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ISS, October 28. /TASS/. Cosmonauts from the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, who is also TASS special correspondent, have completed the installation of IPI-500 pulse plasma injectorunits on the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module (MLM) to study the impact of satellites on the Earth's ionosphere, according to a Roscosmos broadcast. The cosmonauts will soon begin other extravehicular activities, including cleaning an MLM porthole, replacing the Ekran-M experiment's scientific equipment cassette, and transferring the EMMI external control panel to the ERA remote manipulator. Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov is assisting Ryzhikov and Zubritsky on board the ISS. On IPI-500 equipment The IPI-500 scientific equipment complex was developed by scientists at the Moscow Aviation Institute and consists of two units: a pulsed plasma injector and a unit for monitoring electrophysical parameters. The device, which studies changes in the ionosphere after the use of electric rocket engines, was delivered to the ISS aboard the Progress cargo spacecraft in advance. According to expert Alexander Bogaty, the experiment will help scientists understand how plasma moves in the upper atmosphere, how artificial plasma clumps form, and how long electric currents along the Earth's magnetic lines exist. Scientists will also have the opportunity to assess the maximum permissible human impact on the ionosphere. The expert explained that the injector will emit plasma pulses into the Earth's ionosphere. The device will then record all the physical changes that occur. In addition, there are plans to study the plasma injector's characteristics in real space conditions, including its electromagnetic compatibility with the station's onboard systems.
