A Russian newcomer is to join other Sun-observing satellites in the orbit soon. The latest technology should show scientists the Sun they’ve never known.

A new Russian satellite will soon be launched into orbit to monitor the Sun. Russia already has two Sun-observing satellites in space, but unlike its predecessors the Koronas-Photon was constructed specifically to observe the Sun’s x-ray and gamma radiation.

Scientists hope to find out how increases in solar activity influence radiation levels and how these changes affect the Earth’s climate. And that this information will shed some light on whether global warming is a man-made or Sun-made phenomenon.

The new satellite is the third in the KORONAS series (Space Orbital Circumterrestrial Supervision of the Sun’s Activity) – a long-term Russian space programme studying the Sun and its relationship with the Earth. All three are Sun-focused observatories monitoring the Sun’s full radiation band.

Together, they provide information on the Sun’s physical characteristics, its atmosphere, and the nature and mechanisms of various types of solar activity, including the acceleration of solar winds which directly influence our planet.

The new satellite will study how solar activity influences the Earth’s atmosphere and biosphere as well as its effect on human beings and industrial structures such as electric mains and communication and pipeline systems.

The Koronas-Photon was sent to the Plesetsk space launch centre last week for pre-launch preparations.

ROSCOSMOS, the Russian federal space agency, had planned to have the satellite in orbit by the end of the year, but had to delay the launch until the beginning of the next year.

Koronas-Photon will be the first Russian scientific satellite launched into orbit in the past ten years.