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- A companion with life: mice and flies will help prepare a person for flights to the Moon and Mars
A companion with life: mice and flies will help prepare a person for flights to the Moon and Mars
Russia is preparing to launch a Bion-M2 research vehicle with living organisms, in particular mice and fruit flies, on board. The launch is scheduled for July 2025. The satellite will be launched into polar orbit, where the Russian Space Station will operate in the future. The purpose of the mission is to study the influence of space environment factors on biological objects. Among other things, scientists will check at what depth it is better to build shelters on the Moon than to replace water during long journeys and whether life on Earth could have originated from space.
What factors are dangerous in space
The launch of the Bion-M2 mission, a Russian scientific satellite with animals, plants, seeds and microorganisms on board, is scheduled for July 2025. The device is designed for research in the field of space biology, physiology and medicine. It will be launched using a Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle from site No. 31 of the Baikonur cosmodrome. The satellite will stay in space for 30 days, during which time specialists will conduct more than 20 scientific experiments.
— The satellite will be launched to an altitude of about 400 km into a polar orbit. It passes over the poles of the Earth. Approximately along this trajectory, the Russian Space Station will begin flying in the future. With the help of Bion-M2, scientists will study the dangers that await astronauts in these areas of space and how negative impacts can be prevented," Vladimir Sychev, Deputy Director for Scientific Work at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (the main scientific organization for the project), told Izvestia.
According to the scientist, compared with the current International Space Station in polar orbit, the radiation level will be a third higher. In addition, there are more high-energy galactic particles that come from outside the Solar System. They are even more dangerous for humans, because when they collide with atoms in the molecules of the human body, they can cause irreversible changes, including cancer and radiation sickness.
— For example, flying through the retina of the eye, such particles cause a glow that astronauts feel like flashes or lightning in their heads. However, the main threat is that single galactic particles, when colliding with objects on board the ship, generate cascades of secondary neutrons, which are almost impossible to protect against. Therefore, for example, according to experts, bases on the Moon should be built at a depth of 3 m. Galactic rays pose a lesser danger, while the flux of secondary neutrons increases dramatically on a larger scale," said Vladimir Sychev.
Electromagnetic interactions and the hypomagnetic environment
According to the scientist, another little—studied factor is the electrostatic voltage, which occurs due to the increased content of electrons in the polar orbit. For example, this is reflected in the occasional failures of on-board spacecraft systems. How the accumulation of charge affects living organisms has yet to be studied. At the same time, probes in polar orbit are characterized by periodic exposure to a weak magnetic field and elevated radiation background.
According to him, the described conditions await crews during expeditions to other planets. Therefore, one of the main goals of scientists is to understand what factors will affect the health of astronauts during such expeditions, and to develop effective protective measures.
For example, when analyzing the results of the Bion-M1 program in 2013, scientists found that the mice participating in the flight had a 30% decrease in learning ability after returning. Such effects are an alarming signal for long—term manned missions. Therefore, by launching a new satellite, scientists will have to find out what caused these changes.
— We rarely consider the human body from the point of view of electromagnetic interactions, the role of which is actually enormous. In particular, they determine many processes of vital activity of cells. Including cellular respiration and metabolism. Therefore, it is important to understand how changes in the magnetic field affect this level," the scientist explained.
In general, he said, the hypomagnetic environment has a number of negative effects on the body. For example, subway workers who work deep underground register changes in their blood that occur against the background of a weakened magnetic field. As a result, such people are entitled to additional leave.
Which animals will fly into space
According to Vladimir Sychev, each of the factors that threaten human life and health in space can be reproduced and studied on Earth, but their complex effects remain a mystery. These influences can only be investigated in orbit. For these purposes, the Bion-M2 "crew" includes mice, creatures that are genetically and physiologically similar to humans. In particular, their genome corresponds to about 90% of the human genome.
Specially developed lines that do not have pathogenic microflora will be sent into space. This will make it possible to conduct methodologically pure experiments and determine exactly how conditions, to a greater or lesser extent, affect mammals. A total of 75 animals will be sent into space. All males. They will be accommodated in "cabins" of three, which, among other things, will give scientists the opportunity to study the psychology of animals in extreme conditions.
As the scientist noted, in addition to scientific tasks, technological tasks are also solved in the Bion-M2 program. In particular, how to properly drink water in space, which behaves unpredictably in zero gravity. For example, it is collected in balls, which makes it difficult for animals to consume it. In addition, droplets of liquid enter the respiratory tract, making it difficult to breathe, and also settle on the walls of the chambers, which contributes to the development of bacteria. Therefore, most of the mice on board the Bion-M2 will be fed a pasty feed that contains enough water to avoid using drinkers. However, pasty food also makes some changes in the water-salt balance in the animal body.
At the same time, Vladimir Sychev said, on board the Bion-M2, solid feed will be used in one of the five animal husbandry devices, and water will be supplied in the form of a gel. This technology is being used for the first time.
According to the scientist, experiments with fruit flies will also be conducted on the satellite. They will be sent into space in the amount of 1.5 thousand individuals. The genome of these insects is well studied, which makes it easy to track mutations and changes in DNA caused by cosmic factors. In addition, the short life cycle of fruit flies (about 10 days) makes it possible to observe several generations during the flight.
How to verify the origin of life from outer space
Another group of experiments on board the Bion-M2 will be devoted to the vital activity of microorganisms. In particular, scientists will test how bacteria tolerate exposure to vacuum, ultraviolet, radiation and other extreme conditions.
In addition, the scientist said, basalt disks with microorganisms will be placed on the outside of the device in the zone of greatest heating when the lander enters the atmosphere. When they return to Earth, they will simulate a meteorite. Thus, scientists expect to confirm or refute the theory of panspermia — the introduction of life to our planet from outer space.
— "Bion-M2" is a necessary stage for preparing for long—range manned expeditions. For example, a flight between Earth and Mars will take from six to nine months. During this period, changes in the cardiovascular and skeletal systems occur in zero gravity. At the same time, when landing on the Red Planet, the expedition participants must be in good physical shape," commented Mikhail Nikitin, a biologist and researcher at the Department of Evolutionary Biochemistry at the A.N. Belozersky Research Institute of Physico—Chemical Biology at Moscow State University.
In his opinion, experiments with animals on biosatellites will help to find methods to preserve health in such conditions.
— To create a colony on another planet or space object, it is necessary to obtain biologically stable systems that are capable of self-reproduction and do not require constant monitoring. This is, in particular, one of the goals pursued by biological experiments in space," said one of the developers of scientific programs for the Bion-M2 mission, an agronomist at the Botanical Garden of Samara State University. Queen Elena Kayurova.
In particular, she said, research that involves working with plants, animals and microorganisms is aimed at studying their interactions and influences on each other. This will help you understand how to create a sustainable ecosystem, for example, on a spaceship or another planet.
— Of course, fundamental space research is needed. They expand our understanding of the structure of the cosmos and the microcosm, living and inanimate nature. In turn, new knowledge will make it possible to create new technologies," said Sergey Zhukov, a full member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics and president of the Moscow Space Club.
The cessation or slowing down of basic research leads to a lag in development, he added.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
