SPACE PROJECT “IONOSAT – MICRO”: READINESS FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

Ionosat-Micro is a fundamental scientific project devoted to the study of near-Earth space. The project is conceived as an answer to the challenges posed by the modern development of knowledge about Space Weather and the ionospheric responses to surface energy sources (such as weather phenomena, power lines operation, earthquakes and processes of their preparation, powerful technogenic hazards, etc.). Furthermore, the project Ionosat-Micro is a logical continuation and addition to previous ionospheric missions, such as Dynamics Explorer 2 (launched in 1982), Freja (1992), DEMETER (2004), Swarm (2013), and CSES (2018). The project is being prepared with the support and within the framework of The National Space Program of Ukraine and The Program of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for Scientific Space Research. The article outlines the scientific principles of the project, describes the parameters of the space system being created, and the composition and operation logic of the scientific equipment. The project is to be implemented on board the satellite platform Microsat-M, which has been designed by Yuzhnoye State Design Office to conduct scientific and technological experiments. The planned satellite orbit is circular sun-synchronous with an inclination of 98 degrees and altitude of 600–700 km (orbital parameters, method and date of the launch are being clarified). Ionosat-Micro payload includes a set of scientific instruments designed to register the global structure and physical parameters of the neutral atmosphere and plasma, the structure and parameters of the space current systems and geomagnetic field, as well as the spectra and wave-forms of ULF-ELF-VLF electromagnetic perturbations. The Center for Collection, Processing, and Distribution of Measurement Data was created for the purpose of accumulating and targeted data processing.