LIVE: Soyuz-2-1A launch with Bion-M and others - Baykonur - April 19, 2013

[Satori]

According with TsENKI, Bion-M n.º 1 was delivered today to Baykonur Cosmodrome: http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=97706 (in Russian)

[Artyom.]

April 30 – Bion-M No. 1, BeeSat-2, BeeSat-3, SOMP, OSSI-1, flight satellite AIST – Soyuz-2-1B – Baikonur 31/6

LV - Soyuz-2-1B !

[Satori]

April 30 – Bion-M No. 1, BeeSat-2, BeeSat-3, SOMP, OSSI-1, flight satellite AIST – Soyuz-2-1B – Baikonur 31/6

LV - Soyuz-2-1B !

Corrected! Thanks Artyom!

[Satori]

This will be 14A14-1B Soyuz-2-1B (009).

[anik]

The rocket was delivered today too.

[Satori]

According with Roscosmos, work has started in preparing the Bion-M n.º 1 for launch in April: http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=19907 (in Russian).

[Artyom.]

[Prober]

What's with the super ball?
 
Sputnik 2 she looks

[russianhalo117]

What's with the super ball?
 
Sputnik 2 she looks

Yes, but in this case it serves as a payload sphere (Return Capsule) that hold the experiments from experiment integration until experiment recovery. In the photo the capsule lack its outer heat shield covering.

[Phillip Clark]

Kometa lives!!! ;-)

[Stan Black]

When or where do they load the biological specimens; in the MIK?

[anik]

The launch is planned at 10:00 UTC on April 19th, and the satellite will be launched by Soyuz-2-1A No. 014 rocket.

[Artyom.]

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=98001

[Artyom.]

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=98032

[Artyom.]

[Star One]

Other than an aquarium (source Wikipeda) what else does the payload consist of?

[russianhalo117]

Other than an aquarium (source Wikipeda) what else does the payload consist of?

IDK, manufacturers website only lists the countries/institutions at this time. Actual payloads, like the last mission, should be added online in the next 1-2 weeks.

[Skyrocket]

Some more images:

http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=83

[vapour_nudge]

Could somebody kindly explain why these experiments aren't instead done on the ISS -perhaps spread across several misions?

[Prof68]

Could somebody kindly explain why these experiments aren't instead done on the ISS -perhaps spread across several misions?

1. some experiments require better microgravity than achievable on ISS. 
2. some experiments potentially are too risky for ISS if failed (because of risk of bio contamination).
3. some experiments have requirements of return results in timespan | size | mass which could not be meet by Soyuz or Dragon.

And last but not least: Bion M1 is cheaper.

PS. If researchers know in 2005-2008 that
1. Bion M1 flight will be in 2013 only (4 years late)
2. Dragon flights will be successful and only 1.5 years late.
then some of current Bion experiments could be done on ISS with returning results on Dragon.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Could somebody kindly explain why these experiments aren't instead done on the ISS -perhaps spread across several misions?

1. some experiments require better microgravity than achievable on ISS. 
2. some experiments potentially are too risky for ISS if failed (because of risk of bio contamination).
3. some experiments have requirements of return results in timespan | size | mass which could not be meet by Soyuz or Dragon.

And last but not least: Bion M1 is cheaper.

That's also why SpaceX is trying to sell rides of the DragonLab (did any institutions respond?).

IIRC ESA was a major user of the Bion series (and its material science companion, the Foton-M). Is it still the case today?

[Prof68]

When or where do they load the biological specimens; in the MIK?

Mostly yes, but some will be loaded during rocket preparation at the launch pad, less than 12 hours before launch. Process will be similar to the late adding of items in Progress or Dragon.

PS. And if launch will be scrubbed or delayed, then a headache of support crew definitely will be bigger than average. ^)

[Nicolas PILLET]

Process will be similar to the late adding of items in Progress or Dragon.

No, it is impossible to have access to Progress when it is on launch pad.

[anik]

No, it is impossible to have access to Progress when it is on launch pad

It is possible, late loading is doing on the launch pad.

[Stan Black]

No, it is impossible to have access to Progress when it is on launch pad

It is possible, late loading is doing on the launch pad.

Interesting… so for 11С517А2 is the access hatch on top in these pictures?
http://www.energia.ru/ru/iss/iss30/progress_m-15m/im/photo_04-14-16.jpg
http://www.energia.ru/rus/iss/iss21/progress-m-mim2/im/photo_11-06-02.jpg

What about Bion and Foton? Just find it difficult to expect that the rats and monkeys or whatever are not late loaded.
http://www.kosmonavtika.com/lancements/2007/14092007/14092007-42.jpg
http://www.samspace.ru/upload/resize_cache/iblock/8b6/1920_1440_27ffa0c0bd997717fc41c9666a9c15086/foton_m-2.jpg

[Star One]

Other than an aquarium (source Wikipeda) what else does the payload consist of?

IDK, manufacturers website only lists the countries/institutions at this time. Actual payloads, like the last mission, should be added online in the next 1-2 weeks.

Thanks for that. What sort of orbit is this intended to go into, the same as previous missions or something different this time?

[russianhalo117]

Other than an aquarium (source Wikipedia) what else does the payload consist of?

IDK, manufacturers website only lists the countries/institutions at this time. Actual payloads, like the last mission, should be added online in the next 1-2 weeks.

Thanks for that. What sort of orbit is this intended to go into, the same as previous missions or something different this time?

BION-M will launch into a 575km initial circular orbit at 64.9 deg inclination.

Inclination is typically set by planned capsule landing zone. Factors for type of orbit include version of launcher used and type of service module, which in this case is derived from Yantar SC series and carries solar panels which previous Bion series did not.


Edit: Target Orbital Info for OSSI-1


OSSI-1   Updated: 27 Feb 2013       Responsible Operator    Hojun Song DS1SBO
Supporting Organisation   Open Source Satellite Initiative       Licence Class: Amateur Satellite Service
Contact Person    [email protected] 
Headline Details: The satellite is to prove 100 % COTS built satellite from the scratch is working or not in space. And the process and the results will be published as a book as a part of open source project. To gather the data, detailed missions are as below: 1. Health Data Beacon Downlink 2. UHF COMMS Uplink and Downlink 3. LED light blinking from the space. A 1U CubeSat planning to use downlinks on both UHF (1k2)and VHF (CW) will use solar panels charging both batteries and super capacitors. Scheduled to launch on a Soyuz-2 launcher, on 30th April 2013, into a 575km orbit at 64.9 deg inclination. Will fly with BeeSat 2 & 3, Bion-M, Dove-2 and SOMP. ** 437.525MHz and 145.980MHz downlinks have been coordinated**
Application Date:   14 Feb 2013
Freq coordination completed on: 27 Feb 2013


LINK: http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal_detail.php?serialnum=290

[Kyra's kosmos]

A few tidbits per Roskosmos - mission duration: 30 days.

Who is onboard:  "It is planned that the spacecraft will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils and 15 newts and snails. In addition, "Bion-M" № 1 is supposed to run about 40 containers with a variety of microorganisms, as well as containers with higher plants. "

We also find geckos will be onboard - Science Summary:
 " Based on the goals and objectives of the planned experiments, the full range of scientific equipment is divided into three groups:

• scientific equipment designed for biomedical experiments;
• scientific instruments designed to conduct experiments on gravitational biology and biotechnology;
• scientific equipment designed to radiation physics and radiobiology experiments.
         Biomedical experiments are conducted on small laboratory animals - mice and geckos."

On a related note the IMBP has a new website we can watch for the science on this mission:
http://www.imbp.ru/

[Star One]

A few tidbits per Roskosmos - mission duration: 30 days.

Who is onboard:  "It is planned that the spacecraft will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils and 15 newts and snails. In addition, "Bion-M" № 1 is supposed to run about 40 containers with a variety of microorganisms, as well as containers with higher plants. "

We also find geckos will be onboard - Science Summary:
 " Based on the goals and objectives of the planned experiments, the full range of scientific equipment is divided into three groups:

• scientific equipment designed for biomedical experiments;
• scientific instruments designed to conduct experiments on gravitational biology and biotechnology;
• scientific equipment designed to radiation physics and radiobiology experiments.
         Biomedical experiments are conducted on small laboratory animals - mice and geckos."

On a related note the IMBP has a new website we can watch for the science on this mission:
http://www.imbp.ru/

So the information about there being an aquarium onboard may be incorrect then?

[Nicolas PILLET]

Preparation of satellite AIST (147КС №Л15000-02) :

http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=19954

[Paper Kosmonaut]

Isn't that "superball" someone mentioned earlier up in the thread a straight derivative of the Vostok sharik? It certainly looks like it. And I know that after its life as Vostok and Voskhod, the sharik led the life of a spysat and other purposes. This Bion satellite just is Vostok's umpteenth reincarnation, it seems.
(Which makes it the oldest still in service spacecraft, if I am correct).

[Phillip Clark]

Isn't that "superball" someone mentioned earlier up in the thread a straight derivative of the Vostok sharik? It certainly looks like it. And I know that after its life as Vostok and Voskhod, the sharik led the life of a spysat and other purposes. This Bion satellite just is Vostok's umpteenth reincarnation, it seems.
(Which makes it the oldest still in service spacecraft, if I am correct).

Since the Vostok Sharik is used with the Yantar-class propulsion and instrument mo0dules, Bion-M is very much like the Yantar-1KFT/Kometa topographic and mapping satellite.

[russianhalo117]

Part I of processing pictures from Bion-M SC processing: VA Processing
Part II of processing pictures from Bion-M SC processing: SM Final Processing Post VA Integration

LINK: http://samspace.ru/multimedia/images/selected_images/131/

[Artyom.]

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=98825

[Galactic Penguin SST]

It almost looks eerie that 52 years after Gagarin's flight the iconic spherical return module is still in active use - I doubt Korolev expect that! 

Is there any public list of what kind of experiments are on board (and from which institutions), and the variety and number of "animalnauts" on board?

[Star One]

It almost looks eerie that 52 years after Gagarin's flight the iconic spherical return module is still in active use - I doubt Korolev expect that! 

Is there any public list of what kind of experiments are on board (and from which institutions), and the variety and number of "animalnauts" on board?

Is it the only Russian craft still to be using such an iconic design?

[Phillip Clark]

It almost looks eerie that 52 years after Gagarin's flight the iconic spherical return module is still in active use - I doubt Korolev expect that! 

Is there any public list of what kind of experiments are on board (and from which institutions), and the variety and number of "animalnauts" on board?

Is it the only Russian craft still to be using such an iconic design?

Foton-M uses a similar design to Bion-M.

[Star One]

It almost looks eerie that 52 years after Gagarin's flight the iconic spherical return module is still in active use - I doubt Korolev expect that! 

Is there any public list of what kind of experiments are on board (and from which institutions), and the variety and number of "animalnauts" on board?

Is it the only Russian craft still to be using such an iconic design?

Foton-M uses a similar design to Bion-M.

Thanks. I didn't think Foton was still an active program as there hasn't been a launch since 2007 but looking online now I can see there is upgraded version planned for launch in 2014.

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/foton-m4.htm

[anik]

I was told Bion-M landing is planned on May 18th on the Russian territory.

[Artyom.]

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=99017

[Nicolas PILLET]

Fueling of the satellite :



I think it is "new" 11Г141 fueling station !! 

[patchfree]

Yes it is!

[Stan Black]

A few tidbits per Roskosmos - mission duration: 30 days.

Who is onboard:  "It is planned that the spacecraft will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils and 15 newts and snails. In addition, "Bion-M" № 1 is supposed to run about 40 containers with a variety of microorganisms, as well as containers with higher plants. "

We also find geckos will be onboard - Science Summary:
 " Based on the goals and objectives of the planned experiments, the full range of scientific equipment is divided into three groups:

• scientific equipment designed for biomedical experiments;
• scientific instruments designed to conduct experiments on gravitational biology and biotechnology;
• scientific equipment designed to radiation physics and radiobiology experiments.
         Biomedical experiments are conducted on small laboratory animals - mice and geckos."

On a related note the IMBP has a new website we can watch for the science on this mission:
http://www.imbp.ru/

So the information about there being an aquarium onboard may be incorrect then?

OMEGAHAB

http://biosputnik.imbp.ru

http://biosputnik.imbp.ru/download/pdf/BION.pdf

[Artyom.]

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=99157

[Artyom.]

[Stan Black]

 They’ve actually loaded those animals before launch? They are then going to be tilted horizontal for attachment to the rocket and transport to the launch platform, then back to vertical for launch.

 Reminds me when I was in school when one kid opened the rat cage and hamster cage at the same time, and the rat… horrible…

[Phillip Clark]

 They’ve actually loaded those animals before launch? They are then going to be tilted horizontal for attachment to the rocket and transport to the launch platform, then back to vertical for launch.

 Reminds me when I was in school when one kid opened the rat cage and hamster cage at the same time, and the rat… horrible…

One assumes that this is how it was done on all of the previous Bion missions.   Also, think about the monkeynauts who flew!

[Stan Black]

 They’ve actually loaded those animals before launch? They are then going to be tilted horizontal for attachment to the rocket and transport to the launch platform, then back to vertical for launch.

 Reminds me when I was in school when one kid opened the rat cage and hamster cage at the same time, and the rat… horrible…

One assumes that this is how it was done on all of the previous Bion missions.   Also, think about the monkeynauts who flew!

I always imagined them having the traditional walk out to the rocket.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

So this launch is next-in-line! Live broadcast expected at http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/

Apparently this flight will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils, 10 geckos, snails, fish and micro-organisms. Looks like the gerbils are off for a 30 day tough flight - they won't get any water for the whole time in space! 

Rocket rollout will be at 05:00 UTC tomorrow - although some problems were noted with some foreign experiments so the launch might be pushed back by a day - although it does not seems to be given the decision time has passed.

[jcm]

The AIST satellite is always written upper case - does it stand for something or is it just the Russian word аист (stork)?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

So this launch is next-in-line! Live broadcast expected at http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/

Apparently this flight will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils, 10 geckos, snails, fish and micro-organisms. Looks like the gerbils are off for a 30 day tough flight - they won't get any water for the whole time in space! 

Rocket rollout will be at 05:00 UTC tomorrow - although some problems were noted with some foreign experiments so the launch might be pushed back by a day - although it does not seems to be given the decision time has passed.

Hmm, no confirmation of rocket roll-out by now at less than a day to launch. I guess this isn't an issue? 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

So this launch is next-in-line! Live broadcast expected at http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/

Apparently this flight will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils, 10 geckos, snails, fish and micro-organisms. Looks like the gerbils are off for a 30 day tough flight - they won't get any water for the whole time in space! 

Rocket rollout will be at 05:00 UTC tomorrow - although some problems were noted with some foreign experiments so the launch might be pushed back by a day - although it does not seems to be given the decision time has passed.

Hmm, no confirmation of rocket roll-out by now at less than a day to launch. I guess this isn't an issue? 

Ah: http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=302316

Rocket apparently being prepared for roll out as of an hour ago. One of the 45 mice died in a cage fight so that group of mice will be replaced. 

[Star One]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

[russianhalo117]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

Final launch time will be set on 24th after Progress launch. It may be on 31/6 by then.

[Satori]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

Final launch time will be set on 24th after Progress launch. It may be on 31/6 by then.

The launch was delayed?

[Star One]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

Final launch time will be set on 24th after Progress launch. It may be on 31/6 by then.

It has been pushed back then?

[Satori]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

Final launch time will be set on 24th after Progress launch. It may be on 31/6 by then.

It has been pushed back then?

According to http://georg071941.ru/ roll-out was schedule for 1450UTC today. Someone just forgot to post the news of the roll-out to the launch pad.

There are no news of any delays.

[Danderman]

According to this Interfax release:

http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=302316

Launch is scheduled for 14:00 MST Friday.

The news article was released at 14:26 Moscow time TODAY, so it might current news.

[anik]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

The launch is planned at 10:00:00 UTC tomorrow, nothing has changed since that time.

[Star One]

Has this now received a definitive launch time?

The launch is planned at 10:00:00 UTC tomorrow, nothing has changed since that time.

Thanks for the confirmation.

[Chris Bergin]

Moved for live coverage in the morning!

[Prober]

So this launch is next-in-line! Live broadcast expected at http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/

Apparently this flight will carry 45 mice, 8 Mongolian gerbils, 10 geckos, snails, fish and micro-organisms. Looks like the gerbils are off for a 30 day tough flight - they won't get any water for the whole time in space! 

Rocket rollout will be at 05:00 UTC tomorrow - although some problems were noted with some foreign experiments so the launch might be pushed back by a day - although it does not seems to be given the decision time has passed.

Hmm, no confirmation of rocket roll-out by now at less than a day to launch. I guess this isn't an issue? 

Ah: http://www.interfax.ru/news.asp?id=302316

Rocket apparently being prepared for roll out as of an hour ago. One of the 45 mice died in a cage fight so that group of mice will be replaced. 

ouch, better keep a low profile on this.  If some of the Animal rights people in Calif. find out they will be around the Russian embassy with signs.
 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

ouch, better keep a low profile on this.  If some of the Animal rights people in Calif. find out they will be around the Russian embassy with signs.
 

I thought they already did for similar Spacelab Shuttle flights back in the 1980/90s.....

[input~2]

NOTAM for first stage and fairing debris

K0174/13 -  ATS ROUTE SEGMENTS CLSD: 1.A73 TIBDA-BETIK FROM 215 TO 270 KM 2.G167 EDETO-VETUB TO 160 KM 3.A368 ARKALYK-INRIK FROM 30 TO 130 KM 4.A80 TUSEP-OSROL TO 80 KM 5.B823 TUSEP-VETUB TO 70 KM 6.B822 DAKIN-GORIM FROM 430 TO 630 KM SFC/UNL. DAILY 0955/1045, 19 APR 09:55 2013 UNTIL 21 APR 10:45 2013. CREATED: 16 APR 15:58 2013

NOTAM for second stage debris

P1769/13 -  RESTRICTED AREA ACT: UNR1232. SFC - UNL, 19-21 1000-1100, 19 APR 10:00 2013 UNTIL 21 APR 11:00 2013. CREATED: 18 APR 08:43 2013

[Chris Bergin]

Some confusion in this thread on the vehicle. Is it a 2-1A or 2-1B? Fregat Upper Stage I assume?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Some confusion in this thread on the vehicle. Is it a 2-1A or 2-1B? Fregat Upper Stage I assume?

Originally a 2-1B was to be used, but now it was switched to a 2-1A. No Fregat upper stage - the spacecraft (mass about 6.5 tonnes) will be launched into an elliptical orbit with apogee at about its operational altitude of 575 km, where the spacecraft will fire its engines to reach its planned orbit later.

I suggest you also read up some new articles by Anatoly Zak that translated many of the Russian sources I have seen:

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m.html

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_science.html

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_preparation.html

[Galactic Penguin SST]

One question: Does the return module have any retro-firing rockets for landing? How many parachutes does it have (main, drogue, any back-ups?)? I am not sure if the landing method has been changed a lot since the Vostok times...

[pericynthion]

Is anyone aware of any live video feeds or text update pages? (Russian or English)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Is anyone aware of any live video feeds or text update pages? (Russian or English)

http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/ (starts at 08:00 UTC)

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Confirmation of rollout. 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Photos:

http://www.tsenki.com/news/news_tsenki/?ELEMENT_ID=99223

[Galactic Penguin SST]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

It's GO for propellant loading and launch: http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=20041

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Live webcast started.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Mission booklet from the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (in English and Russian). 

[Satori]

Live webcast started.

...and with live sound also!!

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

T-53 minutes all looks good for launch...

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

Services towers are removed...

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

T-28 minutes for launch... all looks ready for the Bion-M n.º 1 mission.

[Satori]

T-20m

[pericynthion]

I love the nonchalant guys walking around the base of the fueled rocket, 15 minutes before launch...

[Satori]

[Satori]

T-15m

[Satori]

Launch pad flame pit.

[Satori]

T-10 minute call. All is ready for launch...

[Satori]

[Artyom.]

Launch key inserted.

«Ключ на старт!»
«Kljuch na start!»

[Satori]

T-5m

[Satori]

[Satori]

60 seconds...

[Artyom.]

LAUNCH!!!

[Satori]

LAUNCH!!!!!!!!!!

[Satori]

Into first stage!

[Artyom.]

[Satori]

[Satori]

Nominal flight... waiting for staging...

[input~2]

[Artyom.]

[Satori]

The four strap-on boosters have separated... Blok-A still firing...

[Satori]

T+3m and people at the pad...

[Chris Bergin]

Thanks for covering guys!
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/04/soyuz-2-1a-bion-m-spacecraft/

[Satori]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Nominal 2nd stage separation and fairing separation!

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Satori]

[Artyom.]

[Satori]

We have spacecraft Bion-M separation...

[pericynthion]

Woo! 45 mice, eight Mongolian gerbils, 15 geckos and one Dove in orbit!

[Artyom.]

My congratulations  !

[Galactic Penguin SST]

For those wondering about the various cubesats: they will separate from the Bion-M spacecraft after it has reached the final 575 km circular orbit.

- OSSI-1 will separate at 14:12 UTC today.

- BeeSat-2/3, SOMP and Dove 2 will separate at around 08:25 UTC on April 21.

- AIST-2 will separate at around 14:30 UTC on April 21.

[Artyom.]

[Galactic Penguin SST]

- BeeSat-2/3, SOMP and Dove 2 will separate at around 08:25 UTC on April 21.

Dove-2 is also on this launch? Source?

http://ria.ru/science/20130419/933423354.html

http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=400

[Satori]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

[Satori]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

Humm, this is OSSI-1?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

A.K.A. OSSI-1.

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ossi-1.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19007475

http://amsat-uk.org/satellites/ossi-1/

[Skyrocket]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

A.K.A. OSSI-1.

Is there any source for the name "G.O.D.Sat"?

[Satori]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

A.K.A. OSSI-1.

Is there any source for the name "G.O.D.Sat"?

I don't find any other reference to the "G.O.D.Sat" name apart from NK.

[Skyrocket]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

A.K.A. OSSI-1.

Is there any source for the name "G.O.D.Sat"?

I don't find any other reference to the "G.O.D.Sat" name apart from NK.

Found it here: http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=400

[Satori]

Any info on G.O.D.Sat?

A.K.A. OSSI-1.

Is there any source for the name "G.O.D.Sat"?

I don't find any other reference to the "G.O.D.Sat" name apart from NK.

Found it here: http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=400

It is interesting to note that even on the projects page, we don't find any reference to the name "G.O.D.Sat".

[Satori]

A nice gallery of all launch preparations can be found at http://www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=454

[Liss]

Woo! 45 mice, eight Mongolian gerbils, 15 geckos and one Dove in orbit!

Add two Bees and one Stork (= Aist).

[Mighty-T]

Woo! 45 mice, eight Mongolian gerbils, 15 geckos and one Dove in orbit!

Add two Bees and one Stork (= Aist).

There are also 40 Cichlids (fishes) on board of the Omegahab. Hope the Stork won't get them...

[Satori]

Launch image from Roscosmos

[Galactic Penguin SST]

First TLE issued - 252 x 555 km x 64.88 deg. (epoch 1344Z)

[Artyom.]

(с) Igor Kirpatovskiy

[Artyom.]

And image from Roscosmos

http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=20043

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has catalogued a first object:
2013-015A/39130 in 253 x 555 km x 64.88°
epoch: April 19 1344UTC

[Prober]

many thanks for those who did the fine work of screen grabs and gave us very good coverage of the mission.
 
 

[jcm]

Second object cataloged is 2013-015H  39137, presumably the third stage.
Then objects 39131 and 39136 are the correct number of gaps for the subsatellites.

[Lewis007]

Additional pictures of the launch preparation can be found at the IMBP website.
http://biosputnik.imbp.ru/

The team placed the Bion-M1 logo in the plane to Baikonur, just like the ISS crews. 

[Stan Black]

It’s one small step for a mouse, one giant leap for mousekind

[Bob Shaw]

It almost looks eerie that 52 years after Gagarin's flight the iconic spherical return module is still in active use - I doubt Korolev expect that! 

Is there any public list of what kind of experiments are on board (and from which institutions), and the variety and number of "animalnauts" on board?

It's typical of the Soviet/Russian iterative design approach - Soyuz is nearly as old, and of course there's the launcher itself!

[pargoo]

     I doubt they deserve any credit for not having replaced a 50 year-old design with anything better.   It's more a triumph of inertia over initiative.

[gwiz]

     I doubt they deserve any credit for not having replaced a 50 year-old design with anything better.   It's more a triumph of inertia over initiative.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Prober]

     I doubt they deserve any credit for not having replaced a 50 year-old design with anything better.   It's more a triumph of inertia over initiative.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

most of the design work must be paid for, so it has to be a low cost way to do the project.

[360-180]

     I doubt they deserve any credit for not having replaced a 50 year-old design with anything better.   It's more a triumph of inertia over initiative.

If it would have been like new ready solutions, then of course we could talk about the outdated design of the satellite Bion. But now there is nothing like anywhere else.

The case is the same as the VA for Gagarin's spacecraft.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

If I read the reports correctly, all the cubesats have been released into the target orbit.

[Star One]

Probably a silly question but as this is another form of biological payload does this fly a similiar profile to a manned Soyuz launch even though it's going into a higher orbit?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Probably a silly question but as this is another form of biological payload does this fly a similiar profile to a manned Soyuz launch even though it's going into a higher orbit?

Interestingly this spacecraft is using a 64.9 degree orbit - same as Vostok and Voskhod! 

[Star One]

Probably a silly question but as this is another form of biological payload does this fly a similiar profile to a manned Soyuz launch even though it's going into a higher orbit?

Interestingly this spacecraft is using a 64.9 degree orbit - same as Vostok and Voskhod! 

I suppose kind of logical when you think about it.

As it went into a higher I assume this is to give 'better' microgravity over ISS?

[owais.usmani]

It’s one small step for a mouse, one giant leap for mousekind

you killed me     

[360-180]

It’s one small step for a mouse, one giant leap for mousekind

you killed me     

   
About BION satellites staff history (in Russian)
http://biosputnik.imbp.ru/history.html

[asmi]

It’s one small step for a mouse, one giant leap for mousekind

[owais.usmani]

Whoa! check out this amazing photoset:

http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/dog-toadkiller/album/204919/

Both Soyuz pads visible in one shot, not something you see everyday.

[russianhalo117]

It’s one small step for a mouse, one giant leap for mousekind

LOLZ Media: Oh no the big mousinauts are taking over KSC too.

DoD: Call in the military police ... Sir the MP's retreated to avoid Rabies because they are outnumbered and not enough shots to go around.

LOLZ Media: this just in:

It’s one small step for a mouse, one giant leap for mousekind

President: Launch a USA counter invasion on Russian Space Missions and the Navy.
DoD: Sir they appear to be Lab rats.
President to DoD: All of you are lab rats. SO GET BACK TO THOSE TESTS.
LOLZ Media: This just in the President has been turned into a mouse by the Mousinauts onboard Bion-M-1

 

[Star One]

In the New Scientist's coverage of this mission they appeared to be indicating that one of the primary tasks of this mission was to see what effect the extra radiation from the higher orbit had on biological organisms in relation to human spaceflight.

Is this a fair summation?

[patchfree]

Whoa! check out this amazing photoset:

http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/dog-toadkiller/album/204919/

Both Soyuz pads visible in one shot, not something you see everyday.

Amazing!! Congratulations.

[Stan Black]

The launch is planned at 10:00 UTC on April 19th, and the satellite will be launched by Soyuz-2-1A No. 014 rocket.

Anyone know the complete serial number?

[russianhalo117]

The launch is planned at 10:00 UTC on April 19th, and the satellite will be launched by Soyuz-2-1A No. 014 rocket.

Anyone know the complete serial number?

I saw it in the ROSCOSMOS Rollout video, but was not displayed at a readable orientation to the camera. Other than that, my answer is No.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Landing time is apparently 03:01 UTC on May 19.

[Danderman]

Whoa! check out this amazing photoset:

http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/dog-toadkiller/album/204919/

Both Soyuz pads visible in one shot, not something you see everyday.

If Bion was launched from Pad 31, then the pad in the distance would be the remaining Zenit pad.

[Star One]

Landing time is apparently 03:01 UTC on May 19.

Does this remain the landing time?

[anik]

According to MCC-M website, Bion-M landing is planned at 03:12 UTC on May 19th in an area of city Orenburg.

[anik]

http://ria.ru/science/20130519/938103138.html

02:13 UTC - deorbit burn
02:32 UTC - separation of descent module
03:01 UTC - chute deploy
03:12 UTC - landing at 82 km north of city Orenburg, near Bulanovo village.

Landing area: http://maps.yandex.ru/?text=%D0%A0%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%8F%2C%20%D0%9E%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F%20%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BB%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8C%2C%20%D0%9E%D0%BA%D1%82%D1%8F%D0%B1%D1%80%D1%8C%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9%20%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B9%D0%BE%D0%BD%2C%20%D1%81%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%BE%20%D0%91%D1%83%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE&sll=55.161023%2C52.453866&ll=55.173511%2C52.455062&spn=0.350533%2C0.127941&z=12&l=map

[Galactic Penguin SST]

If all went well this should be already on the ground by now.

[Artyom.]

ЕСТЬ ПОСАДКА!

Touchdown!

http://ria.ru/science/20130519/938129447.html

[Lar]

ЕСТЬ ПОСАДКА!

Touchdown!

http://ria.ru/science/20130519/938129447.html

I missed the part about the spacecraft having artificial meteors with bacteria on them outside and exposed to reentry before... when will we find out what transpired with those?

[owais.usmani]

http://www.interfax.ru/russia/news.asp?id=307473

Moscow. May 19. INTERFAX.RU - All gerbils and half of the mice, flying for a month on the Earth's orbit a spacecraft "Bion-M" N1, died during the flight, "Interfax-AVN," head of the laboratory of the Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Director experiment "Bion-M" Vladimir Sychev.

"All the geckos alive. Mice we got less than half, but it was expected. Unfortunately, due to the failure of equipment we have lost all gerbils," - said the supervisor of the project.
Spacecraft "Bion-M" is back from space flight on Sunday morning.
According to him, all 30 experiments, except for the one that killed the animals can be considered successful. All other biological objects were on biosatellite "Bion-M", survived.

[Stan Black]

So will some of those poor mice now simulate a landing on Mars?

[jcm]

The OSSI-1 satellite was deployed from Bion on Apr 19. Not only did it reportedly not transmit, but it isn't even being tracked - SpaceTrack has only two TLE sets, one on Apr 21 and one on Apr 23, almost a month ago, so it looks like they have lost it.

[Artyom.]

http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=1086262

[Robert Thompson]

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_landing.html

Looks like I picked the wrong day to be a Mongolian gerbil.

[asmi]

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_landing.html

Looks like I picked the wrong day to be a Mongolian gerbil.

Really? Think about what scientists would've done with them in the lab!

[Stan Black]

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_landing.html

Looks like I picked the wrong day to be a Mongolian gerbil.

Really? Think about what scientists would've done with them in the lab!

Those mouse saboteur!


So Bion-M used soft-landing engines? Like Voshkod or something new, or something from Kometa?

[360-180]

So Bion-M used soft-landing engines? Like Voshkod or something new, or something from Kometa?

http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum11/topic12778/message1073696/#message1073696
Like Voshkod and Yantar

[Stan Black]

So Bion-M used soft-landing engines? Like Voshkod or something new, or something from Kometa?

http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum11/topic12778/message1073696/#message1073696
Like Voshkod and Yantar

Thank you

Remember reading somewhere Voskhod had additional solid propellant soft-landing engines under the parachute lines? Did any of the Zenit derivatives feature something similar?

In a document written by Korolyov (published in "The Creative Legacy of Academician S.P. Korolyov") it is said that the Voskhod soft-landing engine was supposed to reduce touchdown speed from 8-10 m/s to 0-2 m/s.

In the Zenit book I mentioned in an earlier post the Zenit landing sequence is described in some detail and there is no mention of a soft-landing engine. The parachute system was designed to enable a touchdown speed of 10 to 12 m/s, which was said to be sufficient to ensure the re-usability of the photographic equipment and the descent capsule itself.

So did the other Bion feature similiar engines?

[Prober]

Looks like this landed in someone's garden or farm? 
 
Wouldn't wish to eat anything grown off that field (for a while).
 
 

[owais.usmani]

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_landing.html

On the evening of May 19, Interfax reported that all Mongolian gerbils and more than half of mice onboard the spacecraft did not survive the flight. The loss of gerbils was a result of the equipment failure (apparently in the Kontur-BM experiment), Vladimir Sychev, the head of a laboratory at IMBP told the agency. However all geckos and all other biological organisms onboard Bion-M No.1 did survive and, in practical terms, all but one experiment onboard Bion-M No. 1 worked as planned, Sychev added.

However on May 20, RIA Novosti quoted a chief scientist at IMBP Evgeni Il'in as saying that all fish (Oreochromis mosambicus) onboard German-sponsored Omegahab experiment also died as a result of the technical failure in the aquarium. Il'in also explained that a single failure in the experiment containing gerbils (Kontur-BM) led the flight control system to turn off power to the entire unit interrupting oxygen and food supply, light and ventilation. According to Il'in, a special commission will be formed to investigate the failure.

In the experiment containing mice, the food-supply system failed immediately (after launch) leading to the loss of 15 mice. Other technical failures in various units of the experiment left only six out of 45 mice onboard Bion-M N. 1 alive (by the end of the flight), Il'in said. The natural death of the animals was not expected to exceed five percent of the population, according to Il'in. He confirmed that all 15 geckos (Chondrodactylus turneri), snails and microorganisms did survive the flight.

Despite all the failures, Il'in characterized the latest Bion mission as an overall success.

I'm surprised how can they classify this mission as an overall success. This should be very close to a failed mission.

[a_langwich]

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/bion_m_landing.html

On the evening of May 19, Interfax reported that all Mongolian gerbils and more than half of mice onboard the spacecraft did not survive the flight. The loss of gerbils was a result of the equipment failure (apparently in the Kontur-BM experiment), Vladimir Sychev, the head of a laboratory at IMBP told the agency. However all geckos and all other biological organisms onboard Bion-M No.1 did survive and, in practical terms, all but one experiment onboard Bion-M No. 1 worked as planned, Sychev added.

However on May 20, RIA Novosti quoted a chief scientist at IMBP Evgeni Il'in as saying that all fish (Oreochromis mosambicus) onboard German-sponsored Omegahab experiment also died as a result of the technical failure in the aquarium. Il'in also explained that a single failure in the experiment containing gerbils (Kontur-BM) led the flight control system to turn off power to the entire unit interrupting oxygen and food supply, light and ventilation. According to Il'in, a special commission will be formed to investigate the failure.

In the experiment containing mice, the food-supply system failed immediately (after launch) leading to the loss of 15 mice. Other technical failures in various units of the experiment left only six out of 45 mice onboard Bion-M N. 1 alive (by the end of the flight), Il'in said. The natural death of the animals was not expected to exceed five percent of the population, according to Il'in. He confirmed that all 15 geckos (Chondrodactylus turneri), snails and microorganisms did survive the flight.

Despite all the failures, Il'in characterized the latest Bion mission as an overall success.

I'm surprised how can they classify this mission as an overall success. This should be very close to a failed mission.

It's a test success--something was learned.    At the same time, I agree with you.  Lessons like "don't be careless" or "provide better/passive fallbacks for powered mechanisms" aren't especially ground-breaking and don't repay the cost of the mission.

On the one hand, it's nice to not have to worry about human life at stake on your life-support system.  On the other hand, though, if you get careless because of the lower criticality, you waste the benefit of the experiment.

It seems silly for animals to die for lack of oxygen in a pressurized vessel.  For food supply, too, I could imagine designing bedding which would taste bad but could supply nutrients if the animal were starving.  Passive fallbacks. 

Don't trust these guys for one of those science-fiction long-sleep missions! 

[baldusi]

They had multiple experiments, and the mission the capsule itself worked well. That some of the experiments had technical failures, is more a problem of said experiments. And let's remember that they did got some experiments working well. For a first mission they should call it a success (with some normal anomalies).

[Stan Black]

They had multiple experiments, and the mission the capsule itself worked well. That some of the experiments had technical failures, is more a problem of said experiments. And let's remember that they did got some experiments working well. For a first mission they should call it a success (with some normal anomalies).

Thing is this was not really a first mission

[Lewis007]

IMBP had an extensive set of photos of the recovery phase (more than 60).
http://biosputnik.imbp.ru/

[Robert Thompson]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russian_Satellite_a_Success_Despite_Animal_Deaths_999.html
 "The transition to zero gravity could have led to stress which could have provoked a conflict in the group," the scientist said, but admitted the fishes' death was due to technical faults.

"Twelve days after [the start of the space flight], the lights went off, algae [in the fish tank] stopped photosynthesizing, oxygen ceased to be released and the fish died," he said, adding the experiment involving the fish had been carried out by German scientists.

[Stan Black]

Payload: Bion-M № 1 12КСМ № Л15000-01
Rocket: Soyuz-2-1B 14А14-1B № Л15000-009
Rocket: Soyuz-2-1A 14А14-1А № Л15000-014
Fairing: 17С13А8 № Л15000-001

State Rocket and Space Research and Production Centre «TsSKB-Progress»
Государственный научно-производственный ракетно-космический центр «ЦСКБ-Прогресс»

Bion-M

Soyuz-2-1B

17С13А8

Изготовление и поставка головного обтекателя (СЗБ 17С13А8) для запуска КА «Бион-М» № 1 (353У.0001.002ТУ)

54 480 000 Russian ruble
Order placed: 19th April 2011
Contractual period: April 2011 to December 2011
[source]

Delivery to launch site

Транспортировка двух ракет-носителей «Союз-2-1б» для запуска КА «Метеор-М» № 2, «Бион-М» № 1

15 569 600 Russian ruble
Order placed: 26th April 2012
Contractual period: April 2012 to 25th November 2012
[source] [source]

Centre for Operation of Land-Based Space Infrastructure (TsENKI)
Центр эксплуатации объектов наземной космической инфраструктуры (ЦЭНКИ)

Launch campaign

287 500 000 Russian ruble
Order placed: 13th September 2012
Contractual period: up to 25th November 2013
[source]

Служба ЕС АКПС
Иное юридическое лицо Министерство обороны Российской Федерации

End of mission search & recovery

3 969 123 Russian ruble
Contractual period: September 2013 to October 2013
[source]

[Danderman]

I think the message here is that the procurement was for Soyuz 2.1b but the launch was performed by Soyuz 2.1a.

[aga]

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27375-space-geckos-seen-playing-on-their-trip-into-orbit.html#.VTfCuFxLGop
space geckos... with a video from an onboard cam