MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The next Bion-M research vehicle will be inserted into orbit four or five years from now, Samara Progress General Director Alexander Kirilin told Interfax-AVN.
"The satellite may be launched in 2018 or 2019. It will carry on the scientific research program of Bion-M1, including experiments on living organisms," he said.
The satellite boasts unique quality of life sustenance systems and micro-gravity and foreign partners are eager to cooperate, Kirilin said. "The Bion-M1 scientific program consisted of more than 70 experiments of researchers from Russia, Germany, France, the United States and other countries," he said.
Institute of Medical and Biological Problems Deputy Director Vladimir Sychev told reporters in June the financing of Bion-M2 would open in 2016.
Bion-M is designed as an orbital platform for fundamental and applied research in space bio-medicine and biotechnology. Results of the experiments are transported back to the Earth. The project will upgrade medical support to the prospective long space flights and human operation under extreme conditions.
Eleven Bion satellites were launched in the period from 1973 to 1996. The Bion-M1 mission was accomplished in 2013.