Students Who Actually Did Their Homework Create Amazing New Generation of Nanosatellites
Kursk students have completed making the new generation "Tanyushas." This was a name given to nanosatellites. The first 2 devices were launched this summer and are already in orbit. Soon they'll be joined by several more, and an entire satellite network will be created.
The tests are in full swing right now. Alexander Rezunov reporting.
"Tanyusha" has entered orbit, the tiny cube satellite was named for the patron saint of students. The nanosatellite was made in the South-Western Government University.
Egor Shelenkov: "We developed a universal chassis for scientific experiments. During the first stage, we measured the vacuum density, during the second we plan to make stereoscopic photography of the earth's surface".
Also, these nanosats can speak 4 languages: Russian, English, Spanish, and Chinese. The invention of young Kursk scientists is congratulating humanity from the altitude of 400 km: "We congratulate the inhabitants of Earth with the 50th anniversary of the Space Station".
Satellites are placed into orbit manually, it only appears easy at first. Remember: the work will be done in space, with zero gravity, in an uncomfortable space suit. Because of this, strict instructions must be followed. The satellite should be started no faster than at .05 meters a second, at a carefully calculated trajectory. So the astronauts practice this on Earth until it becomes like second nature.
The satellites will function in space for 18 months, and will then burn up in the dense layers of the atmosphere. "Tanyusha"'s dimensions do not account for the engine in the body, without which it won't be possible to resist the earth's gravity for long. The Kursk engineers plan to solve the problem of orbit stabilization with a home-made gyrodine. It was made from parts of a computer hard drive, measuring tape made a great antenna.
Alexander Shmykov: "We'll definitely be the first with this kind of execution. Others realize their ideas using expensive and complex things. But we use what we have! The student spirit is definitely present here".
In this laboratory, North-Western University graduates are experimenting with materials for the next generation of nanosatellites. They need to select a light plastic capable of withstanding the temperatures of open space.
Alexander Rezunov, Andrey Kutsov, and Mihail Shum. From Kursk, Vesti.