The launch has been postponed until March 2025
The launch of the biological satellite Bion-M No. 2 into space has been postponed from September 2024 to March 2025. This decision was made a week ago at the Russian Academy of Sciences Council on Space.
«Bion-M» No. 1 was sent into space in 2013. On board were mice, Mongolian gerbils, geckos, snails, plants and colonies of various microorganisms.
The launch of «Bion-M» No. 2 was scheduled for September 1 of this year. 1.5 thousand fruit flies, 75 laboratory mice, plants, cell cultures and microorganisms were prepared for the flight within 30 days. The biosatellite was planned to be launched for the first time to an altitude of about 800 kilometers, which is almost twice as high as the orbit of the ISS and 10 times higher in radiation levels compared to the first «Bion-M».
The influence of increased radiation on living objects, coupled with weightlessness, is the main goal of the scientific program in the Bion-M project No. 2. Experts intend to study in advance all the features of a high-latitude flight before the start of operation of the new Russian space station ROS.
In addition living beings, scientists planned to study on Bion the conditions for the growth of unicellular algae for subsequent provision of them to astronauts on long-term space flights. An experiment is also planned to study the destruction of materials by microorganisms under conditions of weightlessness.
As for scientific equipment, it was prepared for launch on September 1. However, experts did not fully prepare the biosatellite itself.
“For us, this transfer is not too critical,” the institute told MK. “We understand that the situation is difficult now. As for the animals that we prepared for the flight in September… Well, let's prepare new ones for the new date. Naturally, the launch of the next Bion-M — No. 3 will also have to be shifted to the right.»