Mikhail Panasyuk, SINP DIrector. Photo by Oleg Barinov.
A presentation of the launching of scientific spacecrafts - meteorological satellite "Meteor-M" N2 and six small spacecrafts including MKA-FKI N2 "RELEC" - took place in SINP MSU on the date of their launching, July 8.
A multichannel spactrometer developed by SINP scientists for the "Meteor-M" N2 spacecraft is intended for the global monitoring of radiation state of the near-Earth space. Scientific instrument "RELEC", also developed by SINP researchers, is mounted onboard the spacecraft MKA-FKI N2 manufactured basing on the consistent platform "Karat" (Lavochkin Scientific and Producation Association). "RELEC" (Relativistic ELECtrons) is a complex of scientific equipment for the studies of high-altitude discharges, atmospheric transients, precipitation of relativistic electrons from the radiation belts of the Earth.
During the meeting the participants could observe the launching process at the Baykonur launching site in the real-time mode. The carrier rocket "Soyuz-2.1b" with "Fregat" booster and spacecrafts was launched at 19:58 MLT from the launching complex 31 of the Baykonur launching site. Nine minutes later at 20:07 the "Fregat" booster with spacecrafts cluster separated from the rocket. At 21:39 the spacecraft MKA-FKI N2 with "RELEC" instrument separated from the booster.
The Head of the Korean scientific space program Professor Il Park was got online by Skype. His team developed and produced an optical part and electronics for the Telescope-T instrument within the "PELEC". The purpose of this imaging telescope is to obtain the image of the flash region of high-altitude electromagnetic discharge.
During his talk SINP Director, Professor Mikhail Panasyuk presented the activity of the Institute in the field of space radiation studies. The Leading researcher Sergey Svertilov talked about the launched spacecraft and scientific instruments, and the Head of the Space monitoring center Vladimir Kalegaev - about the Center. MSU rector Viktor Sadovnichy reminded about the previous MSU spacecrafts "Tatiana", "Tatiana-2" and "Youthsat". He also told about the future launching of the "Lomonosov" mission.