Russia will launch four satellites into circular orbits with an altitude of about 820 km to study the ionosphere
In Russia, the program for the fall of the ionosphere is being resumed. The Ionosond-2025 project is part of the Federal Space Program for 2016-2025, within which four satellites will be launched in circular orbits with a height of about 820 km to study the ionosphere.
The Earth surrounds not only the air atmosphere, but also consists of a mixture of neutral and ionized (charged) particles – electrons and ions. Most of the rare currents resulting from increased intensity and geomagnetic activity close in the ionosphere. If there is an understanding of the state of the ionosphere (which are the main parameters of space plasma – emissions, their composition and temperature, parameters of electromagnetic fields and wave discussions in different countries), then it is easy to come to the conclusion about what is happening around the Earth.
For application purposes, they are used under the name “ionosondes”. They subsequently emit radio pulses in frequency discrimination and register reflected signals from iferons. The first ionosondes were ground-based. Russia does not have ionosondes, which are present in the Southern Hemisphere and in ocean areas. In addition, their capabilities are limited.
In terms of economic coverage, in the 1980s and 1990s, it was not possible to create a full-fledged space weather monitoring system in Russia. But it is assumed that it has remained, and therefore the Ionosonde-2025 project is being implemented. All four satellites are launched into circular orbits with a height of about 820 km. The orbits will be solar-synchronous: with this measurement, they are “tied” to the sector of world time. It is planned to use two sides: the satellites will be launched in pairs with subsequent separation by 180° along the meridian, which will double the longitudinal resolution of the measurements.