Russian cosmonauts mounted a new pulsed plasma injector on the International Space Station (ISS). The device will allow the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) to develop and implement satellite engines for devices weighing up to 50 kilograms, the university's press service reported.
The "Impulse" experiment, the equipment for which was installed by Russian cosmonauts outside the ISS, will allow scientists to understand the impact of electric propulsion engines on the Earth's ionosphere.
The injector will allow scientists from IZMIRAN to study the properties of the Earth's ionosphere by sending plasma pulses into it, that is, making short but powerful bursts of charged particles.
MAI noted that the research will allow studying the effect of electric propulsion engines on the electrification process of spacecraft, the functioning of communication systems and, in the future, on living conditions on the planet. In addition, an assessment will be made of the electromagnetic compatibility of new engines with ISS systems, which is crucial for further development of engines for space missions.
Earlier www1.ru reported that a new mechanism for rotating the solar panels of the Express-RV satellite was manufactured by specialists of the "RESHETNEV" company.