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Russian scientists plan new space expedition to study Jupiter's biggest moon

The scientists are to resolve the task of protection of the space apparatus from the most powerful radiation
Jupiter and its moon Ganymede AP Photo/NASA/HUBBLE
Jupiter and its moon Ganymede
© AP Photo/NASA/HUBBLE

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. Russian scientists have been planning a new space mission to Ganymede — the biggest Jupiter's moon, Director of the Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) Mikhail Panasyuk told TASS. The project undertaken jointly with Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences is in a preliminary stage yet when the shape of a space apparatus and a set of scientific equipment on board are being planned and the main goals of the space project are being determined, Panasyuk said.

The scientists are to resolve the task of protection of the space apparatus from the most powerful radiation, he said. Jupiter is an absolutely horrible planet in terms of radiation, which is hundred thousand times stronger near any of Jupiter’s moons than in the radiation field anywhere around the Earth, he said. During the space mission the space apparatus will fly around one of the Jupiter's moons with no touch down planned. The estimated radiation-proof parameters of the equipment on board indicated that the space research apparatus might be present on the surface of Jupiter’s moons for no more than a few dozen minutes. "No such radiation-proof equipment exists yet,"Panasyuk said.

SINP experts have been working on a project called "Intergelio-Zond» for studies of the Sun, which will be launched after 2020. Negotiations with the European Space Agency are underway. The goal is to create an "Intergelio-Zond" system which could operate synchronously with the other European projects, Panasyuk said.

The "Intergelio-Zond" project, intended for studies of the Sun from a close distance equal to 30-40 Sun radiuses, aims to resolve problems of overheated Solar crown, growing wind force and prevention of the most powerful outbreaks of Solar activity-Solar flares.

The dates of launching the space research apparatuses will be specified in the framework of a new Federal space research program expected to be adopted in the next few months.

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