In Space with MIEM: All Systems Go!
On April 12th, the traditional Big Space Break took place at the HSE MIEM. This interactive event for students and staff was organized by specialists from the Laboratory of Space Vehicles and Systems' Functional Safety.
Cosmonautics Day is a particularly important date for MIEM. In 2015, a Mission Control Centre for Small Spacecraft with a working group on the creation of a hardware and software complex in the field of space technologies and a Laboratory for the design of small spacecraft using a unique test stand for semi-natural modeling were opened on as part of the Laboratory of Space Vehicles and Systems' Functional Safety. In 2021, the first cubesat, developed by MIEM staff and students, was launched into orbit. Now three satellites have been launched and are successfully functioning: CubeSX-HSE, CubeSX-Sirius-HSE and CubeSX-HSE-2.
Specialists from the laboratory told guests at the event about the processes for designing small spacecraft, circuit design and the development of on-board service systems, the basics of orbital mechanics and ballistic calculations for the trajectory of modern satellites. Stands with information about complex testing of equipment in near-operational conditions aroused great interest among the visitors.
Maria Bubnova, Leading Programmer of the laboratory
‘I’m so glad to see so much interest and excitement on the faces of students and schoolchildren visiting MIEM on this day, answering questions, asking about university satellites, and looking at photos of the laboratory. The Big Space Break takes place quickly, in a half-hour slot, but at the same time it is eventful and fun!’
A photo exhibition of satellite images let the participants not only see the Earth from a height of 500 km (the height of the orbits of the HSE satellites), but also appreciate the highly practical role of data analysis, in particular for assessing the possibility of using Earth remote sensing technologies to monitor the environmental situation in the region, finding the distribution of the temperature gradient on the frame, observing the formation of cyclones and even preventing the onset of forest fires. This kind of monitoring is only a small part of the work carried out by the Mission Control Centre at MIEM. The activity of the laboratory opens up opportunities for attracting talented students interested in developing real orbiting devices.
The online quiz for the participants of the Big Space Break has traditionally been a highlight. Students had the opportunity to prove themselves as historians and space explorers, answer general questions and solve tricky tasks set by the presenters. The winners received HSE merch: T-shirts, badges, and bracelets. Maxim Konyushenko, first—year student of the programme in Applied Mathematics, who won the quiz, got an HSE bomber jacket. ‘I am very glad that we have such events. I am fond of space, and perhaps my future profession will be related to it,’ says Maxim. ‘Now I am working on a project with Sergey Aksenov, where we are engaged in the study of libration points.’
Text by Valentina Kasilova, 2nd-year student of the programme in Information Security
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