Environmental monitoring in the Arctic will be carried out using a stratospheric platform, which will be launched from Russia’s nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy, according to the press service of the Murmansk Arctic University (MAU – Murmanskovo Arkticheskovo Universiteta).
The developers of the platform were specialists from MAU, the Stratonautics laboratory, Harbin Polytechnic University and the Foundation for Conservationists. Testing of the platform will begin at the North Pole during the Icebreaker of Knowledge expedition, which is conducted annually by the Rosatom.
“The experiment, which will take place on board the nuclear icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy at the North Pole, will be an important step towards creating an independent Arctic monitoring system that is not tied to data from foreign space satellites, is more economical and at the same time ensures the same high-quality transmission of information in real time,” said Anton Yurmanov, MAU Vice-Rector for Scientific & Innovative Activities.
According to the developers, the platform will rise to an altitude of more than 20 km, travel about 150 km and return to the launch point. It is equipped with a set of sensors and an experimental multispectral camera. The test participants also plan to go live using a platform that will receive and transmit the signal further. The signal will be broadcast on Mayak radio and on social networks of the Icebreaker of Knowledge project. This will make it possible to practice stable communications at high latitudes, which is necessary for the safety of navigation.
The data received will help scientists from the university and institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences monitor the situation on the Northern Sea Route, assess the consequences of climate change, as well as monitor populations of marine mammals and promptly respond to environmental accidents.
The Icebreaker of Knowledge is a special trip for gifted children to the North Pole aboard 50 Let Pobedy, which will take place from 23 July to 4 August.
