Preparations began at the Vostochny Cosmodrome for the fifth launch therefrom. Its main payload will be the Meteor-M 2-2, the third satellite of the second series of the advanced hydrometeorological spacecraft.
Along with the Meteor-M, the carrier rocket will orbit another 33 satellites, including three spacecraft from Russian universities: Socrat (Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University), AmurSat (AmGU-1) jointly built by Amur State University and Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University, and VDNH-80, an educational satellite co-developed by Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University and Exhibition of Economic Achievements for children and students who are keen on cosmonautics and attend classes at the Exhibition of Economic Achievements (VDNH). The rest of the small spacecraft belong to foreign customers from Finland, Great Britain, France, Germany, the USA, Israel, Sweden, Thailand, Ecuador, the Czech Republic and Estonia. Preparation and launch of foreign small SC are supervised on the Russian side by JSC Glavkosmos and JSC GK Launch Services.
All three scientific satellites of the Russian universities are nanosatellites - 3U CubeSats (they consist of three cubic modules, each has dimensions 10х10х10cm). Each spacecraft carries two scientific instruments. Due to the fact that the scientific missions of these satellites are linked to each other, the Moscow State University will succeed in creating a full-fledged nanosatellite constellation.
As of now, the mechanical assembly of the “package” (1st + 2nd stages) of Soyuz-2.1b rocket has already been completed at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the Amur Region. The specialists will start electrical tests of the launch vehicle and pneumatic tests of the propulsion systems in the near future.
Photo Credit: The government of Moscow
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