Specialists from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) have developed a unique device — a pulsed plasma injector designed to study the impact of spacecraft on the Earth's ionosphere. The device has already been delivered to the International Space Station (ISS), and the first experiments are scheduled for the fall of 2025.
The injector is part of the scientific complex «IPI-500», created by order of RSC «Energia». Its main function is to generate short but powerful plasma pulses that will be directed into the ionosphere. Special equipment will record all changes occurring in near-Earth space after such impacts. This will allow scientists to better understand the mechanisms of interaction between artificially created plasma and natural processes in the upper atmosphere.
Alexander Bogaty, Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Applied Mechanics and Electrodynamics of MAI, emphasizes that modern satellites with electric propulsion engines actively affect the ionosphere by emitting charged particles.
Thousands of spacecraft with electric engines are already flying around the Earth and emitting charged particles. These particles collide with the ionosphere, which is also charged. This experiment will help scientists from the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the Russian Academy of Sciences, which is its customer, to understand how plasma moves in the upper atmosphere, how artificially created plasma clumps and electric current are formed and how long they exist, which appear along the magnetic lines of the Earth. In addition, it will be possible to assess the maximum impact that humans can have on the ionosphere.
The new experiment will help determine the permissible limits of such impact and develop methods to protect space technology from the accumulation of electrostatic charges that can damage equipment.
Electrical discharges can cause malfunctions in electronics, communication and navigation systems, severe overheating of some elements, and even physical damage (craters, erosion) on the surface of materials. Their occurrence creates a danger to the health and lives of astronauts and leads to distortion of measurements, making scientific data inaccurate or useless.
In addition to fundamental research, scientists plan to study the features of the plasma injector in real space conditions, including its compatibility with the ISS on-board systems. This data can be used to create advanced plasma engines and improve the safety of space flights.
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