BRICS Space Nations, Russia, India, and China showcase their growing prowess in space-related endeavours, from human feats to cutting-edge astronomical observations.
These developments underscore the collaborative spirit and technological innovation that drive the bloc’s contributions to global science, as nations push the boundaries of exploration in extreme environments and amid cosmic phenomena.
Russia
Russia is gearing up for a historic stratospheric skydive over the South Pole, set to take place in November 2025. Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko and pilot Aleksander Lynnik will attempt the world’s first jump from an altitude exceeding 10,000 meters, potentially reaching 20,000 meters above Antarctica’s frigid expanse.
Facing temperatures as low as -90°C and minimal air pressure, the duo will test advanced Russian equipment, including oxygen systems, parachutes, heated gloves, and masks, designed for survival in polar emergencies.
This mission builds on their previous record-setting jump over the North Pole in April 2024 and aims to evaluate protocols for future Russian Orbital Service Station (ROSS) crews, underscoring Russia’s legacy in polar and space resilience that dates back to early Arctic flights in 1937.
BRICS Space Nations
India
Meanwhile, India’s Chandrayaan-2 mission has yielded a pioneering discovery, with its orbiter capturing the real-time effects of solar coronal mass ejections on the Moon’s surface for the first time.
Launched in 2019 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the spacecraft used a specialised instrument to observe how these solar flares dramatically increased the pressure and density of the Moon’s exosphere—its thin, rarefied atmosphere, by more than tenfold.
Composed of atoms and molecules influenced by solar radiation, wind, and meteorite impacts, the exosphere saw surges in helium and hydrogen ions during the events, validating long-held theories about space weather’s impact on lunar conditions.
This data is vital for future lunar bases, informing designs to withstand extreme solar activity and enhancing safety for astronaut missions.
China
Adding to the momentum, China has unveiled the world’s first telescope dedicated to studying the Sun’s magnetic field in the infrared range, marking a significant leap in solar research.
The Advanced Infrared Magnetograph for Solar observations (AIMS), installed at a high-altitude site in Qinghai Province at around 4,000 meters, employs infrared spectroscopy across a wide wavelength spectrum to deliver high-precision data on solar eruptions, matter transfer, and energy dynamics.
”The sun, being the only star we can observe with high precision, has a magnetic field that acts as the energy switch driving intense solar activities such as flares and coronal mass ejections. Yet, more than half the sun’s overall magnetic field manifestations are relatively weak, with strengths of only a few dozen gauss,” said Deng Yuanyong, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, who led the telescope’s construction.
Equipped with domestically developed vacuum-cooled detectors and advanced optics, AIMS fills a critical gap in global astronomy and bolsters space weather forecasting.
As a ground-based facility, it exemplifies China’s self-reliance in cutting-edge instrumentation, contributing to international efforts in understanding solar phenomena that affect Earth and beyond.
These initiatives from BRICS Space Nations not only demonstrate individual national achievements but also reflect the broader potential for BRICS collaboration in space science and exploration.
Sources
- TV BRICS: Russian cosmonaut and pilot to skydive from stratosphere over South Pole
- TV BRICS: Indian lunar spacecraft records impact of solar flares on Moon for first time
- TV BRICS: China launches first telescope to study the sun’s magnetic field in infrared range
- Independent Online (IOL): Cape Town hosts heroes of Russian space and sky ahead of daring Antarctic mission
- China Daily: China debuts pioneering solar telescope
