Kosmos 2229

Kosmos 2229, or Bion 10 (in Russian: Бион 10, Космос 2229) was a biomedical research mission involving in ten countries plus European Space Agency (ESA). A Russian spacecraft, was launched by a Soyuz-U launch vehicle from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. It was part of the Bion programme.

Kosmos 2229 / Bion 10
Космос 2229 / Бион 10

A Bion spacecraft
Names	Bion 10 Bion '92 Biocosmos 10 Biokosmos 10
Mission type	Bioscience
Operator	Institute for Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP)
COSPAR ID	1992-095A [1]
SATCAT no.	22300
Mission duration	12 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Bion 10
Spacecraft type	Bion
Bus	Zenit
Manufacturer	TsSKB
Launch mass	6,000 kg (13,000 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	29 December 1992, 13:30:00 UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-U 11A511U (s/n U15000-033)
Launch site	Plesetsk, Site 43/3
Contractor	TsSKB
End of mission
Recovered by	Russian Space Forces
Landing date	10 January 1993, 04:19 UTC
Landing site	50°46′N 73°08′E, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan[2]
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit[3]
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Perigee altitude	225 km (140 mi)
Apogee altitude	393 km (244 mi)
Inclination	62.80°
Period	90.40 minutes
Bion programme ← Bion 9 Bion 11 →

Spacecraft

Several of the hardware elements on the biosatellite were improved for Kosmos 2229. The in-flight data recording system was enhanced, making high-quality brain and neuromuscular recordings possible. The monkey feeder system was improved, and a backup juice dispenser was available. The monkey restraint system was modified to allow more arm movement. The neurovestibular data acquisition system was updated through a joint American-Russian development effort, allowing more parameters to be recorded in flight.

Mission

Bion 10 carried two monkeys and several insects, amphibians, plants, and cell cultures.^[1] Participating scientists were from ten countries (Canada, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, China, Russia, Ukraine, United States, and Uzbekistan), plus European Space Agency (ASE). In the planning stages this mission was named Bion '92.

The Kosmos 2229 spacecraft orbited the Earth for almost 12 days. The payload, also designated Bion 10, contained thirteen American life sciences experiments. Studies focused on bone, neuromuscular and vestibular physiology, circadian rhythms, and metabolism. Two rhesus monkeys served as experimental subjects on the mission. As on previous Kosmos biosatellite missions, the monkeys were trained to activate food and juice dispensers. In addition, they were trained to operate a foot pedal so that muscle responses could be studied in flight. For in-flight neurovestibular testing, the monkeys were trained to make hand and head movements in response to visual stimuli.

See also

• Spaceflight portal

• 1992 in spaceflight
• Animals in space