"Supernova Hunters": Radiation Monitoring Laboratory - A Participant in the Space Project with the Launch of the "Pollux" Cubesat
The Radiation Monitoring Laboratory of the SINP MSU is a participant in the large-scale space project "Supernova Hunters". As part of this project, the first Kaliningrad satellite, "Pollux", a 3U cubesat, will be launched into orbit in 2026.
Specialists from Rad-lab are involved in creating an orbital constellation of four satellites designed to detect the sources of gamma-ray bursts that accompany supernova explosions. The MSU satellite, paired with "Pollux," is named "Castor," continuing the project's astronomical theme—these two objects are the brightest stars in the constellation Gemini.
Leveraging its extensive experience in space monitoring, the laboratory will contribute by:
Participating in the development of the scientific payload for detecting gamma-ray bursts.
Enhancing the accuracy of localizing cosmic explosions via the triangulation method, achieved through the synchronized operation of the "Castor" and "Pollux" satellites within a single constellation.
Analyzing and processing data on the radiation environment in near-Earth space, obtained from onboard equipment.
This unique experiment will allow for solving fundamental scientific tasks with minimal financial costs (thanks to the use of inexpensive cubesats), which previously required expensive spacecraft.
The launch of the "Pollux" satellite is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026. The scientific team, with the participation of specialists from the Rad-Lab of SINP MSU, will receive and analyze data from the spacecraft for five years after its launch into orbit.