Koronas-Foton - a new Russian spacecraft to explore the Sun! Options

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.newsinfo.ru/news/2008-12-15/sputnik/174938

Russia will launch a new spacecraft to study the Sun - Koronas-Foton (or Coronas-Photon). Launch is scheduled to occur on 29th of jan 2009.

This is supposed to be the last launch of a Tsyklon rocket.

Once launched Koronas-Photon will be placed into a cirtular orbit 500kms above the Earth. Orbital inclination - 82.5 deg.

[Hungry4info]

Well that was rather sudden...

[mchan]

http://www.newsinfo.ru/news/2008-12-15/sputnik/174938

This is supposed to be the last launch of a Tsyklon rocket.

I don't see the reference to the Tsyklon launcher in the Google translation. Was that mentioned in a separate reference?

Thanks.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Yes, it was - there was a Roscosmos link, but the website is currently closed due to technical problems.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5225
http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/content/z22.01.09.shtml

Tests have nown been completed successfully. Launch is scheduled to occur on time.

Image of the satellite : http://www.roscosmos.ru/PictFiles/8/2009_01_20_1.JPG

It's a beautiful bird

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5277

All preparations for launch have been completed.

Launch time: 29-01-08 | 16:30 Moscow time; 13:30 GMT

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=247070&cid=10

Roscosmos plans to launch today. Russian scientists thing big again - they say the "highest priority" of the mission is to answer the question how to avoid Solar radiation during trips to Mars.


EDIT : Launch postponed for a day.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5303

I can confirm launch!!!

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/project_diary.html

They confirm that the first and the second stages of the rocket have worked. We don't have confirmation that the third stage has worked. The first radiosignal of the spacecraft should be received at 18:02 Moscow time. This means yet another 40 minutes of tense waiting.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

LAUNCH SUCCESS:

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5304
http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/project_diary.html

Spacecraft successfully inserted into the desired orbit. Solar panels have opened! Congratulations to all!

[ngunn]

Great! Thanks for keeping us updated with events.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

What surprised me most is that the Russian space program is very open and they share a lot of information with us. The former Soviet space program was very secretive.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://iaf.mephi.ru/

We have information that the second set of telemetric data has been received successfully. The spacecraft reports that the temperature and pressure is normal.

[maschnitz]

For us non-Russian-speakers out there: you can follow the project diary in Google Translate.

The Indian RT-2 instrument page also has information, in English, but not a lot.

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

Spaceflight Now article on the launch http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0901/30tsyklon/

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://zvezdanews.ru/video/day_events/0026033/ - LAUNCH VIDEO!

[lyford]

Thanks for this - very cool.

As someone raised on watching launches at Cape Canaveral, it's really a treat to see SNOW on the ground! (other than the frost from the LOX and such)

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I also wonder how they are able to launch in such conditions.

[ugordan]

I also wonder how they are able to launch in such conditions.

Why shouldn't they be able? The rocket was derived from an ICBM, it would be surprising if a little snow bothered it.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Roscosmos announces that the team has started switching on the scientific instruments. Everything is proceeding smoothly. There are no problems being reported.

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

Are we likely to see any data/images from this mission?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I think it's very, very likely - especially from TESIS.

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/

[tedstryk]

Are we likely to see any data/images from this mission?

It is likely, based on Coronas-I and Coronas-F. http://coronas.izmiran.rssi.ru/

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

FIRST IMAGES!!!!

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5535

Yeah Yeah!!!

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

WOW... that was quick

[Dominik]

Awesome images! I always love to view the newest SOHO Images, but these pictures are even better .

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://tesis.lebedev.ru/project_diary.html

A whole lot of new images were published!!!

Plus Google translation of the publication:

28 February 2009 began testing the inclusion of telescopes TESIS mode continuous monitoring Sun. So far, telescopes alone spent more than a day: in total during this period received approximately 200 images. The images are not yet centered: the frame of the Sun shows the actual situation in the field of detectors. At tomorrow scheduled a series of moves mirror telescopes, in which images the Sun will be transferred to the working area detectors. It is planned to move the solar disk at the center, then part of its move into the lower half-matrices.

[ustrax]

Look ma, no show off!
Just love the russian sobriety...
There they are, staring at the sun, and we almost missed the whole thing if it weren't for Zvezdichko...

When we'll check the next time we'll have a Dmitri's footprint on martian ground...

[lyford]

...we almost missed the whole thing if it weren't for Zvezdichko...

Second that thought -

Zvezdichko , I really appreciate your efforts! Thanks!

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Thanks, folks!

More news coming:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_centering.php

Centering the telescope.

Translated version of the page:

http://translate.google.com/translate?prev...=auto&tl=en

[Juramike]

Wow. These are beautiful. Is this going to be the main page for daily updated imaages?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I think so.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://tesis.lebedev.ru/gallery/image_of_day.php?id=1

What do you think this is supposed to be?

Hint: It's a famous planet

[ugordan]

A star scanner image with Earth in the FOV?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

ugordan: Bingo!

[ugordan]

I'm still having trouble figuring out the geometry - is this a limb shot and if so, what's the discrete "haze" layer to the right?

[Hungry4info]

I'm still having trouble figuring out the geometry - is this a limb shot and if so, what's the discrete "haze" layer to the right?

I would guess the haze is a cloud.

[ynyralmaen]

The airglow layer?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

According to Roscosmos:

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=5834

Koronas-Foton made its first scientific discovery. New belts of activity have formed across the Sun. These belts are symmetrical and are in the Northern and Southern Solar hemispheres.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Koronas-Foton photographs solar flares:

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6310

[nprev]

Ooo...COOL shot, thanks for posting the link, Z! Are those flares, actually, or are they solar spicules? If the latter, lots more detail than I've seen before.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I believe these are flares.

Btw there's a very cool video made by Koronas-Foton here:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/movie/Act...ionsMay2009.wmv

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

An update:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20090527.php

Koronas-Foton observes the creation of a Southern belt of activity ...

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Yet another update (Is anybody interested in the mission ) :

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20090604.php

Koronas-Foton photographs the biggest group of solar spots this year!

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

(Is anybody interested in the mission ) :

Of course,

although my Russian isn't very good lol

[lyford]

Keep the updates coming! I shared some of these images and videos with our 6th grade science class

I too depend upon you since my Russian is lacking.

[imipak]

The Google translation app is getting pretty good these days: http://translate.google.com/translate?prev...history_state0=

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

A new update:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/mass_ejection_20090614.php

Koronas-Foton registered new major release of substances from the Sun

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

NEW IMAGE:

http://www.roscosmos.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6669

A huge solar flare has been photographed

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20090722.php

Koronas-Foton successfully photographs the Solar eclipse.

This mission is wonderful!

PS: There are also several video files published

[ugordan]

I like how the targeting system tries to keep the center of the bright surface at the detector center. Once the Moon bites out a bit the "average" center starts to shift

[nprev]

Cool indeed! The slewing adds an odd sort of immediacy. Wish I could read Russian to fully enjoy the site.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Cool indeed! The slewing adds an odd sort of immediacy. Wish I could read Russian to fully enjoy the site.

OK, I will try to help you (Russian is close to Bulgarian and I almost have no problems):

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20090723.php

According to this publication the culmination of the Solar Eclipse occurred together with the strongest magnetic storm in the past 7 months.

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/upload/files/kp_20090722.png

The green color on the chart means normal magnetosphere, orange - excited magnetosphere, red color - magnetic storm.

G1 is a very weak storm G2 - average storm, G3 - strong storm G4 - very strong storm G5 - extreme storm.

So according to the chart the storm during the Solar eclipse is close to G2 = average storm.

I'm also able to read: The storm was unexpected. The Sun is very calm now and there are no spots on the surface. In the last few days there were no coronal mass ejections detected.

[nprev]

Thank you very much, Z! Looks like the Sun is showing signs of coming out of this prolonged minimum, finally.

[tedstryk]

So great that they are releasing nice images and movies. When Coronas-F imaged an eclipse, images were next to impossible to come by.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

And there's more! Looks like we have a LIVE IMAGE page entitled "Solnce Segodnya" which means "The Sun Now" in Russian:

Here it is:

http://tesis.lebedev.ru/sun_pictures.html

Several hints:

изображение фотосферы = image of the photosphere.

изображение магнитного поля = image of the magnetic field

изображение короны = image of the corona

изображение солнечного ветра = image of the solar wind.

изображение переходного слоя = ?? (don't know how to translate it properly)...

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://tesis.lebedev.ru/

I noticed that the main page has several important additions. The first one is "Прогноз космической погоды" which means "Space Weather Forecast"... There's information about
'Магнитные бури в последние 24 часа" which means "Magnetic Storms in the past 24 hours". If you see something like: "Не наблюдались", this means that there are no Magnetic storms observed. "Магнитные бури в ближайшие 24 часа" is a forecast for the next 24 hours. If you see "Не ожидаются" or something like that - it means that no Storms are expected.

This is the current forecast for tomorrow.

"Текущая активность Солнца" shows the current activities of the Sun. "Поток радиоизлучения" means "A stream of electromagnetic radiation" or something like that. The next two fields mean "Average planetary A-index" and "Average planetary Kr-index". I really don't know what this means. Maybe you will help me?

The next addition is "Группы пятен и активные области" - This shows the current status of the solar spots and areas of activities. If you read "Нет активных областей" this means there are no active areas observed.

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

But aren't those SOHO images?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Looks like the currently images are of SOHO. Not sure if this is temporary, but I hope so! They are very, very, very outdated compared to the images published on the official website of SOHO.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20090811.php

A summer without activities... This is the headline I may try to translate later

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.izvestia.ru/science/article3132137/

VERY INTERESTING! Koronas-Foton may be used for EARTHQUAKE FORECASTS!

http://translate.google.com/translate?prev...history_state0=

Google translate - don't have time to check for accuracy - following a shuttle misison.

Special thanks to a friend of mine on my own board!

[imipak]

recently, STEP began to observe streams of fast electrons emitted from the Earth's surface and in the absence of solar activity, and just where in theory they should not - at low latitudes.

Mildly interesting, but there've been many stories over the years about amazing breakthrough discoveries in earthquake prediction.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

This is what I'm going to ask - is this serious or it's a topic brought out by the woewoes?

[Hungry4info]

Well, if it isn't repeatable, it isn't science.
Let's see if they can reproduce these results. Better yet, let's see if they can issue an earthquake warning before a quake.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20090927.php

The instrument TESIS aboard Koronas-Foton photographed a huge solar flare. This is a spectacular image.

[Stu]

Wow, that's some image, great catch!

[PDP8E]

That is a great image, and a little way into the story there is a link to a 20 second movie from where that image originates.

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/movie/Tesis_20090927.wmv

(good catch Zvezdichko! and thanks)

Cheers

[nprev]

Oh, wow...first Stu's great HiRISE colorization, now this!!! That's a really stunning image!

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20091104.php

TESIS observes active field 1029. This is how the field formed:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20091104_gallery1.php

A second gallery is here:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20091104_gallery2.php

Google translate here:

http://translate.google.com/translate?prev...history_state0=

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

BAD NEWS - Koronas-Foton is in Safe mode due to a problem with power supply

http://lenta.ru/news/2009/12/11/tesis/

GOOGLE TRANSLATE:

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...2F11%2Ftesis%2F

I also have information that engineers are trying to restore power supply and turn on the scientific instruments, but these attempts aren't successful.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Yesterday I googled the Russian Google and came across this article:

http://www.rian.ru/science/20091211/198635487.html

They say there is hope, but all attempts to restore the spacecraft have been unsuccessful. The situation is very serious and the outcome isn't clear. Degradation started gradually.

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

This is disappointing .

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Yes, it is. It's not a typical safe mode, but we have a known technical issue standing behind it, which is quite serious.

I remind you that the expected lifespan of the spacecraft was supposed to be about 3 years.

There's an interesting discussing going at novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru forum. As we already know: We have faulty chemical batteries, but the scientific instruments and the other components are healthy. Standart questions are being asked: Who is the contractor responsible for the batteries? Why did they allow the satellite to fly with such faulty batteries? Who is to blame? After all, a reader says, SOHO was launched in 1996 and still works, it's the same situation with STEREO and HINODE.

There is a possibility, another reader says, that the batteries are OK, but a sensor has faltered.

Another reader offers that a system should be built so we could collect faulty satellites and return them to the Earth Why not on-orbit repair, I should ask

Very, very interesting forum, too bad my spoken Russian isn't fluent

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Russia loses contact with Koronas-Foton


http://tesis.lebedev.ru/status.html

Russia has announced that Koronas-Foton no longer communicates with Earth since 11th December.

Engineers will try to communicate with the satellite on Monday because the solar batteries will be well lit then.

http://www.sat-nd.com/

Koronas-Foton silent after problems with power supply
13 Dec 2009 - The scientific payload aboard Russia's solar research satellite Koronas-Foton was switched off owing to power supply problems on 1 December, Novosti news agency reported. Contact with the spacecraft was subsequently lost, and chances of a recovery are said to be slim

[Hungry4info]

This is terrible to hear.
Of curiosity, does Koronas-Foton have anything in common with Fobos-Grunt? Any similar systems that could need to be checked as a result of this?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I can't confirm that the chemical batteries are made by the same manifacturer. True or false, they should be checked and tested before launching PG

[nprev]

Terrible news.

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

awwwww bad news

We still have SDO launching in a couple of months as long as it doesn't get delayed again.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

SDO has a very friendly Facebook chatter and IIRC according to him it is probably going to be the last delay. We have the rocket.

[mchan]

That is unfortunate. I am reminded of a similar mission ending failure on Seasat after a few months operation some 30 years ago. It was also a power system problem. Space is hard and unforgiving of mistakes.

[Big_Gazza]

I'm still having problems coming to terms with this failure. How depressing that the (apparent) loss of this fine instrument is due to the use of dodgy batteries, a well-established technology that should by now be rock-solid and present a near-zero risk.

I hope they pin-point the fault, then nail the guilty party (sub-contractor). Hang 'em high and let them serve as a lesson to others

[nprev]

To give the KF team their due: Project management/complex product development is very difficult. Spaceflight is an order of magnitude or more so. Sometimes the miracle is that it ever worked at all; sometimes the real payoff is the lessons learned.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I have my explaination why this happened, but I'm not sure this is the right place to share (involves political and economy issues).

Anyway, I'm giving a facebook account if anybody wants to go into a detailed discussion with me: www.facebook.com/svetoslav

After all, I'm again disturbed by the fact that Roscosmos and most of the official several sites are silent - just like after the delay of Phobos-Grunt.

[djellison]

You're not sure if you should mention politics. Really?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Koronas-Foton returns to life!

http://www.izvestia.ru/news/news226795

Anatoly Perminov cautiously announces that we finally have information (this probably means a signal) from Koronas-Foton. It's too early to talk about restoration of the scientific mission because the batteries need to be charged. According to plans the scientific instruments should be turned on during the first days of January.

Fingers crossed, Koronas-Foton! If true, this is a true miracle!

[Guest_Sunspot_*]

That's incredible news

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I'd like to advice you to wait for an official confirmation - TESIS website announced earlier today that there's still no communication. I'm not sure if IZVESTIA is a credible source.

[djellison]

I'd like to advice you to wait for an official confirmation

Which is why you posted to the forum with the headline 'Koronas-Foton returns to life!'

You should take your own advice.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Yes, you are right, I should check my sources when I post. However I was too excited, forgive me

But... no matter what happened, I'm even more excited now... Because we have official confirmation!

http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=8777

Roscosmos officially announces that there is communication with Koronas-Foton!

[tedstryk]

Great news!

[nprev]

Great news indeed! Will be interesting to see the details of the recovery & fault analysis.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

Doh! Look what I found out here:

http://www.tesis.lebedev.ru/status.html

30th december 2009

Today we had the last meeting of the GOGU (Which is the Lead Operation Team). According to them they couldn't confirm yesterday's announce of Roscosmos about the restoration of Koronas-Foton. The satellite continues being in its previous state and the last contact occured on 10th of december.

Log of the events (English, Google translate):

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=b...u%2Fstatus.html

[imipak]

How utterly bizarre. Does this mean Roscosmos should no longer be considered a credible source?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

I really don't know how to comment this. My personal opinion is that there is some kind of miscommunication between Koronas-Foton engineering team and Perminov.

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

http://tesis.lebedev.ru/info/tesis_20100118.php

Koronas-Foton entered the orbit with a maximum illumination, but engineers were unable to restore the performance of the spacecraft. TESIS team confirms that there is no radio link with the spacecraft since December 11th 2009. Actually, they are not talking about "restoring the science program". They are talking about obtaining a radio signal from the spacecraft. Koronas-Foton is silent.

There's still no explaination why Roscosmos (specifically its head Anatoly Perminov) told us that engineers have restored the functionality of Koronas-Foton and there is a radio link between the spacecraft and Earth controllers.

[mps]

I also don't have any good explanation.
But think about: when was the last time you heard any bad news from official Roscosmos sources?

[Guest_Zvezdichko_*]

But think about: when was the last time you heard any bad news from official Roscosmos sources?

The answer to your question is: When Phonos-Grunt got delayed for two years. It wasn't announced on the front page, but it's still on the website of Roscosmos - though on a well hidden page.