DS-U2-MG

In December 1959, the Interdepartmental Scientific and Technical Council for Space Research was created at the USSR Academy of Sciences , headed by Academician M.V. Keldysh , which is charged with developing thematic plans for the creation of spacecraft, issuing key thematic tasks, and coordinating research work and the development of the upper atmosphere and outer space, the preparation of questions of the organization of international cooperation in space research. ^[2]

The member of the Presidium of the Interdepartmental Scientific and Technical Council for Space Research is approved by MK K. Yangel . In the field of applied tasks of carrying out such work, NII-4 of the USSR Ministry of Defense was entrusted. ^[2]

In 1962, the spacecraft “ DS-A1 ”, “ DS-P1 ”, “ DS-MT ” and “ DS-MG ” were included in the second-phase launch program of the “ 63C1 ” launch vehicle . ^[3]

The positive results of the first works, which confirmed the prospect of remote methods for solving scientific and applied problems, stimulated a huge flow of applications for the development of new research spacecraft with various target equipment on board. ^[four]

After conducting search design work on the development of a new modification of research satellites, it became obvious that due to the variety of research tasks and the differences between the requirements for the new series, it was almost impossible to develop a device of the same type. ^[five]

In 1963, it was decided to create three modifications of the unified satellite platform: ^[5]

• DS-U1 - a spacecraft non-oriented in space with chemical energy sources;
• DS-U2 - a spacecraft not oriented in space with solar batteries, as an energy source;
• DS-U3 is a Sun- oriented spacecraft with solar panels, as an energy source.

Small space satellite platforms have become an instrumental base for organizing international cooperation in the field of space exploration under the Intercosmos program.

Corps

The main unit of each modification of the unified platform is a sealed enclosure made of a special aluminum alloy - AMg-6 , which was dictated by the need to ensure certain climatic conditions in the middle of the apparatus. ^{[5] The} cylindrical housing 1.46 m long and 0.8 m in diameter is conventionally divided into three compartments:

• compartment of scientific equipment;
• compartment of the complex of main and auxiliary systems;
• power supply compartment.

Solar panels

The solar battery with a total area of ​​5 m ² is an octagonal prism with four rotary panels. The basis of the solar battery is a stamped frame made of a combination of aluminum and magnetic alloys. ^[6]

On the faces and end surfaces of the frame, stationary solar panels are installed. Four pivot panels are attached to the frame using pivot mechanisms.

In the transport position, the rotary panels of the solar battery are fixed to the frame in a collapsed position. The detachment and installation of solar panels occurs during the separation of the spacecraft from the launch vehicle.

All modifications of the DS-U2 and DS-U3 satellite platforms used photovoltaic power supply systems with solar panels of silicon photoconverters and electrochemical batteries of silver-zinc batteries operating in buffer charge-discharge modes.

Onboard hardware complex

The on-board hardware complex of the spacecraft of the DS-U2-MG type is intended for command-information, energy, climate and service support of the functioning of the target equipment of the spacecraft. ^[7]

The structure of the radio complex includes:

• “ BRKL-B ” - command radio link equipment, is a narrow-band receiver-decoder of signals transmitted from the Earth to convert them into immediate execution commands;
• “ Crab ” - the orbit and telealarm radio monitoring equipment is a transmitter of a highly stable two-frequency coherent radiation signal, which is used by a ground station to

determining the orbital speed of the spacecraft, as well as for transmitting information from telemetry sensors;

• " Tral-P2 " - telecontrol equipment with a memory device "ZU-2S".

The structure of scientific equipment includes:

• " KMTS-1 " - quantum cesium magnetometer;
• " Mayak-03 " is a radio transmitter. ^[eight]

The satellite platform of the spacecraft type "DS-U2-MG" was designed to conduct the following scientific experiments:

• obtaining data on the spatial distribution of the Earth's magnetic field strength;
• refinement of the Gaussian coefficients of the magnetic potential of the field by comparing the measured values ​​of the field with those calculated for various versions of the analytical representation;
• study of temporary changes in the geomagnetic field at altitudes of spacecraft in magnetically active periods;
• clarification of the possibility of using magnetometers with optical pumping as a service system for monitoring nuclear explosions in outer space;
• conducting experiments to study the Earth’s atmosphere.

The customer and director of this scientific experiment was the Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, the Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation of the USSR Academy of Sciences (now IZMIRAN ). ^[one]

On the basis of the DS-U2-MG platform, two spacecraft of the Cosmos series, Cosmos-321 and Cosmos-356 , were developed and launched from the launch pad of the Kapustin Yar Cosmodrome. ^[eight]

The KMTS-1 magnetometer installed on this spacecraft allowed measurements to be taken every two seconds. ^[eight]

A global measurement of the Earth's magnetic field in a latitudinal belt of ± 82 ° was carried out, which made it possible to obtain a magnetic field distribution of more than 94% of the Earth's surface.

Comparison of the measurement data of the spacecraft in this series with the spacecraft of the previous DS-MG series ( Cosmos-26 and Cosmos-49 ) made it possible to determine with high accuracy secular changes in the magnetic field over the entire surface of the Earth. ^[eight]

It should also be noted that using the devices of this series for the first time in history the effect of the equatorial current jet existing in the plane of the magnetic equator on the day side was measured. ^[eight]

Information was also obtained on the mechanisms of magnetic storms in the polar regions. Using scientific equipment, it was possible to clarify the topology of magnetically active zones in polar latitudes. ^[eight]

The experiments performed in space by spacecraft of the DS-U2-MG type made it possible to determine the degree to which the real picture of the Earth’s magnetosphere corresponds to theoretical models based on observations from the Earth’s surface over the course of centuries. ^[eight]

• Cosmos (spacecraft)
• Dnepropetrovsk satellite
• DS-MT
• DS-U2-I
• DS-U2-V
• Design Bureau "South"

• Rockets and spacecraft Design Bureau "Southern" / Under the total. ed. S. N. Konyukhova . - Dnepropetrovsk: LLC “Kolograf”, LLC RA “Tandem-U”, 2001. - T. 1. - 240 p. - 1100 copies. - ISBN 966-7482-00-6 .
• V. Agapov. By the launch of the first satellite of the DS series // Cosmonautics News: journal. - M .: Videocosmos, 1997.- T. 7 , no. March 10-23 , No. 6/147 . Archived February 2, 2014.

• Space launches and events in the USSR and Russia (Neopr.) . Cosmos.info. Date of treatment May 3, 2013. Archived May 12, 2013.
• Spacecraft Cosmos 49 (neopr.) . Section of the RAS Council on Space. Date of treatment May 3, 2013. Archived May 12, 2013.
• NSSDC Master Catalog Search . NSSDC Master Catalog Search. Date of treatment May 3, 2013. Archived May 12, 2013.