The approach to training aerospace engineers in Russia is undergoing a significant shift: schoolchildren and university students are now designing, assembling, and testing space hardware, guiding their projects all the way from the initial idea to an actual orbital launch.
Small spacecraft (SC) are now capable of performing complex tasks that were once the exclusive domain of heavy, multi-ton satellites. Supporting this sector is a key objective of the national "Space" project. Furthermore, the federal project "Personnel for Space" has given young people the unique opportunity not only to study space but also to actively develop and launch real spacecraft themselves.
Monitoring "Space Weather"
At Ryazan State Radio Engineering University named after V. F. Utkin, students are developing a small spacecraft to monitor solar activity. This satellite functions as a digital radio receiver for the ground segment of a radio telescope. The project aims to refine and improve methods for forecasting "space weather" by observing the scintillation of cosmic radio sources through interplanetary plasma. Its primary objective is to accurately predict geomagnetic storms in conjunction with ground-based radio systems. This will enhance our understanding of space weather and help protect terrestrial communication networks and critical equipment.
A Step into the Future
Tomsk State University of Control Systems and Radioelectronics is among the winners of the federal "Personnel for Space" grant competition.
The university is developing a small spacecraft equipped with a next-generation intelligent power supply system. This represents a crucial step toward mastering the advanced power systems of the future. The satellite is designed to address both engineering and educational objectives simultaneously. Its key feature is the creation of an innovative system utilizing wide-bandgap semiconductors, hybrid energy storage, and intelligent digital control algorithms.
Monitoring the Arctic
At Samara University, students, postgraduates, and young scientists are developing two small spacecraft. With the support of the national project, they are creating the nano-class spacecraft "SamSat-Korolevets" to advance radio navigation, communication, and Earth remote sensing technologies.
This project will be utilized for monitoring the Northern Sea Route and the broader Arctic zone. Additionally, the university is developing a constellation of ultra-small satellites to test relative motion, attitude control systems, and inter-satellite communication.
For Reference:
Under the national "Space" project, 40 student and school small spacecraft with various payloads will be launched into orbit by the end of 2026. By 2036, the plan is to create 184 student and 176 school satellites. By 2030, 1,200 satellites will be launched into orbit, and the annual production of spacecraft will increase to 250.
This year, small spacecraft development is underway at 19 universities and scientific organizations across the country. By 2036, more than 400 satellites are planned to be developed, a milestone that will help secure Russia's technological leadership in space.
Source: Rossiyskaya Gazeta (rg.ru)
