New magnetic sensors made at Lobachevsky University launched into orbit
Two new magnetic low-frequency sensors produced by the UNN Radiophysics Research Institute (RRI) were placed into orbit by the Soyuz-2.1b launch vehicle. The launch was performed on 25 July 2025 from the Vostochny Cosmodrome. Thus, the number of UNN scientific instruments in orbit has grown to four.
The sensors are part of the instrument complex on two Ionosphere-M heliogeophysical research satellites, No. 3 and No. 4. Ionosphere-M satellites are designed to observe physical phenomena arising in the Earth's ionosphere as a result of active natural and anthropogenic impacts, changes in the spatial and temporal structure of the ionosphere, perturbations of electromagnetic fields, composition of the Earth's atmosphere and ozone distribution in its upper layers, and also to monitor the radiation environment.
"By increasing the number of satellites to four, and consequently the amount of scientific equipment, we will be able (after completing the necessary flight tests) to conduct joint experiments with the SURA facility up to five or six times a month instead of just two or three. Using the first pair of satellites, we have already carried out three series of experiments, which yielded valuable data on the dynamics of artificial ionospheric disturbances. In general, we can say that the scientific programme of the Roscosmos’ Ionozond-2025 project is gaining momentum. In August, an even larger-scale experimental campaign kicked off at the SURA facility, involving the Ionosphere-M satellites and researchers from several research groups in Moscow (Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk (Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences), and Kazan (Kazan Federal University)," noted Alexey Shindin, Director of the UNN Radiophysics Research Institute.
Since 2019, the UNN Radiophysics Research Institute has been carrying out a project to develop magnetic low-frequency sensors for the complex of dedicated equipment of the Ionozond-2025 space project. The Ionozond project is aimed at monitoring near-Earth space and at fundamental research of space plasma and wave processes in it.
The first pair of magnetic low-frequency sensors produced by the UNN Radiophysics Research Institute was placed into orbit in November 2024 and passed tests successfully. The instruments made by UNN researchers are characterized by unique features. In particular, the level of intrinsic noise of the sensors is an order of magnitude lower than the level of natural noise of the Earth, which determines their demand for a number of geophysical tasks, such as geological exploration, monitoring of natural and artificial perturbations of the magnetic field.
The magnetic sensors were developed and manufactured by UNN RRI experts under the contract with the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
