Russia successfully launched a record-setting 53 satellites into space on November 4, 2024, achieving a major milestone in satellite deployment. This launch, managed by the Russian space agency Roscosmos, included a combination of domestic and international satellites. A Soyuz-2.1b rocket with a Fregat upper stage was used for the mission, lifting off from the Vostochny spaceport in Russia’s Far East at 6:18 pm EST on November 4 (2318 GMT, or 2:18 am IST on November 5). According to Roscosmos, all 53 satellites reached their designated orbits successfully.

International Collaborations in Satellite Deployment

As per the latest report by Russian News Agency, this satellite deployment involved several international partnerships. Among the payload were 49 Russian satellites, along with one joint Russian-Chinese and one Russian-Zimbabwean satellite. Notably, two satellites from Iran were also onboard: the Kowsar imaging satellite, which is designed for high-resolution imagery, and the Hodhod satellite, focused on communications. According to TASS, the launch of 51 domestic satellites broke a national record, underlining Russia’s evolving role in global satellite launches. While significant, this launch does not surpass the record set by SpaceX in January 2021, when 143 satellites were delivered into orbit in a single launch.

Ionospheric Monitoring and Strategic Aims

Two Ionosfera-M satellites were included in this mission to enhance monitoring of Earth’s ionosphere, providing valuable data on atmospheric conditions. Each satellite in this system weighs approximately 948 pounds (430 kilograms), highlighting Russia’s commitment to expanding its space-based observation systems. This launch marks Russia’s thirteenth of the year, reflecting the country’s sustained yet moderate pace in satellite launches relative to global counterparts.

Russia’s Position in Global Space Race

Although Russia has historically held a leading position in space activities, its launch rate has slowed in recent years. The United States, largely due to the frequency of SpaceX Falcon 9 launches, and China have accelerated their launch programmes, leaving Russia in a distant third position. Despite this, Russia continues to play an active role in international space collaborations, including its involvement with the International Space Station (ISS).

Martian impact basins, previously assumed to be demagnetised due to an inactive planetary dynamo, may instead reflect the impact of a reversing magnetic field, a new study suggests. Led by Dr Silpaja Chandrasekar, PhD, indicates that Mars’s fluctuating dynamo may have been active longer than anticipated, with implications for understanding planetary evolution.

Impact Basins and Cooling Effects

In a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers explored how the magnetic fields of large Martian impact basins, which appear weak, could be influenced by prolonged cooling and reversing dynamo activity rather than an early cessation of the dynamo. They modelled cooling patterns in these basins and found that frequent polarity reversals—switching the magnetic field’s direction—significantly reduced the intensity of magnetism within these regions, creating a “demagnetised” appearance.

Martian Dynamo History

Historically, studies on Mars’s dynamo—a mechanism that generates planetary magnetism—have centred on determining its operational timeline and role in planetary climate and structure. Evidence from young volcanic formations and meteorites, such as Allan Hills 84001, implies that Mars’s dynamo might have persisted until 3.7 billion years ago, challenging assumptions of its early shutdown.
Researchers theorised that during cooling periods, oppositely magnetised layers formed within Martian basins due to magnetic field reversals, leading to weak magnetic signals. The study quantified this by evaluating factors like reversal rate, Curie depth, and thermal cooling timescale.

Reversal Rates and Magnetic Field Evolution

Using finite element analysis and thermal simulations, the team analysed cooling behaviours in various Martian basins, assessing how different reversal frequencies affected field strength. For higher reversal rates (above 1.5 reversals per million years), significant reductions in magnetic field strength were observed, particularly at higher altitudes above 200 kilometres.

Basin size influenced the magnetic patterns detected: smaller basins displayed dipolar fields, while larger ones exhibited complex magnetic structures, with field strength peaks along their rims. A gradual decline in peak field strength aligned with theoretical predictions for materials undergoing slow magnetisation changes in response to continuous reversals.

Implications for Martian Magnetic Evolution

This study proposes that frequent dynamo reversals, rather than an early dynamo shutdown, explain weak magnetic fields in Martian basins. With higher reversal rates, larger basins exceeding 800 kilometres displayed weakened magnetism. Smaller basins, however, could appear demagnetised even at moderate reversal frequencies, adding complexity to Martian magnetic analysis.

The findings provide new insights into Mars’s core convection and atmospheric dynamics, reinforcing the possibility of a reversing Martian dynamo persisting up to 3.7 billion years ago, shaping the planet’s early magnetic landscape.

SpaceX is set to carry out a first-of-its-kind manoeuvre on November 8, with its Dragon cargo capsule performing a “reboost” of the International Space Station (ISS). The 12.5-minute engine burn will lift the ISS to a higher altitude, addressing the gradual orbital decay caused by Earth’s atmospheric drag. This task has traditionally been managed by Russian Soyuz vehicles, but the reboost by a SpaceX capsule signifies a shift in ISS maintenance responsibilities.

Reboost to Gather Data for Future Operations

As per a report by Space.com, the data from this reboost will support the design of a larger SpaceX Dragon vehicle, intended to deorbit the ISS when its mission ends, likely in the early 2030s. According to Jared Metter, SpaceX’s Director of Flight Reliability, the results from this reboost test will inform future developments for a U.S.-led deorbit vehicle, which will be necessary as the ISS ages and new commercial stations become operational.

U.S.-Russia Collaboration on ISS Remains, Despite Tensions

While Russian Soyuz craft have traditionally handled ISS altitude adjustments, shifting political dynamics have affected international space collaborations. The ISS remains an exception, with Russian and U.S. entities working together to sustain its operations. If Russia proceeds with its own space station project, planned for launch no earlier than 2028, additional spacecraft, such as Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus and SpaceX’s Dragon, will be needed to replace Soyuz.

SpaceX’s Record of Recent Hardware Challenges

SpaceX’s upcoming reboost follows recent technical challenges with its Falcon 9 rocket, including launch delays and issues in July and August. Despite these setbacks, the Falcon 9 has since completed several successful launches, with NASA expressing confidence in SpaceX’s operational safety standards. Bill Spetch, NASA’s Operations and Integration Manager for the ISS, emphasised that NASA works closely with SpaceX on mission safety, particularly concerning the Dragon capsule’s performance.

Space Safety Remains Top Priority

The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel highlighted the need for continuous vigilance as hardware ages and operational demands increase. Kent Rominger, a member of the panel, cautioned against complacency in ensuring safety for both astronauts and missions, underscoring that routine operations should always maintain stringent oversight for safe spaceflight.