A DOSIMETRIC INSTRUMENT DEVELOPED BY BULGARIAN SCIENTISTS PARTICIPATES IN THE EXOMARS MISSION

An instrument, developed by Bulgarian scientists, participates in the ExoMars mission to measure space radiation. The Bulgarian contribution to the project is the dosimeter “Liulin – MO”, which is going to explore the radiation environment on the way to Mars and in the orbit of the planet. The dosimetric instrument was developed by a team of Bulgarian scientists from the Space Research Institute of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

The dosimeter allows the measuring of the heaviest ions of galactic and solar cosmic ray and will assess the doses of cosmic radiation.

The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter launched into space on 14th of March, marking the beginning of a seven-month journey to the Red Planet. This is the first of two joint ESA–Roscosmos missions. The goal of the mission is to seek evidence of methane and other atmospheric gases, which could signal there's life on Mars.