Books by Pablo de León, Ph.D.
Este segundo tomo de Historia de la Actividad Espacial en la Argentina retoma el desarrollo espac... more Este segundo tomo de Historia de la Actividad Espacial en la Argentina retoma el desarrollo espacial nacional desde 1980 hasta 1993 explorando en profundidad la historia del Proyecto Cóndor, desde sus comienzos como un cohete de investigación creado para ganar experiencia en el desarrollo de grandes motores cohete, hasta su conversión a partir de la Guerra de las Malvinas en un misil de alcance intermedio.
El Cóndor II, debido a las prestaciones para las que había sido creado, pronto fue de interés para países más allá de la Argentina, lo que lo convirtió en un proyecto internacional, de implicancias desconocidas para sus creadores.
A través de abundante material, fuentes inéditas, y documentos nunca antes publicados, se reconstruye la historia del misil argentino, que hasta ahora fue cubierta de un manto de secreto y que por primera vez este trabajo revela con un nivel de profundidad y detalle que seguramente lo convertirá en un libro de referencia obligado sobre el Proyecto Cóndor, su desarrollo, construcción y las alternativas que llevaron a su cancelación definitiva en los años 90.
Historia de la Actividad Espacial en la Argentina is the account of the space program in this Sou... more Historia de la Actividad Espacial en la Argentina is the account of the space program in this South American country. The first volume covers from 1930 to 1980.In Spanish. Este libro trata sobre la evolución de la actividad espacial en la Argentina, desde Teófilo Tabanera hasta el último lanzamiento del cohete argentino Tauro 09. En español, ilustrado.
Papers by Pablo de León, Ph.D.
Microbiome, Jul 11, 2017
Background: An inflatable lunar/Mars analog habitat (ILMAH), simulated closed system isolated by ... more Background: An inflatable lunar/Mars analog habitat (ILMAH), simulated closed system isolated by HEPA filtration, mimics International Space Station (ISS) conditions and future human habitation on other planets except for the exchange of air between outdoor and indoor environments. The ILMAH was primarily commissioned to measure physiological, psychological, and immunological characteristics of human inhabiting in isolation, but it was also available for other studies such as examining its microbiological aspects. Characterizing and understanding possible changes and succession of fungal species is of high importance since fungi are not only hazardous to inhabitants but also deteriorate the habitats. Observing the mycobiome changes in the presence of human will enable developing appropriate countermeasures with reference to crew health in a future closed habitat. Results: Succession of fungi was characterized utilizing both traditional and state-of-the-art molecular techniques during the 30-day human occupation of the ILMAH. Surface samples were collected at various time points and locations to observe both the total and viable fungal populations of common environmental and opportunistic pathogenic species. To estimate the cultivable fungal population, potato dextrose agar plate counts method was utilized. The internal transcribed spacer region-based iTag Illumina sequencing was employed to measure the community structure and fluctuation of the mycobiome over time in various locations. Treatment of samples with propidium monoazide (PMA; a DNA intercalating dye for selective detection of viable microbial populations) had a significant effect on the microbial diversity compared to non-PMA-treated samples. Statistical analysis confirmed that viable fungal community structure changed (increase in diversity and decrease in fungal burden) over the occupation time. Samples collected at day 20 showed distinct fungal profiles from samples collected at any other time point (before or after). Viable fungal families like Davidiellaceae, Teratosphaeriaceae, Pleosporales, and Pleosporaceae were shown to increase during the occupation time. Conclusions: The results of this study revealed that the overall fungal diversity in the closed habitat changed during human presence; therefore, it is crucial to properly maintain a closed habitat to preserve it from deteriorating and keep it safe for its inhabitants. Differences in community profiles were observed when statistically treated, especially of the mycobiome of samples collected at day 20. On a genus level Epiccocum, Alternaria, Pleosporales, Davidiella, and Cryptococcus showed increased abundance over the occupation time.
40th International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2010
010In August 2009 YAP Films (Toronto) received permission from all entities involved to create a ... more 010In August 2009 YAP Films (Toronto) received permission from all entities involved to create a documentary film illustrating what it might be like to be on the surface of Mars in a space suit during a dust storm or in a dust devil. The science consultants on this project utilized this opportunity to collect data which could be helpful to assess the durability of current space suit construction to the Martian environment. The NDX-1 prototype planetary space suit developed at the University of North Dakota was used in this study. The suit features a hard upper torso garment, and a soft lower torso and boots assembly. On top of that, a nylon-cotton outer layer is used to protect the suit from dust. Unmanned tests were carried out in the Martian Surface Wind Tunnel (MARSWIT) at the NASA Ames Research Center, with the suit pressurized to 10 kPa gauge. These tests blasted the space suit upper torso and helmet, and a collection of nine candidate outer layer fabrics, with wind-borne simulant for five different 10 minute tests under both terrestrial and Martian surface pressures. The infiltration of the dust through the outer fabric of the space suit was photographically documented. The nine fabric samples were analyzed under light and electron microscopes for abrasion damage. Manned tests were carried out at Showbiz Studios (Van Nuys, CA) with the pressure maintained at 20±2 kPa gauge. A large fancreated vortex lifted Martian dust simulant (Fullers Earth or JSC Mars-1) off of the floor, and one of the authors (Lee) wearing the NDX-1 space suit walked through it to judge both subjectively and objectively how the suit performed under these conditions. Both the procedures to scale the tests to Martian conditions and the results of the infiltration and abrasion studies will be discussed.
There have been major advances in research and development of devices for the diagnosis of patien... more There have been major advances in research and development of devices for the diagnosis of patients in the medical field. A light and portable wireless system to monitor human physiological signals has been always a medical personnel’s dream. An e-health monitoring system is a widely used noninvasive diagnosis tool for an ambulatory patient who may be at risk from latent life threatening cardiac abnormalities. The authors proposed a high performance and intelligent wireless measuring e-health monitoring system for a mobile device that is characterized by the small sized and low power consumption. The hardware system consists of an one-chip microcontroller (Atmega 128L), a wireless module, and electrocardigram (ECG) signal preprocessing including filtering, power noise canceling, and level shifting. The software utilizes a recursive filter and preprocessing algorithm to detect ECG signal parameters, i.e., QRS-complex, Q-R-T points, HR, and QT-interval. To easily interface with a mobile device, an analyzer program operates on a Windows mobile OS. This paper described the system that was developed and successfully tested for a wireless transmission of ECG signals to a mobile device.
2015 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation & USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting, 2015
2015 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation & USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting, 2015
2015 IEEE International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation & USNC/URSI National Radio Science Meeting, 2015
IEEE Antennas and Propagation Magazine, 2015
This paper provides a review of the first ten day human simulation with an integrated inflatable ... more This paper provides a review of the first ten day human simulation with an integrated inflatable habitat system developed at the University of North Dakota's Human Spaceflight Laboratory. This system is composed by an electric rover and pressurized planetary exploration suits to better facilitate Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA). Integration of a habitat with EVA components increases efficiency, provides protection from external environmental factors (thermal variation, dust, weather, etc.), maintains the internal environment and has been designed to provide living space for a crew of four for a mission duration of 30 days. The LMAH's integrated design helps to expedite EVAs and sample processing by decreasing the overall preparation time needed prior to EVAs. Over a ten day study this system functions successfully with only minor habitability issues to be corrected prior to the next simulation. Based on the initial success another mission is in preparation and is expected t...
We report on Spaceward Bound North Dakota, an educational program designed to inspire and train s... more We report on Spaceward Bound North Dakota, an educational program designed to inspire and train students and teachers in the exploration of scientifically interesting geologic features in the upper midwest as an analog for exploration of Mars.
The proposed NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) has been labeled "not as a repetition of Ap... more The proposed NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) has been labeled "not as a repetition of Apollo, but instead what Apollo should have been." While this designation is certainly ripe for debate, there is no debating that the space suit community has, up to this point, had limited or no input into the on-going design of the CEV. However, it is important that the community take the opportunity to influence the configuration of the proposed CEV so as to optimize its orbital and planetary/lunar EVA capability, flexibility and safety. This "window of opportunity" will not remain open for long, as the CEV's configuration is rapidly congealing. This paper covers: 1. Brief space suit configurations, employment and history. 2. Brief descriptions and comparisons of IVA, EVA and IEVA space suits. 3. How history can be a guide to optimize EVA for the Crew Exploration Vehicle.
42nd International Conference on Environmental Systems, 2012
2012 Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2012
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Books by Pablo de León, Ph.D.
El Cóndor II, debido a las prestaciones para las que había sido creado, pronto fue de interés para países más allá de la Argentina, lo que lo convirtió en un proyecto internacional, de implicancias desconocidas para sus creadores.
A través de abundante material, fuentes inéditas, y documentos nunca antes publicados, se reconstruye la historia del misil argentino, que hasta ahora fue cubierta de un manto de secreto y que por primera vez este trabajo revela con un nivel de profundidad y detalle que seguramente lo convertirá en un libro de referencia obligado sobre el Proyecto Cóndor, su desarrollo, construcción y las alternativas que llevaron a su cancelación definitiva en los años 90.
Papers by Pablo de León, Ph.D.
El Cóndor II, debido a las prestaciones para las que había sido creado, pronto fue de interés para países más allá de la Argentina, lo que lo convirtió en un proyecto internacional, de implicancias desconocidas para sus creadores.
A través de abundante material, fuentes inéditas, y documentos nunca antes publicados, se reconstruye la historia del misil argentino, que hasta ahora fue cubierta de un manto de secreto y que por primera vez este trabajo revela con un nivel de profundidad y detalle que seguramente lo convertirá en un libro de referencia obligado sobre el Proyecto Cóndor, su desarrollo, construcción y las alternativas que llevaron a su cancelación definitiva en los años 90.
To date, monitoring the microbial diversity of the ISS was performed utilizing culture based methods for detailed molecular characterization.
Studying the ISS in parallel with an earth control (SAF) as well as an earth analogue (ILMH), allow us to better understand the developments and diversity of such enclosed environments.
Of great concern is the ubiquitous presence of microorganisms, which have the potential to not only affect crew health but also have adverse effects on crew systems. Increased microbial burden on ISS could lead to infection or disease outbreaks in the closed habitat.
The threat of such an outbreak is especially hazardous due to the limited treatment and patient quarantine options.