Russian space agency to develop new satellite for flights beyond Earth’s magnetosphere
The satellite will be used for upcoming lunar missions and deep space flights
MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/. Russia’s State Space Corporation Roscosmos plans to create a satellite that will be able to leave the boundaries of the Earth’s magnetosphere, CEO of the Progress Space Rocket Center Dmitry Baranov told TASS on Thursday.
"For upcoming lunar missions and deep space flights, the Roscosmos state corporation plans to create a satellite capable of flying beyond the boundaries of the Earth’s magnetosphere," the chief executive said, specifying that the Progress Space Rocket Center was ready to explore the possibility of taking part in the project.
As the Progress press office specified for TASS, the plans envisage developing an advanced research space vehicle.
The Earth’s magnetosphere has a complex shape. It extends to an average of 70,000 km from its sunward side. From the other side, it resembles a long tail that extends to a distance that exceeds 200 Earth radii.