Updates Radioastron (Spektr-R) updates

[SiberianTiger]

(this first post will soon be updated with spacecraft and mission details)

 

[SiberianTiger]

As of June, 22nd:

======================
RadioAstron Newsletter Number 2
June 22, 2011
======================


1. RadioAstron Spacecraft Status

We are happy to report that all the tests of the RadioAstron spacecraft
are successfully finished. The satellite with the 10-meter space radio
telescope is planned to be shipped from Moscow to Baikonur on June 24.
The launch is scheduled for July 18, 2011, 2am UTC, on the Zenit-2
rocket. For the case of bad weather, a few other days for launching are
available until the end of July.

You can enjoy a few nice photos of the space radio telescope at the
Lavochkin web site:

2. Ground support

The spacecraft will be controlled from two sites in Russia, Bear Lakes
and Ussurijsk. The tracking station in Pushchino is tested successfully
and ready for operations. The following radio telescopes are planned to
participate in the first interferometric observations -- fringe search
-- after successful engineering in-orbit-checkout phase: Arecibo,
Badary, Effelsberg, GBT, Medicina, Noto, Svetloe, Zelenchukskaya.

More details could be found in the Radioastron User HandBook
http://www.asc.rssi.ru/radioastron/documents/rauh/en/rauh.pdf
which will be updated soon with the most recent orbit.

 

[SiberianTiger]

On June, 24th, Radioastron spacecraft was delivered to Baikonur Cosmodrome. Launch on Zenit-3 rocket with Fregat-SB upper stage is planned in July.

Head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin explains function of the spacecraft to Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov.

 

[orb]

Roscosmos:
Fregat-SB Tanking Successfully Completed
:: 30.06.2011

Fregat-SB upper stage, which is, together with Zenith-3M rocket, intended to loft Russian observatory Spectrum-R, was returned to site 31 after successful tanking by propellant and compressed gases.

Zenith-3M/Fregat-SB/Spectrum-R launch is slated for July 2011.
Spectrum-R - the RadioAstron Project is designed by the Astro Space Center of the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Science (FIAN), and the S.A. Lavochkin Federal Research & Production Association, Roscosmos in cooperation with numerous Russian and international organizations.

The goal of the project is to carry out investigations of various types of astrophysical objects of the Universe with an unprecedented high angular resolution in the centimeter and decimeter wavelength bands. Such resolution is attained by the 10 m Space Radio Telescope (on-board the spacecraft Spectrum-R) working together with the largest ground radio telescopes in the interferometer mode.

 

[orb]

Roscosmos:
Baikonur's Pad 45 Prepared for Zenith/Spectrum-R Launch
:: 03.07.2011

Baikonur's pad 45 is prepared for upcoming Zenith/Spectrum-R launch. Experts of the rocket and space industry process hardware of the pad in order to get ready for arrival of Zenith-3M rocket with Fregat upper stage and Russian Spectrum-R scientific observatory.
Spectrum-R propulsion tanking is performed, planned to be completed early next week. Then, the spacecraft will be returned to site 31 for further prelaunch processing.

Zenith-3M rocket, together with Fregat upper stage, is to loft Russian Spectrum-R scientific observatory on July 18, 2011.

Spectrum-R - the RadioAstron Project is designed by the Astro Space Center of the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Science (FIAN), and the S.A. Lavochkin Federal Research & Production Association, Roscosmos in cooperation with numerous Russian and international organizations.
The goal of the project is to carry out investigations of various types of astrophysical objects of the Universe with an unprecedented high angular resolution in the centimeter and decimeter wavelength bands. Such resolution is attained by the 10 m Space Radio Telescope (on-board the spacecraft Spectrum-R) working together with the largest ground radio telescopes in the interferometer mode.

 

[orb]

Roscosmos:
Spectrum-R Prepared for Mating with Fregat-SB Upper Stage
:: 05.07.2011

Zenith/Fregat-SB/Spectrum-R launch campaign is in progress at Baikonur.
Experts of the rocket and space industry prepare Russian Spectrum-R scientific observatory for mating with Fregat upper stage. The space upper composite covered by the fairing will be then delivered to pad 42 for integration with the rocket.

The roll out is tentatively planned for July 11.

{...}

 

[SiberianTiger]

Video of Spectrum-R undergoing processing at Baikonur.

 

[orb]

Roscosmos:
Spectrum-R Launch Campaign in Progress
:: 07.07.2011

Zenith/Fregat-SB/Spectrum-R launch campaign is in progress at Baikonur.
Experts of Russian and Ukrainian rocket and space industry performed tests of the Zenith-3M rocket control system autonomous tests, to be followed by Zenith integrated tests.

MLI is installed on the Spectrum-R scientific observatory. Fregat-SB upper stage is installed on the adapter.

Zenith-3M rocket, together with Fregat upper stage, is to loft Russian Spectrum-R scientific observatory on July 18, 2011.

{...}

 

[orb]

Some news from the time I was a little away:

Roscosmos:
Zenith/Spectrum-R Delivered to the Launch Pad
:: 16.07.2011

 

[Codz]

Some news from the time I was a little away:

Roscosmos:
Zenith/Spectrum-R Delivered to the Launch Pad
:: 16.07.2011

Will there be live coverage?

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=12007

Russian Observatory Intended to Study the Universe Reaches the Targeted Orbit
:: 18.07.2011

Russian astrophysical observatory Spectrum-R has reached the targeted orbit.
The scientific spacecraft successfully separated from the Fregat-SB upper stage at 10.06 a.m. MSK. Spectrum-R was injected into orbit with altitude of about 340 thousand km.
The launch of Zenith-3M rocket with Fregat-SB upper stage and Spectrum-R occurred from Baikonur’s pad 45 on July 18, at 6.31 a.m. MSK.
Spectrum-R, developed under Radioastron project in the framework of Russian Federal Space Program, is intended to study the Universe. The aim of the mission is to use the space telescope to conduct interferometer observations in conjunction with the global ground radio telescope network in order to obtain images, coordinates, motions and evolution of angular structure of different radio emitting objects in the Universe. Scientists also expect to obtain more information about pulsars and interstellar plasma, black holes and neutron stars in the Milky Way. The spacecraft's operational lifetime will be no less than five years.
Spectrum-R was built by Roscosmos’ company Lavochkin R&D. Scientific payloads were developed by the Astro Space Center of Russian Academy of Sciences’ Lebedev Physical Institute, as well as by international partners.


Roscosmos PAO

http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=17567

http://www.roscosmos.ru/img/site/spectrum_pusk6.jpg

Launch video:

I know, I know... Sorry, my friends. :blush: Despite great importance of this launch, I've got distracted by personal life issues. It happens to me. I will update the thread soon and will keep it posted with updates.

 

[orb]

Spaceflight Now: Russian satellite on mission to peer inside black holes

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Official Launch Video... :thumbup:

********************

Oh and by the way, I recommend [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_astronomy"]these[/ame] [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasar"]articles[/ame] for those who don't know how important radio radiation is for astronomy.

 

[Notebook]

BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14200971

N.

 

[orb]

Roscosmos: Spectrum-R Shows Proper Operation in Orbit

 

[SiberianTiger]

Today, a reflector unfolding operation was planned for. Despite many attempts made during uplink awailability window between 9 am and 6 pm MSK, none was successful. New series of unfolding attempts are planned for tomorrow.

That's an unofficial information.

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://ria.ru/science/20110722/405765462.html

It rather opened, but could not be latched in open position.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Hoooray!!!

http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=12017

Spectrum-R Mirror Deployed
:: 23.07.2011

Orbital operations with Russian astrophysical observatory Spectrum-R which had been launched from Baikonur on July 18 continue successfully.
Radiotelescope mirror has been successfully deployed on July 23.
According to telemetry data obtained in Lavochkin R&D, the scheduled operations are carried out in full scope.
Spectrum-R, developed under Radioastron project in the framework of Russian Federal Space Program, is intended to study the Universe. The aim of the mission is to use the space telescope to conduct interferometer observations in conjunction with the global ground radio telescope network in order to obtain images, coordinates, motions and evolution of angular structure of different radio emitting objects in the Universe. Scientists also expect to obtain more information about pulsars and interstellar plasma, black holes and neutron stars in the Milky Way. The spacecraft's operational lifetime will be no less than five years.
Spectrum-R was built by Roscosmos’ company Lavochkin R&D. Scientific payloads were developed by the Astro Space Center of Russian Academy of Sciences’ Lebedev Physical Institute, as well as by international partners.

Roscosmos PAO

:thankyou:

 

[SiberianTiger]

Long live Khimki! :thumbup: Many to those who contributed to making of this spacecraft!

This is dramatic:

 

[Notebook]

======================
RadioAstron Newsletter
Number 4
July 23, 2011
======================


The Space Radio Telescope is unfolded!

It is difficult to express how happy we are to report that
the space radio telescope on board the Spectr-R space craft
was successfully unfolded today.
This is an extremely important milestone for the mission
and a significant achievement which resulted from a hard
work of hundreds of people in Russia during many years.
Thank you and congratulations!



With best regards,
Nikolai Kardashev ([email protected])
Yuri Kovalev ([email protected])