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

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.