Employees of the Plasma Propulsion Laboratory of the Institute for Laser and Plasma Technologies (LaPlas) of the MEPhI and SPUTNIX, a member of the SITRONICS Group, have begun assembling a CubeSat 3U format nanosatellite with a VERA (Volume-Effective Rocket-propulsion Assembly) plasma propulsion system.

CubeSat 3U format nanosatellites (30x10x10 cm) can perform various tasks in space: Earth remote sensing, including prompt detection of natural disasters, collection of data on the movement of ships and aircraft, support for the Internet of Things (IoT), communication with remote autonomous meteorological and oceanographic stations.

“Our joint plans are to assemble two experimental nanosatellites with a plasma facility for further flight tests. An important task of engines is the separation of satellites launched by a single group at different points in the orbit in order to increase the simultaneously controlled area. The development will allow more active development of domestic solutions and systems for collecting and transmitting space data,” said Nikolai Pozhidaev, President of Sitronics Group.

Tests of the VERA propulsion system have been carried out at the Plasma Propulsion Laboratory since April 2021. Previously, on the Russian market there were no compact engines allowing satellites to take and maintain the required positions in the orbital plane. VERA solves this problem and will give impetus to the development of low-cost next-generation satellite systems.