Question about Russian 1996 biological flight

[tohaki]

While looking through Encyclopedia Astronautica I found out that the Russians flew two monkeys on the Vostok-derived Bion in 1996:<br /><br />http://www.astronautix.com/craft/bion.htm<br /><br />The official Roskosmos page on the spacecraft:<br /><br />http://www.federalspace.ru/Craft1Show.asp?SpaceCraftID=90<br /><br />I have two questions. Why are they still flying monkeys and why are they still using Vostok-derived spacecraft?

 

[henryhallam]

Because both are still very adequate for their purposes?

 

[tohaki]

I took a look at all these Vostok-dervived spacecraft and it seems that only Foton-M is still in regular use (and last flew in May of this year):<br /><br />http://www.federalspace.ru/Craft1Show.asp?SpaceCraftID=27<br /><br />I guess it makes sense to have a presumably cheaper spacecraft for zero-gravity research. But, why would they still need to fly monkeys? Surely Russia with their space station programme would have been able to collect biometric data from humans instead.

 

[ace5]

In fact, the Vostok (Tcharik) spherical design was used in lots of military rekon satellites in Soviet/Russian military. I read in 1991 that many of these reentry vehicles are refurbished and flew again a couple of times carrying cameras, etc.<br />They are cheap and completely flight proven. Why not use them?<br />Voskhod 3 was launched with Veterok and Ugoliok dogs aboard, instead of men, in 1966. Not very different from Photon and subsequent Kosmos - Nauka satellites flown in the 70s and 80s and 90s... etc.

 

[JonClarke]

Primates are still extensively used for terrestrial biomedical research. Presumably because there are things you can do with monkeys for research you can't do with people. <br /><br />As others have pointed out Vostol and its derivatives have been extensively used for many years for many different research missions long after their role in human space flight ended. Civil earth obseravtion, military photo-recc, biological research, and materials science chief among them.<br /><br />Jon <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>

 

[shoogerbrugge]

About Bion, this is what I found in <b>Russia in Space</b> by Harvey<br /><br />Bion vehicle was created after an agreement between NASA and the USSR academy of Science in 1962.<br /><br />I believe the last flight was of Bion-11 in december 1996. Already back then it was a pretty international programme, with live samples from various countries. On return of Bion-11 one of the monkeys died, and NASA was forced to stop cooperating in this flights due to pressure from American Animal rights activist in May 1997. Bion-12 was subsequently canceled, although the Russian partners were looking for other costumers.<br /><br />The capsules are build in Samara, the same plant that produces the Soyuz LVs. The Bion was supposed to be replaced by a much bigger Nika-B vehicle, but little has been heard since<br /><br />The Foton-M programme is somewhat similar to the Bion programme, with Foton focused on material development, and Bion focused on biology.<br /><br />

 

[tohaki]

Thanks for the replies. I guess my surprise at the monkey missions was caused by the idea that these things belonged in the late fiftes. I have to say that I also found it fascinating that Vostok-like spacecraft still fly. I first learned of that when I read about a comemorative flight for Vostok 1 by one of these derivates a while back. I think it landed in the ocean east of the US.