Russia has launched its space satellite Arktika-M on February 28 on a mission to monitor the climate and environment in the Arctic. This launch is an effort to expand the country’s activities in the region.
Key Points
- The Arctic has warmed more than twice as fast as the global average over the last three decades and Moscow is seeking to develop the energy-rich region, investing in the Northern Sea Route for shipping across its long northern flank as ice melts.
- The satellite was launched from Kazakhstan’s Baikonur cosmodrome by a Soyuz rocket and it successfully reached its intended orbit.
- As per Roscosmos, Russia now plans to launch a second satellite in the year 2023. After the second launch, the two satellites will offer round-the-clock, all-weather monitoring of the Arctic Ocean and the surface of the Earth.
- The Arktika-M will have a highly elliptical orbit that passes high over northern latitudes allowing it to monitor northern regions for lengthy periods before it loops back down under Earth.
- At the right orbit, the satellite will be able to monitor and take images every 15-30 minutes of the Arctic, which can’t be continuously observed by satellites that orbit above the Earth’s equator.
- The satellite will also be able to retransmit distress signals from ships, aircraft, or people in remote areas as part of the international Cospas-Sarsat satellite-based search and rescue programme.
As the activity increases in the Arctic and as it moves into higher latitudes, improving weather and ice forecasting abilities is important.