From January 30 to February 2, 2026, the small spacecraft "MONITOR-3 (RS58S)" will conduct a special radio broadcast in SSTV format. The event is timed to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the Skobeltsyn Institute of Nuclear Physics of Moscow State University (SINP MSU).
This anniversary "space communication session" will be a gift not only for the institute but also for the global community of radio amateurs. For four days, starting at 09:00 UTC on January 30, the satellite will transmit thematic images dedicated to the institute's anniversary and history. The broadcast will conclude around 18:30 UTC on February 2.
The transmission format is SSTV Robot 36, with an interval of approximately 120 seconds between images. Reception will require an amateur radio station tuned to the frequency of 435.290 MHz.
The "MONITOR-3" small spacecraft, launched in 2023 as part of the educational program Space-Pi, is a full-fledged scientific laboratory in orbit. Its key payload is the DECOR-2 instrument, created at SINP MSU to study charged particles in near-Earth space. Thus, this celebratory event highlights the deep connection between fundamental scientific research and the traditions of amateur radio communication that the institute has supported for decades.
SINP MSU, founded on February 1, 1946, is one of the pioneers of space research in the country. A broadcast from orbit is a vivid and modern way to celebrate the contribution of generations of scientists to the study of the Universe and to inspire new enthusiasts of science and technology.
Key details for radio amateurs:
Get your antennas ready — history encoded in pixels will be on the air!
This anniversary "space communication session" will be a gift not only for the institute but also for the global community of radio amateurs. For four days, starting at 09:00 UTC on January 30, the satellite will transmit thematic images dedicated to the institute's anniversary and history. The broadcast will conclude around 18:30 UTC on February 2.
The transmission format is SSTV Robot 36, with an interval of approximately 120 seconds between images. Reception will require an amateur radio station tuned to the frequency of 435.290 MHz.
The "MONITOR-3" small spacecraft, launched in 2023 as part of the educational program Space-Pi, is a full-fledged scientific laboratory in orbit. Its key payload is the DECOR-2 instrument, created at SINP MSU to study charged particles in near-Earth space. Thus, this celebratory event highlights the deep connection between fundamental scientific research and the traditions of amateur radio communication that the institute has supported for decades.
SINP MSU, founded on February 1, 1946, is one of the pioneers of space research in the country. A broadcast from orbit is a vivid and modern way to celebrate the contribution of generations of scientists to the study of the Universe and to inspire new enthusiasts of science and technology.
Key details for radio amateurs:
- Dates: 30.01.2026 — 02.02.2026
- Start/End time: ~09:00 UTC / ~18:30 UTC
- Format: SSTV Robot 36
- Frequency: 435.290 MHz
- Interval: ~120 sec.
- Call sign: RS58S (MONITOR-3)
Get your antennas ready — history encoded in pixels will be on the air!
