lundi 1 septembre 2014

Spacecraft Foton-M4 returned to Earth

ROSCOSMOS logo.

01.09.2014

September 1 at 13:18 Moscow time, in accordance with the calculated data in the Orenburg region held lander landing Foton-M4: http://www.federalspace.ru/20669/

The spacecraft is designed for microgravity experiments, providing reception of new knowledge on the physics of weightlessness and the refinement of manufacturing processes of semiconductor materials, biomedical products with improved performance, as well as conducting biological and biotechnological research.

Foton-M4 landed

Total on board the satellite was installed 22 sets of scientific equipment, including biological animals: 5 geckos, fly Drosophila, the seeds of plants and micro organisms.

Mass of the satellite was 6840 kg, the mass of scientific equipment - up to 850 kg (600 kg lander inside and outside 250 kg). The average height of the orbit Foton-M4 was 575 km, which is higher than the average height of the orbit of the International Space Station.

 
Image above: Inside Foton-M4 capsule with the various experimental boxin the center, the box of the flies Drosophila.

Launch of spacecraft Foton-M4 held with launch pad number 31 Baikonur cosmodrome July 19, 2014.

On the state of biological animals aboard Foton-M4

After extraction of biological objects from the lander to carry out the initial evaluation, it was found that the fly Drosophila moved spaceflight well, successfully developed and bred. All geckos, unfortunately, died. Date of death and the conditions set by experts.

Scientific equipment with experiments prepared for transportation to the laboratory

Currently, scientific equipment with experiments prepared for transportation to the laboratory research institutes.

ROSCOSMOS Press Releases: http://www.federalspace.ru/20884/ and http://www.federalspace.ru/20885/

Images, Text, Credits: The press service of the Russian Space Agency and the Institute of Biomedical Problems of RAS / ROSCOSMOS / Translation: Orbiter.ch Aerospace.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch