BION-M1 Satellite

MEMORANDUM

Bion-M design and development work is carried out according to the Federal Space Program of the Russian Federation for 2006-2015 approved by Regulation of the RF Government № 635 of October 22, 2005.

During the Bion-M1 flight, it is planned to conduct comprehensive physiological, morphological, genetic and molecular-biological experiments on various specimens of flora and fauna in support of long-term interplanetary flights including Mars missions.

Rodents, amphibians, reptiles, crustaceans, mollusks, fish, insects, bacteria, cultures of animal and plant cells will be used for research.

The state customer of Bion-M development is the Federal Space Agency.

The customer of Bion-M development is the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

After recovery, the results of biomedical and biotechnological experiments are used for improving medical support of long-term manned flights and activities in extreme conditions.

The main objectives of the experiments conducted on the Bion-M1 spacecraft:

– study of vital functions in microgravity and during space flight;

– research into the effects of microgravity and ionizing radiation in doses typical for flights out of the Earth radiation belts;

– development of effective preventive measures against harmful effects of long-term microgravity impact on an organism;

– study of space diseases and traumatic injuries;

– development of a technology of obtaining ultrapure bioactive substances in microgravity.

The Bion-M1 spacecraft is equipped by a new life-support system meant for trouble-free operation for 45 days.

There will be 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils, 15 geckos and snails on board Bion-M1. In addition, it is planned to place about 40 containers with various microorganisms and some containers with higher plants. The Bion-M1 flight will last for about 30 days.

The biomedical experiments are designed by scientific institutions from the USA, Germany, Canada, Netherlands, Poland and other countries.

A unique in-flight experiment on fish and algae is to be conducted on board the spacecraft. The experiment is carried out by the Institute for Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP) of the RAS in the OMEGAHAB hardware produced by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).

The research program is unique. For the first time in world practice physiological experiments are to be performed not only in the course of the flight but also during the most critical and difficult phases of launch and landing.

More than 70 experiments are to be carried out during 30 days of flight. The “crew” of the spacecraft is formed in the Institute for Medical and Biological Problems. After monthly expedition living organisms will be returned to the Earth by a descent module.

Based on goals and objectives of the planned experiments all scientific hardware is divided into 3 groups:

– scientific hardware for biomedical research;

– scientific hardware for experiments in gravitational biology and biotechnology;

– scientific hardware for radiophysical and radiobiological experiments.

All scientific hardware is packaged and prepared at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Information from scientific hardware is transferred by a telemetry system.

April 19, 2013 2pm Moscow time from Baikonur Cosmodrome Soyuz-2.1a successfully launched Bion-M No1 research spacecraft.

Scientific hardware of the BION-M1 spacecraft

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