ENERGETIC ELECTRON PRECIPITATION RESEARCH WITH NANOSATELLITES OF MOSCOW UNIVERSITY

Small satellites are very useful for studying different kinds of physical phenomena, which can affect dangerously on spacecraft components and biological objects. Magnetosphere electrons flux dynamics is a very important factor of natural hazards in the near-Earth space. These phenomena will be observed during the space experiment with number of instruments on board nanosatellites of CubeSat form-factor elaborated Lomonosov Moscow State University. These satellites should be launched onto the solar-synchronous orbits with relatively low altitude (500…800 km) that provides the favourable conditions for the study of space radiation in different areas of the near-Erath space including trapped radiation, as well as electron precipitation from the Earth radiation belts.

The scientific concept and mission setup of the CubeSat-based experiment for medium-term and long-term dynamics monitoring of the high-energy charged particle fluxes spatial distribution in large areas of the Earth radiation belts for space weather forecast will be presented. This includes, among others, the estimation of the general scientific concept of small-sat experiment, the determination of optimal orbits and orientations of spacecraft, the verification of technical requirements and specifications for measuring instruments (spectrometers of energetic protons and electrons), requirements for satellite platform and its components, ground segment, general mathematical modeling of the mission.