Chibis-2: une seconde vie pour les Progress

10.04.2012 / 14:46 Russian scientists develop satellite "Chibis-2" to monitor carbon dioxide


Scientists from the Russian Space Research Institute (IKI) develop microsatellite "Chibis-2", which will be used to map the distribution of greenhouse gases, which is associated with the process of climate change, the director of the Institute of Leo Green on Tuesday at a press conference in RIA Novosti.
He reminded that the January 25 launched microsatellite "Chibis", designed to study lightning discharges.
"This was our first robin in this direction ... We are now beginning to think about the second such device -" Lapwing-2 "- is to study the other objectives: to study the distribution of greenhouse gases emissions in different regions of the Earth, mapping of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, "- said Green.
He noted that the launch of satellite "Chibis" allowed to create "a new industry standard" for the launch of small vehicles.
"In our branch of the Institute of Space Research set up a special transport launch canister, which is inserted into the cargo ship "Progress" and then, after unloading at the ISS, the satellite is pushed out. RKK "Energy" is planning to use this development to launch such small devices, "- said Green.
He words, this technology is "gives a second life" space truck.
Green noted that "Chibis-2" will be created with the money of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Not so easy in the budget Academy of Sciences found so little worth - a few tens of millions of rubles", - said the scientist .
"We expect that we will support the RSC" Energia ", a scientific instrument will be loaded" Mermaid ", a prototype of this device is now working on the ISS, we are planning to make a compact version for small spacecraft," - said director of SRI.
Device "MERMAID "(Handheld Spectrum Analyzer components of the atmosphere) is designed for working in the SRI methodology for determining the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from low Earth orbit.
"On the" Chibis-2 "(to be installed) version of this device for open space and a few other channels that can be guaranteed to receive data such as profiles of ozone, and try new techniques, "- said the deputy director of SRI Oleg Korablev.