53 small satellites have arrived at Vostochny for a piggyback launch with "Ionosphere-M" No. 1 and 2.
The small satellites are undergoing electrical testing, and their checks will continue until October 26. Then, according to Roscosmos, they will be integrated into the space head section together with the helio-geophysical spacecraft "Ionosphere-M" and the "Fregat" upper stage.
The launch of the satellites is scheduled for November, but the date has not yet been announced. The appearance of the "Ionosphere-M" satellites in Earth orbit will deploy a new Russian space system "Ionosond". It was developed by VNIIEM commissioned by the Roscosmos State Corporation in the interests of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Roshydromet. The system will solve scientific and applied problems in obtaining fundamental knowledge about the Earth's ionosphere and will continuously monitor near-Earth space.
It will consist of four "Ionosphere-M" spacecraft designed to monitor the state of the Earth's ionosphere. They will monitor changes in the spatio-temporal structure of the ionosphere, disturbances in electromagnetic fields, the composition of the Earth's atmosphere, observe the distribution of ozone in its upper layers, monitor the radiation environment and perform a number of other tasks.
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