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Russia completes tests of orbital scientific observatory

20 June 2012 22:08 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Russian scientists have completed the tests of the Spektr-R orbital observatory, the federal space agency Roscosmos said Wednesday, APA reports quoting Xnhua.

"The tests of the earth-to-space Spektr-R/RadioAstron interference spectroscope could be called effectively completed," Roscosmos said on its official website.

The final test of the spectroscope included search of a quasar No. 2013+370 in the radio ultra-short wave band using a 10-meter dish, which consists of a central mirror and 27 "petals."

"The test results confirm the Spektr-R is capable to work in four bands," Roscosmos said.

The Spektr-R, weighting 3,850 kg, was launched in July 2011. Its service life is expected to reach five years.

The space observatory was built by the Lavochkin Science- Production Company together with Astro-space Center of the Russian Academy of Science.

The developing of Spektr-R was part of an international project "RadioAstron" designed for the research of the Solar wind, inter- planetary magnetic fields, galaxies, quasars, black holes, neutron starts and other deep space objects.