The "Radar-Progress" active space experiment
Abstract
Central Research Institute of Machine Building and Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences have carried out the "Radar-Progress" active space experiment since 2006. After main mission, some of the “Progress” cargo vehicles have been for the experiment. The “Progress” starts orbital maneuvering subsystem engines during the flyby over Irkutsk Incoherent Scatter Radar at 340 - 410 km altitude. Engines operate for 5 - 11 s. Engines exhaust products are a source of ionosphere disturbances. The flow directions and amount of injected exhaust products varied from flight to flight. The flows directed to Irkutsk Radar are almost parallel to the geomagnetic field lines. The following measurements have been performed: - radar characteristics; - height profiles of electron density; - spatial-temporal structure of ionosphere disturbances; - intensity of nightglow emissions in several spectral lines; - onboard VHF transmitter signal parameters; - brightness of the “Progress” in optical ranges; - geomagnetic field variations. These results were obtained with unique research facilities of Center for collective using "Angara". The study has been supported by the grant 13-05-00456-a and 13-02-00957-a of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research.
- Publication:
-
40th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- 2014
- Bibcode:
- 2014cosp...40E1459K