Lobachevsky satellite receives first multispectral images of the Earth
The Lobachevsky CubeSat, developed by UNN researchers and based on the Geoscan 16U satellite platform, has received its first images of the Earth using a multispectral camera. These images capture the surroundings of the city of Oxnard, California, USA, and the city of Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, in four spectral bands. This confirms the functionality of the platform and payload, and opens up opportunities for agro-ecological research for university scientists and students. The project is being implemented as part of the Space-π educational programme, with the support of the Innovation Promotion Foundation and the Nizhny Novgorod Research and Education Centre.
The multispectral camera manufactured by JSC NPO Lepton has a resolution (nadir-view) of 4 meters per pixel at an orbital altitude of 500 km. The Lobachevsky spacecraft also carries a hyperspectral camera developed by the Samara State University. All spectral data will be processed using a software and hardware complex developed by Lobachevsky University researchers. Together, these tools will enable experts to assess the condition of vegetation in forested and agricultural areas.
Dmitry Borovitsky, Head of the Department of Small Spacecraft Development at Geoscan, commented: "When developing the Geoscan 16U satellite platform, we incorporated a precision orientation and stabilization system. The images obtained from the Lobachevsky satellite confirm the correctness of the chosen technological solutions. We continue working on the cubesat's systems and payload, gradually putting the hyperspectral camera into operation and adjusting it. At the same time, we are bringing our first 16U cubesat, Innosat16, to its target performance indicators. We are already taking test images with its panchromatic camera during the debugging process."
"The choice of areas for testing the multispectral camera was based on several factors: the absence of clouds over the area being photographed, the ability to accurately identify the area based on its topography, and the high contrast of the Earth's surface in the spectral ranges being studied. Unfortunately, most of Russia is still covered with snow, its water bodies are frozen, and the high humidity in the atmosphere creates dense clouds that obscure the Earth's surface. Therefore, we chose areas on the coast and in warmer climates for our test images. The results confirm that both the multispectral camera and the satellite's orientation system are functioning correctly and reliably, which means that our scientists and students will be able to start their research once the vegetation season begins," said Maxim Zharkov, who heads the satellite project at Lobachevsky University.
The Lobachevsky cubesat was launched on December 28, 2025, from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
The space division at Geoscan Group was established in 2021. In 2022, the first nanosatellite based on the Geoscan 3U platform was launched into orbit. Since then, the company has produced 14 more CubeSat 3U small spacecraft and 2 CubeSat 16U satellites for various communication and Earth remote sensing experiments. In total, as of March 2026, there are 15 Geoscan-developed small spacecraft in orbit.
