Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On July 25, at 08:54 Moscow time, the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle with the Fregat upper stage was launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome, which delivered two heliogeophysical spacecraft Ionosfera-M No. 3 and No. 4, as well as a group of 18 small space satellites, to their calculated orbits.
The launch of the Ionosfera-M series satellites completed the formation of a group of four devices of the Ionozond space complex, which will monitor the geophysical environment to conduct fundamental scientific research and solve applied problems.
The complex was created in the interests of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Federal Service of Russia for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring. The Ionosfera-M satellites are designed for a comprehensive study of the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere. They will observe various physical processes in the ionosphere, including natural and man-made impacts, changes in electromagnetic fields, atmospheric composition, and ozone distribution. The data obtained will be used by Roshydromet in combination with ground-based observations. The Russian Academy of Sciences plans to conduct ground-space experiments to study the ionosphere's response to natural phenomena such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.
Also, 18 small satellites have been launched into orbit. Nine of them were created by Geoscan and will be engaged in photographing the Earth, tracking the movement of ships and aircraft, exploring near space and much more. Some of the devices are intended for educational purposes.
Ivan Bortnik, Advisor to the General Director of the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, highly appreciated the significance of today's launch: "This is a great achievement for Roscosmos – the completion of the formation of the Ionosfera-M satellite group for research by our scientists, representatives of fundamental science. Also in this launch are many devices from private satellite-building companies. One of the devices from the Geoscan company is included inSpace Pi project, this is important for the Innovation Promotion Fund and for the Polytechnic University as the founder and leader of the project. This is the first of a series of satellites with which schoolchildren will be able to hunt for supernovae. We, as the Innovation Promotion Fund, held a competition and determined the winners who will begin to manufacture such devices; I hope that they will fly next year."
According to Ivan Bortnik, the nanosatellite "239Alferov" of the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum No. 239 and the Lyceum "Physics and Technology School named after Zh. I. Alferov" will open a new direction of the Space Pi project – the launch of target devices. This is the first of a series of satellites equipped with X-ray sensors that will hunt for supernovae. This will be possible thanks to the network of ground stations created by the company "Geoscan", covering almost the entire territory of Russia.
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