UNIVERSAT-SOCRATES project and complementary cubsat missions for

monitoring of space hazards

M. Panasyuk, A. Iudin, V. Kalegaev, P. Klimov, S. Svertilov, O. Ploc,

G. Reitz, I. Ambrožová, M. Kákona, I.Kolmašová, P. Kovář,

V. Bogomolov, V. Osedlo, V. Petrov, M. Podzolko, E. Popova, I.V. Yashin

Moscow State University

University space project UNIVERSAT – SOCRATES

(Warning system of Space Radiation, Asteroid and Man-made hazards and

Electomagnetic Transients)

Creation of a space group of small satellites for monitoring, detection and operational forecast of natural and man-made

space threats

The project is implemented pursuant to the order of the President of the Russian Federation from 27.12.2016 № PR-2559. The draft program of the Ministry of education of the Russian Federation RFMEFI60717X0175

Space threats

RADIATION

ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSIENTS

ASTEROIDS, SPACE DEBRIS

GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

SOLAR HIGH-ENERGY

PARTICLES

Radiation belts

SEP

Earth’s magnetic field

Th

e S

un

Space radiation

in the vicinity of the Earth

Models of Earth’s radiation belts

NASA AP8/AE8 – 1970 - .

NASA AP9/AE9 – modern.

SINP MSU– 1980’

…

RF quasi-stationary models describe the spatial and energy distribution of

protons with energies > 10 MeV (on the right) and electrons with energies > 1

MeV (on the left). In reality, particle flux are extremely dynamic (top right).

Electrons Protons

Highly dynamic!

Variations of

RF particle

flux

Вариации электронных РП (2-6 MeV)

MIN MIN

1997 2010

Fast variations of the relativistic particle fluxes in

the Earth's radiation belts

«CRESS – effect»

Data of 1991: for a time, the electron

fluxes with energy > 15 MeV and

protons with energies > 20 MeV

increased more than an order of

magnitude during the magnetic

storm. As a result, a new particle belt

was formed at a distance of 2-3 Earth

radius. It is a real threat for

spacecrafts.

NESSESITY OF MULTISPACECRAFTS MEASUREMENTS IN THE REAL TIME!

SOLAR FLARES OF SEPTEMBER, 2017

The project of MSU grouping of small spacecraft for monitoring the radiation

environment of the Earth involves:

- using the grouping of low-altitude low-cost spacecraft with orbit parameters, allowing

to cover the entire spatial range of radiation trapped in the magnetic field (radiation

belts).

- Measurements of omnidirectional fluxes of trapped particles followed by model

interpolation and extrapolation of the measured fluxes over the entire area of

radiation belts

The concept of grouping small spacecraft for

monitoring the radiation environment of the Earth

Flu

x J

, В

Liuville theorem Altitude dependence of trapped particles

№1

№2

№3

№1 №2 №3

#2.The danger of space debris

As of August 31, 2015, the

total amount of man-made

space objects in outer

Space is 17 thousand 250

space objects. Of which 1

thousand 362 space objects

are live spacecraft, while

the remaining 15 thousand

888 objects are space

debris.

The information is from

databases of warning

system of dangerous

situations in near-Earth

space.

The danger of asteroids (meteors)

An object is considered as

potentially dangerous, if it crosses

the earth's orbit at a distance of

less than 0.05 a. u. (approximately

19.5 distances from the Earth to

the Moon), and its diameter

exceeds 100-150 meters. Objects

of this size are large enough to

generate unprecedented

destruction on the land, or a huge

tsunami in case of getting to the

ocean. Events of this magnitude

occur about once in 10 000 years.

On the basis of information

received from the WISE Space

Telescope, scientists estimate the

presence of 4700 ± 1500

potentially dangerous objects with

a diameter of more than 100

meters.

# 3. The danger of electromagnetic transients

Transient

electromagnetic

phenomena in the

upper atmosphere

(tens of kilometers)

are observed in a

variety of

wavelengths

range ― from gamma

to infrared one.

Transient luminous

events (TLE) are most

frequently observed

and they appear

everywhere from the

auroral latitudes to

equatorial ones

ELVES

Sprites

Gigantic jets

Thermosphere - ionosphere

Mesosphere

Stratospphere

Troposphere

Alt

itu

de

, km

Terrestrial gamma flashes

Neutrons

100

50

The MSU results on transient phenomena in the atmosphere of Earth

2. UV flashes have a very wide energy

distribution (in numbers of photons),

from tens of joules to very high values

― 100 MJ!

3. There are a long series of flashes over

thousands of kilometers.

An example of a series of flashes for 8

minutes (4,000 km along the trajectory

of Vernov satellite) 64900 65000 65100 65200 65300 65400 65500 65600

10

100

1000

10000

ma

x N

AD

C

T, s

2014/11/21_18:01:03 - 18:14:12

140

160

180

200

220

240

HV

co

de

15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55

LatitudeTatyana-2 satellite date

Vernov satellite data Black dots - all events

Green ones - short flashes Red ones - long flashes

The MSU results on transient light phenomena in the atmosphere of Earth

Lomonosov satellite data Powerful flash of UV radiation.

The nearest lightning was at the distance of 3500 km from the observed phenomenon (according to

WWLLN network)!

Powerful events have complex spatio-temporal structure and dynamics. They occur in a large volume of the upper atmosphere (up to 100 km altitude and a 100 km in the horizontal direction)

80 km

● Motivations

○ only GCR is taken into account for routine aircraft crew dosimetry

○ the experimental proof of theory for lightning initiation by CR is

missing

○ unclear phenomena causing the variations of secondary cosmic

particles in the atmosphere

Motivation

26

GCR: max 6 mSv / year for crew member TGF: 30-100 mSv / event for all onboard aircraft

TLE, TGF potential danger for space infrastructure

1. Electromagnetic emissions - radio waves propagation

2. Plasma modification radio waves propagation

3. Radiation (gamma, neutrons) – radiation doses excess

MSU participation in the projects are complementary

to Universat – Socrates’ main goals

MSU – FRENCH COOPERATION

ATISE: A miniature Fourier-transform spectro-imaging concept for surveying auroras and airglow monitoring from a 12U cubesat.

ATISE and Amical sat: two cubesats for space weather monitoring.

AMICal : 2U cubesat for aurora observatons : positioning of oval^ internal structure with high time resolution (1 sec).

The main goal of Aurora-AMICal project

To study the structure and dynamics of the auroral oval as well as mechanisms of magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling.

This goal is closely connected with UNIVERSAT program in the part of radiation monitoring

ATISE Scientific Objectives

• To understand energy deposition by particles between 100km and 400 km

• Need for full spectrum • Molecular emissions and main atomic emissions

• Need for vertical profile • Can solve the question of the altitude deposition of the

particles

• Need for long term continuous observations • Problem of the cloud coverage

Cooperation with German

Orbital Systems GmbH

41

OBJECTIVES

• To deepen knowledge about the relation between the atmospheric phenomena and ionising radiation

- Find suitable methods for detection and dosimetry of ionising radiation generated by atmospheric discharges.

- Clarify the causes of lightning discharge initiation

• To clarify the phenomena causing variations of secondary cosmic particles (SCP) in the atmosphere

- Clarify the influence of atmospheric state on the SCP detection

- Understanding of quasi-periodic radiation phenomena in CR

Cooperation with Ckoltech (Russia)

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology

Cubesat Constellation

TGF

GRB

May Become First Ever

Cubesat Constellation for

Astronomical Observations

Gravitational Wave EM

counterparts study

Providing better

coordinates of Gravitational

Wave sources

Detection of GRBs and

TGFs

Lomonosov Moscow State

University

Skolkovo Institute of Science

and Technology

The constellation acts as a single instrument.

Cooperation on Scientific and Educational Satellites Siriussat

The payload is designed to measure constant and rapidly changing particle fluxes and gamma

radiation in low orbit

Types of detected particles Gamma,

electrons

Range of energy release 0.3 – 3 MeV

Effective area 4 cm2

Dynamical range:

Monitoring 0-10000 cm-2

Spectral analysis and timing 0-100 cm-2

Time resolution 20 us

Size 95х89х22 mm

Mass 240 g

Power voltage 8 V

Power consumption 0.65 W

Power consumption of digital part 0.1 W

Cooperation on Scientific and Educational Satellites Siriussat

The first look: SAA observations and nearby

Thank you

Financial support for this work was provided by the Minis-try of Education and

Science of Russian Federation, Project № RFMEFI60717X0175.