Pictures credit: Roscosmos

August 9th, 2022 at 10:52 Baikonur local time (08:52 MSK), 16 CubeSat’s of 3U form factor, developed within the framework of the “Space π” project “ by FASIE, have successfully been launched into Earth’s orbit as secondary payload on a “Soyuz-2.1b” launch vehicle with a “Fregat” upper stage from the Baikonur cosmodrome. The launch service was provided by “Glavkosmos JSC” (Roscosmos subsidiary company). In orbit, the satellites have been separated from four deployers developed and manufactured in Russia by a private company “Aerospace Capital LLC”.

Aerospace Capital produced four 12U deployers to fit the 16 3U CubeSats. All satellites have been created by participants of the Space π FASIE project.

The main goals of the “Space π” project is to enable students from different regions of Russia to: - conduct in orbit experiments, develop mission scripts and devices for payloads, create service systems, receive, process, and use information obtained in orbit for scientific and educational purposes.

Each of the 16 satellites is unique in its own way:

Polytech Universe-1 and Polytech Universe-2 satellites, developed at the Higher School of Applied Physics and Space Technology of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications ( SPbPU), will allow us to track the level of electromagnetic radiation on the Earth’s surface in different frequency ranges.

The SC Skoltech B1 and SC Skoltech B2 satellites are launched with a multi-hardware mission. The main task of the satellites is the development of inter-satellite communication technology over a long distance.

The “KAI-1” satellite, developed by engineers of “NILACT DOSAAF”, University KNITU-KAI with the involvement of lyeumists SUNC “Engineer Lyceum-internat KNITU-KAI” will be able to transmit images to create a panoramic image of space around the satellite, allowing to study visible objects: the Moon, Earth, conduct analysis of meteorological conditions, and study features of the Northern Lights. SC “KAI-1” can transmit a signal of presence for radio amateur services, which would become a kind of ‘beacon’ for radio amateurs on our planet, and it can also relay digital signals in UCV radio amateur ranges.

“Geoscan-Edelweiss” is the first private satellite from St. Petersburg, developed by “Geoscan Group”, designed for flight testing of the Geoscan 3U satellite platform. The satellite will explore the possibility of moving nanosatellites to lower orbits to reduce the amount of space debris in orbit.

Students, together with specialists of LLC “NIC” and LLC “VIZARD” have created a satellite called “VIZARD”, which allows us to study the direction of ice drift and ensure the safety of shipping in the Arctic Ocean.

The satellite, developed by students and scientists of the Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology (MIET), will receive signals from AIS transmitters installed on ships for further analysis. The information is necessary to prevent the collision of ships and to control their movement.

Satellite CubeSX-HSE-2 of the Higher School of Economics will monitor the Earth’s surface in the Arctic region.

The “UTMN” satellite developed by students of the Tyumen State University (TSU), is equipped with a camera to study oil spills in the Arctic and predict the development of the environmental situation in this area.

The dangerous radiation flow of protons of solar flares, creating additional radiation loads on airplanes, will be monitored by the KODIZ satellite developed by students and scientists of the Institute of Nuclear Physics named after D. V. Skobeltsyn of the Moscow State University (MSU).

Another satellite that will study the radiation environment in orbit and research the Earth’s magnetic field - ReshUCube. It was developed by students and scientists of the Siberian State University of Science and Technology M. F. Reshetnev, Krasnoyarsk city.

Remote sensing of the Earth will be done by CubeSat “ISOI”, developed by students and scientists of the Federal Research Center (FRC) “Crystallography and photonics” of the Russian Academy of Sciences in conjunction with the scientific team from Samara. The satellite will perform remote sensing of the Earth by using a hyperspectral system, in other words, the camera of the satellite perceives more colors than the average human eye.

IN BSTU “Voenmeh” named after D. F. Ustinov with the participation of schoolchildren, students, and university workers, the CYCLOPS payload was developed to study degradation of the characteristics of materials and parameters of electronic devices in space conditions.

The team of LLC “Engineering Center of Belgorod State University” prepared a satellite with it’s main task revolving around the study of growth and development of plant microclones in a cultural environment in weightless conditions. As a payload on the satellite, a module consisting of a capsule with lilac sprouts fixed in with a special nutritious gel-like solution, as well as cameras and LEDs.

The Kuzbass-300 satellite, developed by students of the Kemerovo region and students and scientists of the Kuzbass State Technical University (KuzGTU), will be able to transmit to Earth data telemetry, voice messages, and even images!

You can visit the Space π project here: http://spacepi.space/. The site presents a real-time visualization of the Earth and satellites of the Space π project based on the Cesium platform. Now three orbits are moving, which were successfully launched last year and other satellites of the project will be added to them after launch!

“FASIE” is a national nonprofit organization, formed in accordance with the resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation for the development of science and the creation of a national innovation system, as well as creating a blossoming environment for business and engagement of youth in innovative activities.

JSC “Glavkosmos” is a subsidiary of the Roscosmos State Corporation. The main task of the company is to promote the achievements of the Russian rocket and space industry to the world market and to manage complex international projects. More than 140 international contracts have been successfully implemented over the past thirty-five years, including the launch of more than 170 satellites as a companion payload.
Since May 2021, Glavkosmos has been the official trademark operator of Roscosmos.

State corporation “Roscosmos” is the State corporation for Space Activities, established in August 2015 to carry out comprehensive reform of the rocket and space industry of Russia. “Roscosmos” State Corporation provides implementation of state policy in the field of space activities and its regulatory and legal regulation, and places orders for the development, production, and delivery of space equipment and space infrastructure objects. Its function also includes the development of international cooperation in space and the creation of conditions for the use of results of space activities for the socio-economic development of Russia.

LLC “Aerospace Capital” is a designer and manufacturer of CubeSat deployment systems. The company provides services for the adaptation, integration and separation of SC CubeSat in orbit. On March 22nd, 2021, the first three CubeSat satellites were successfully launched and separated from two Aerospace Capital deployers as part of the Space π project. The satellites separated in orbit and began transmitting data that students continue to receive and analyze.

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