Russian Biosatellite Bion-M No. 2 Returns to earth with Biological Samples

Orenburg, Russia – September 20, 2024 – The descent module of Russia’s Bion-M No. 2 biosatellite has safely returned to Earth, landing in the steppes of the Orenburg region after a 30-day mission, according to russia’s state space corporation, Roscosmos.

Launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 20, 2024, the spacecraft carried a diverse array of biological samples, including live animals and plants. These samples are now being transported to Moscow for comprehensive analysis.

the primary objective of the Bion-M No. 2 project is to investigate the effects of spaceflight on living organisms, specifically focusing on exposure to high-latitude orbits. These orbits experience approximately one-third higher levels of cosmic radiation compared to the orbit of the International Space station.

The 6.4-ton satellite housed a significant biological payload. This included 75 male mice, approximately 1,500 fruit flies, various cell cultures, and a selection of plants, grains, and legumes. Researchers also included fungi, lichens, cellular materials, and seeds – some of which were derived from plants whose parent seeds had previously been exposed to space during the Bion-M No. 1 mission in 2013 and the Foton-M No. 4 mission in 2014.

The Bion program represents a long-standing commitment to biological research in space. Initiated in 1973 with the launch of Kosmos-605, the program has consistently focused on understanding the impact of radiation and weightlessness on life. The first bion-M satellite, launched in 2013, carried a similar range of organisms, including mice, Mongolian gerbils, geckos, snails, plants, and microorganisms.

This latest mission builds upon decades of research,providing valuable data for future long-duration spaceflights and the potential for establishing sustainable life support systems beyond Earth.