Russia deploys a satellite for Iran into orbit, accompanied by two weather observation probes (pictures included)
Russia Expands Ionosfera-M Constellation to Monitor Earth's Space Environment
On July 25, a Soyuz 2.1b rocket lifted off from Vostochny Cosmodrome in Siberia, carrying four Ionosfera-M satellites and 17 cubesats towards Earth orbit. Among the secondary payloads was an Iranian communications satellite called Nahid-2.
The Ionosfera-M satellites serve primarily to monitor the Earth’s ionosphere and magnetosphere, critical parts of the near-Earth space environment affected by solar and space weather activity. These satellites are designed to observe the heliogeophysical environment, study the ionosphere, measure key atmospheric phenomena such as ozone distribution in the upper atmosphere, and provide three-dimensional coverage for tracking solar wind effects and space weather events.
As their name suggests, the Ionosfera satellites focus on the ionosphere, a layer of Earth's atmosphere that ranges from about 50 to 400 miles in altitude. This layer interacts strongly with the sun, which explains its name: its atoms and molecules are ionized by solar radiation. The second pair of Ionosfera-M satellites will include the Ozonometr-TM instrument for measuring levels of ozone in the upper atmosphere.
The launch brought the Ionosfera-M constellation to a total of 4 satellites, with Spacecraft 3 and 4 headed for an orbital plane perpendicular to that of their two brethren. This expansion will help increase the three-dimensional coverage of the Earth's magnetosphere. The cubesats on the Soyuz were all Russian-built and will conduct remote-sensing and other work in orbit. They range from 16U to 3U in size, with Spacecraft 3 being 16U and one being 3U.
The first two Ionosfera-M satellites were launched from Vostochny in November 2024. The Ionosfera-M constellation is part of a broader system called Ionozond, which encompasses multiple satellites for comprehensive monitoring of space weather impacts on Earth’s environment. This network helps support scientific research and practical applications related to communication and navigation systems affected by space environment conditions.
- The launch of four new Ionosfera-M satellites on July 25 expands the constellation, which focuses on monitoring the ionosphere and space weather.
- The Ionosfera-M satellites are equipped with the Ozonometr-TM instrument to measure ozone levels in the upper atmosphere and provide three-dimensional coverage for tracking solar wind effects and space weather events.
- Amidst this expansion, the Ionosfera-M constellation is part of a broader system, Ionozond, that supports scientific research and practical applications in space-and-astronomy, technology, and communication and navigation systems.
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