Satellite telescope of electrons and protons STEP-F of the space scientific project "CORONAS-Photon"

TL;DR

The STEP-F satellite telescope on CORONAS-Photon conducted space experiments in 2009, detecting new features of high-energy particles in Earth's radiation belts during solar minimum.

Contribution

It describes the development, testing, and scientific results of the novel STEP-F instrument for space-based detection of charged particles.

Findings

Detection of new features in Earth's radiation belts

Observation of particle distributions near the Brazilian magnetic anomaly

Scientific results obtained during solar minimum

Abstract

The Ukrainian satellite telescope of electrons and protons STEP-F conducted a scientific experiment in space on board the low Earth orbit spacecraft "CORONAS-Photon" in 2009. In the article it is described the background, stages of development, manufacturing and tests of weight-dimensional, breadboard, technological, flight and auxiliary models of the instrument, and of the control and test suites for the STEP-F. The principles of operation, design, and technical and scientific characteristics of the instrument have been described. Stages of adjustment, graduating and autonomous, docking, complex, ground pre-flight and flight tests have been shown. Scientific results obtained by the STEP-F instrument during the time of deep minimum of solar activity demonstrate the detection of new features in high-energy charged particle distributions inside radiation belts of the Earth, in the region of the Brazilian magnetic anomaly, and outside of the referred volumes. Keywords: Earth$'$s magnetosphere, satellite instrument, scintillation detector, silicon matrix, charged particles, radiation belt, solar activity, Brazilian magnetic anomaly.