Russian 'Noah's Ark' probe carrying 75 mice and 1,500 flies lands back on Earth

They came from outer space: 75 mice, over 1,500 flies, cell cultures, microorganisms, plant seeds and more.

A Russian biological research satellite toting more than 30 experiments landed on Sept. 19 in the steppes of the Orenburg region after spending 30 days in Earth orbit. The Bion-M No. 2 descent module has been called a "Noah's Ark" due to the mini-menagerie of specimens flown; it was lofted from the Baikonur cosmodrome on Aug. 20 atop a Soyuz-2.1b rocket.

After launch, the craft was placed into a polar orbit roughly 230 to 236 miles (370 to 380 kilometers) in altitude at an inclination of roughly 97 degrees. Bion-M No. 2's payload of select biological specimens were thereafter exposed to a high level of cosmic radiation.

Initial examination

Photos taken of the recovered craft suggest the landing spurred a small brush fire. This fire was apparently extinguished quickly, allowing recovery crews to approach the descent module.

A trio of search helicopters carrying technical specialists touched down near the descent module to extract the living specimens as rapidly as possible to start an initial examination.

For example, on-site specialists were slated to assess the flies' motor activity to detect any nervous system problems.

Medical tent

The Bion-M No. 2 mission was a joint effort of Roscosmos, the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBMP).

According to the IBMP in Moscow — the lead organization for the mission — the first post-flight studies were done in a deployed medical tent at the landing site. The biological objects were expected to return to IBMP laboratories around midnight on Sept. 20.

Influence of spaceflight

Bion-M No. 2's scientific program of experiments and research consists of 10 "sections."

According to the IBMP, the first and second sections are devoted to experimental studies of gravitational physiology on animals. The goal here is to help create new technologies for ensuring human life support during flights under the combined effects of weightlessness and cosmic radiation.

A third, fourth and fifth section are devoted to studies of the influence of space flight and outer space factors on the biology of plants and microorganisms as well as their communities. This can be thought of as understanding the general patterns of life in the universe.

The sixth, eighth and ninth sections include biotechnological, technological, physical and technical experiments, while a seventh section is a complex of radiobiological and dosimetric experiments necessary to help ensure the radiation safety of new crewed spacecraft.

A tenth section involves experiments prepared by students from various schools of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

Panspermia experiment

Reportedly, one experiment, called "Meteorite," was carried out during the reentry of the lander.

This investigation focused on the prospect that life on Earth may have been introduced from outer space — a theory called panspermia.

Within the Bion capsule's hull, basalt rocks containing microbial strains were embedded to assess whether bacteria could survive the enormous thermal stress of reentry through the Earth's atmosphere.

This IBMP-released video shows several mice aboard the Bion-M No. 2 mission during their 30-day space journey.