University satellites "YUZGU-55", delivered to the ISS, will allow scientists to create an accurate map of the Earth's magnetic field and, possibly, unravel the secret of the Kursk magnetic anomaly, the field density of which may be associated with the special fertility of the earth in the region. This was told by the chief developer of satellites. The devices will be sent into outer space at the end of the summer. Progress MS-19, launched on February 15, has docked to the ISS. It delivered 1,600 kg of equipment and maintenance equipment for the station's onboard systems, clothing and food rations for crew members, and a payload for Russian scientific research. Among the equipment for research are six cubesats of the YuZGU-55 series, created by the Research Institute of Space Instrumentation and Radioelectronic Systems of the Southwestern State University in the city of Kursk.
Cubesats are a special format of ultra-small space satellites. Their weight should not exceed several kilograms, and the size varies from 10x10x10 to 10x10x30 cm, depending on the number of standard blocks in the satellite. The main advantage of cubesats is the simplicity and low cost of manufacturing and launching into orbit, and therefore educational institutions and even radio amateurs can afford their production.
spoke with Yegor Shilenkov, chief developer of the YuZGU-55 devices, candidate of technical sciences, director of the Scientific Research Institute of Space Instrumentation and Radioelectronic Systems of the SWGU. He spoke about the design and purpose of these satellites.
“All six devices are equipped with precision sensors, the so-called digital compasses, or magnetometers that work in different axes,” the engineer said. - With their help, it is planned to measure the magnetic field density at the ISS flight altitude, which is about 400 km. As is known, the magnetic field is quite dense in this range of heights.”
Shilenkov noted that these cubesats are not just a set of satellites, but an intelligent constellation. This means that the devices automatically exchange data with each other without the intervention of ground operators.
As a result, the constellation acts as a spaced sensor, which, due to simultaneous measurements at different points of the orbit, makes it possible to obtain particularly accurate data on the Earth's magnetic field.
The task of "SWGU-55" includes only measurements. The main developer also explained what the magnetic field data is for:
“Since there are many of our satellites, and their measurements will be especially accurate, we will use them to build detailed maps of the Earth's magnetic field. These maps will allow scientists to assess the risks for various sectors of human life, including space flights and agriculture: as you know, the Kursk region is an agricultural region. In addition, these data will be of interest to the Ministry of Transport, in particular, for monitoring the air situation. Roughly speaking, specialists need to study the complex impact of the magnetosphere on human activity, and the Russian Academy of Sciences is also interested in this.”
Explaining the benefits of studying the magnetic field for agriculture, the creator of cubesats cited the Kursk magnetic anomaly and the chernozems of the Kursk region as examples. It is known that the density of the magnetic field over the anomaly is four times greater than over the North Pole, and the magnetic field protects plants from cosmic radiation.
"Our Kursk chernozem may be associated with a magnetic field - there is such a hypothesis",
Shilenkov says. As an antipode, the engineer cites the Brazilian magnetic anomaly as an example, where the magnetic field is weakened, and as a result the area is dangerous for agriculture. The YuZGU-55 cubesats will make it possible to build an accurate three-dimensional map of the Earth's magnetic field, which in the future will make it possible to test the hypothesis about the relationship between the magnetic anomaly and chernozem.
The final constellation "YUZGU-55" will consist of eight vehicles, an additional two cubesats will be delivered to the ISS by another supply ship in June. After that, in August or September, cosmonaut Oleg Artemiev will launch them into outer space, where they will exist for about a year and a half. So that the devices do not interfere with the ISS after the end of their service life, they are equipped with a special brake that will speed up the deorbiting of cubesats.
The Radioskaf project has been going on for more than 15 years. First of all, it serves to educate and popularize space exploration. Roscosmos conceived this project to attract young people and schoolchildren to science. That is why students and graduate students of the university, as well as schoolchildren, who recorded a message for radio amateurs, were actively involved in the creation of the YuZGU-55 cubesats.
As Shilenkov said, this message will be continuously broadcast from orbit at allocated frequencies and anyone can hear it.
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