BION Series

"Bion" spacecraft is meant for conducting fundamental and applied research in the field of space biology and medicine, radiation physics and radiation biology experiments.

"Bion" spacecraft was used for carrying out systematic research with the aim to develop methods, allowing control state of health and capacity for work of a person, fulfilling prolonged space flight.

Since 1973 "Bion" spacecraft launches have been done approximately once in two years. 11 successful launches have been conducted in all. Data, received during "Bion" spacecraft missions, is of great value for its widespread application in applied medicine.

Research on-board of "Bion" spacecraft have been carried out with the use of unique scientific hardware and different biological objects, being on various levels of biological organization: unicellular organisms, tissue cultures, lower and higher plants, insects, fish, amphibians, turtles, white rats, monkeys. More than 37 types of biological objects have been in space.

"Bion" spacecraft consists of the following main parts:

· descent vehicle, meant for scientific hardware accommodation and return on the Earth;

· instrumentation module, meant for supporting equipment accommodation;

· pressurized container with chemical power sources.