Russia's Bion-M 3 spacecraft planned for launch in 2030 to study effects of cosmic radiation on living organisms

Russia plans to launch the new Bion-M 3 spacecraft in 2030 to study the effects of cosmic radiation on living organisms under conditions similar to deep space. Vladimir Sychev, a senior official at the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented the plan at a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Space Council on August 4.

Sychev stated that cosmic rays, solar proton events, and their effects on the human body are critical issues that must be understood when planning long-term interplanetary crewed missions. Participants have endorsed the draft scientific research program for the spacecraft's flight testing.

According to the plan, Bion-M 3 will be placed into a polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. This orbital altitude is significantly higher than that of previous missions, which will help researchers analyze the biological effects of cosmic rays and solar proton events in the space environment.

The relevant experiments will use equipment similar to that carried on the Bion-M 2 spacecraft. The research team plans to include not only linear experimental animals but also genetically diverse experimental animals in the new mission, in order to assess the effects of space radiation from a broader biological perspective. Sergei Chernyshev, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, suggested approving the existing scientific equipment plan first while retaining the possibility of adding new equipment later, to ensure the federal project proceeds on schedule.

Ravil Akhmetov, First Deputy Chief Designer of the Progress spacecraft at Roscosmos, stated that the platform is technically ready to support multiple orbital configurations and can provide the required temperature and humidity environment for living organisms. Scientific instruments can be installed both inside the return capsule and on its exterior.

Veronika Skvortsova, Head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency of Russia, proposed further refining the research plan to fully leverage the agency's existing technical capabilities. She emphasized that the mission should focus on the complete genome of experimental animals, gene regulatory regions, and epigenetic changes, and should identify determining the biological age of organisms after spaceflight as an important scientific objective.