledge in mathematics and physics. One of important stages of my professional development was taking classes in the robotics club at school. At that time basics of knowledge in programming and engineering sciences were laid. I got the opportunity for attending specialized shifts at educational camps, competitions and conferences”.
People who are passionate about their business
“Why did you choose Samara University?”
“At the Aerospace Lyceum, I got the opportunity for studying in Samara University’s laboratories and being taught by the university teachers. At the time, I realized that it was here that I could get a high-quality education. When the question of choosing a specialty came up, I wanted to find the area, in which I could actively engage in science, the area with a large number of mathematical subjects and a wide range for applying my gained knowledge in subsequent professional activities. This resulted in choosing the specialty “Mechanics and Mathematical Simulation”, the profile “Analysis and Mechanics and Mathematical Simulation of Aerospace Systems”. And now I am sure that I was not mistaken”.
“How did your studies at the University go? Are there any memorable moments?”
“I am currently studying for a master’s degree in the specialty “Mechanics and Mathematical Simulation” at the Department of Theoretical Mechanics. My undergraduate studies were fascinating, I would say exciting, largely due to the teaching staff of the Department, people passionate about their work and happy to teach us. There are many memorable moments, mostly related to trips to Olympiads, scientific conferences and competitions. Though my student life wasn’t just about science. I was actively involved in organizing events related to popularizing science, and I worked with future university applicants. To this day, I am a member of the team organizing Science Slam projects”.
“What were your first scientific studies? Who inspired you?”
“My first serious works appeared when I was an undergraduate, as the knowledge and training allowed. They were dedicated to flights to the Phobos. But the early, rather funny attempts at writing “scientific papers” were taken even at elementary school. For example, the very first work was devoted to paleontology, and I remember it, of course, with humor. And it is my parents that have been giving me inspiration and motivation to learn new things and try myself in such activities since my childhood”.
The Martian Chronicles
“How did you come to the point where you started calculating optimal conditions for a mission to the Phobos?”
“In the first year, our classes on the subject “Introduction to the Specialty” were taught by Professor Vladimir Stepanovich Aslanov, who tried to show us, first-year students, real examples from practice, what tasks are solved by specialists in our field, including an article about the mission on exploring the Mars and its moons. It was then that interest in researching Phobos arose, and the work with Vladimir Stepanovich as a scientific supervisor began”.
“What’s difficult about studying the Phobos today?”
“The Phobos has a very low density, so it will not be possible to use Keplerian orbits, in which spacecrafts operate around the Earth or the Moon. We have to consider motion in quasi-satellite orbits. These are special trajectories that pass outside the sphere of the main gravitational influence of a small celestial body, for example, the Phobos, and at the same time are affected by gravity from a larger and more distant celestial body, for example, the Mars”.
“If the calculations are ready, the question inevitably arises: when will the project start? What prevents you from launching a space probe to the satellite right now?”
“Developing and implementing projects dedicated to space research is a very difficult task that requires a huge number of people and resources involved. The mathematical proof of the implementation has now been carried out, given several simplifications. For the project to develop, it is necessary to take into account a much larger number of conditions, and then the stage of technical implementation, where far from two people should be involved”.
Understanding the origin of the Universe
“What other countries are currently developing missions to the Phobos?”
“The Japanese Aerospace Agency is currently actively working on the MMX (Martian Moons eXploration) mission, which is aimed at exploring the Phobos and the Deimos, another moon of the Mars. Launching the mission is scheduled for 2026. “Roscosmos” has announced its mission “Boomerang” (“Phobos-Grunt 2”), which also aims at exploring the satellites of the Mars, and its launch is scheduled to take place after 2030. Besides, a number of countries and aerospace agencies are engaged in missions related to exploring the Mars itself. Among them, there are the United States (NASA), the European Space Agency, and China. Main objectives of the missions were the delivery of samples from the surface of the Red Planet to the Earth and the search for past and present life on it”.
“Are you only interested in Mars now? Are you likely to have a dream of exploring another planet or a star?”
“I would say that space exploration generally is attractive for me. And researching the Mars and the Phobos is interesting because of the results, which can lead us to understanding the origin of the Universe”.
FOR REFERENCE
The Phobos has an irregular shape, looking like a potato. Its surface is covered with craters and rows of parallel trenches up to 20 m deep and 200 m wide. According to scientists, the Phobos is unevenly porous inside, so its gravity field is small and also uneven. It is named after the son of the ancient Greek god Ares”.
“What are you working on right now?”
“Currently, we work on the article by Aslanov V.S., Romanenko A.V. about applying tether systems for exploring the surface of the Phobos. “Phobos topography studying with tether system in elliptical restricted three-body problem" has been accepted for publication in “Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets”. The paper is devoted to building special mathematical laws that allow controlling the motion of two spacecrafts connected by the tether. The basic spacecraft is assumed to be moving in a quasi-satellite orbit around the Phobos. The research module attached to it by the tether must be delivered to the small preset distance above the satellite, in order to take detailed photographs of its surface or take soil samples. The obtained mathematical laws will provide such control over the tether length and the module motion, which will successfully solve the problem. We plan to continue developing this theme. We consider mechanisms for landing research spacecrafts on the Phobos, as well”.
The capability to turn fantasies into reality
“What do your relatives think about your scientific work?”
“My family supports my interest and choice of the field of activity in everything; moreover, my Dad is also engaged in researching. In general, all my relatives only approve and support this field of activity. Being supported by the loved ones is very important”.
“What attracts you the most in science?”
“Its capability to turn fantasies into reality. Until recently, people only dreamed of space flights, but now, although it has not become commonplace, launching booster rockets occur quite often. Who knows, perhaps tomorrow we will be able to start exploring distant planets”.
“What, in your opinion, distinguishes modern young scientists from their senior colleagues?”
“At present, young scientists seem to me to be distinguished by their aptitude for interdisciplinary projects and the opportunity for changing their career trajectory, adapting it to the changes taking place. Moreover, the younger generation is less inclined to follow hierarchy and is willing to challenge authority. Sometimes it is necessary”.
The material is prepared with the support of Russia’s Ministry of Education and Science, in the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology. See more detailed information on the website of the project “Possessed by Science”
Source: samara.aif.ru
