The mission launch was initially planned for 2011 when 300 years since the birthday of Mikhail Lomonosov was celebrated. After several postponements the mission was finally launched on 28 April 2016 from Vostochny Cosmodrome by the Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicle.
Scientific payload
The spacecraft is equipped with seven scientific instruments:
Tracking Ultraviolet Set Up system was designed to measure fluorescence light radiated by EAS of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays in the Earth atmosphere as well as for transients' studies within UV-range. This was the first space based instrument dedicated to these phenomena. The TUS-project started in 2001.
Block for X-ray and gamma-radiation detection is intended for detecting and monitoring gamma-ray bursts and for producing a trigger signal for ShOK cameras ;
UFFO consists of X-ray and 10 cm UV telescopes intended for studying gamma-ray bursts;
Optic cameras of super-wide field of vision is a pair of wide-field optical cameras, which main purpose is a prompt detection of the optical radiation of gamma-ray bursts after receiving trigger signals from BDRG;
Dosimeter of Electrons, PROtons and Neutrons measures absorbed doses and spectra of electrons, protons, neutrons and heavy nuclei;
Electron Loss and Fields Investigator for Lomonosov comprises the Energetic Particle Detector for Electrons, Energetic Proton Detector for Ions and Flux Gate Magnetometer. Its main purposes is to study energetic particles in the Earth magnetosphere;
IMISS-1 is a device intended to test microelectromechanical inertial modules.
End of mission
On June 30, 2018 it was published that the Lomonosov-satellite had suffered a malfunction in its data transmission system. Attempts to fix the problem were underway, but fixing the problem had so far been unsuccessful. As of 14 January 2019, the problems have not been solved and all the scientific equipment of the satellite are powered off. The recovery attempts continue. Before succumbing to current difficulties, the satellite had worked for one and a half year for its intended purpose. With the failure of the Lomonosov satellite and the Spektr-R end of mission on 30 May 2019, the Russian space program lost both of its scientific satellites until the launch of Spektr-RG in July 2019. The TUS-telescope aboard Lomonosov stopped data collection in late 2017.
