The computer for the German-Russian project Icarus has arrived at the International Space Station ISS after a good three days' flight. Scientists want to document animal migration worldwide, predict earthquakes and track the spread of pathogens.
The launcher was launched on Friday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. On Monday, live images of the Russian space agency Roskosmos showed how the spaceship docked with the computer at about 400 kilometers above the ground to the ISS. The maneuver was successful, said Roskosmos on Twitter. On board are two tons of cargo, including fuel and equipment.
The computer of Icarus was originally supposed to be started up in July 2019 on the ISS. But the ventilation of the device (International Cooperation for Animal Research Using Space) was originally supposed to be ramped up in July 2019 on the ISS. But the ventilation of the device did not work. It had to be brought back to Earth to replace a capacitor. After a test phase, the system is expected to be fully available to scientists by the beginning of June.
Contact and capture!
The # ProgressMS13 spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station. The cargo spacecraft delivered to the ISS over two tons of cargo, including fuel, air, equipment for maintaining the station in working order. pic.twitter.com/rZJebWNFFL
In the Icarus project, researchers want to find out more about the lives of different animal species. For example, the researchers are equipping birds with mini-transmitters, which send their measurement data to the Icarus antenna on the ISS. In the next few years several tens of thousands of animals are to be provided with such transmitters.
Early warning system for natural disasters
The data obtained should provide information on which routes the species migrate, under which conditions they live and how they can best be protected. In addition, Icarus could serve as an early warning system for natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In the past, there has always been evidence that animals behave conspicuously before such events, such as restless (read more here).
In addition to Roskosmos, Icarus is also involved in the Max Planck Society and the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
