Main mission of the unique astrophysical laboratory “Radioastron” is search for life in our Universe, said leading expert of the centre of astronomy of the Lebedev Physics Institute during the press conference in the Institute for Space Research.
      
      The scientist said that the launch of the Russian astrophysical laboratory “Radioastron”, equipped with up-to-date science and information complex and a space parabolic antenna (12 m in diameter), is scheduled for the middle of 2007. The laboratory will be launched via the Ukrainian rocket carrier “Zenith” from the Baikonur launching site.
      
      The design of the observatory was worth 3 million rubles. This space system is a radio interferometer, which is equivalent to a radio telescope. The “Radioastron”’s working orbit is 350 thousand km, and its resolution will be one hundred thousandths of a second of angle.
      
      The laboratory’s highly elliptical orbit is perfect for almost continuous monitoring of interplanetary matter’s parameters far away from our planet. This allows detailed studies of solar wind plasma, active nuclei of galaxies, “black holes” environment as well as quasars. Said objects are located so far from the Earth, that studying their structure with existing instruments was an impossible mission before the “Radioastron” appeared.
      
      Source: RIA Novosti