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MOSCOW, December 22 Director of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP) RAS Oleg Orlov did not rule out that Russian scientists will return to flying monkeys into space; there is interest in this.
«There is such an interest. But in a practical aspect this has not yet been discussed. The fact is that the refusal to fly monkeys was associated with certain bioethical considerations that prevailed at that moment. Therefore, a return to this program is a certain must be work, justification. Although we do not exclude such a possibility in the future,» Orlov said at a press conference at the International Multimedia Press Center of the Rossiya Segodnya media group.
At the same time, he added that the institute is now working with monkeys, in particular, they are used to solve problems of radiobiological safety, which is necessary for promising space flights.
Monkeys flew into space under the Bion program; from 1973 to 1996, 11 satellites with plants and animals on board, including rats and monkeys, were launched into orbit. In the 21st century, the program was resumed, in 2013 the flight of the modernized Bion-M took place, and in July 2024 the flight of the Bion-M2 device is expected. There were no monkeys in these devices; mice and insects, as well as plants and microorganisms, flew.