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Bion

ESA was involved with the three most recent USSR/Russia Bion flights: Bion 8 in 1987, Bion 9 in 1989, and Bion 10 in 1992-3. Analysis of data from the Bion 8 and 9 missions reported the retarded development of germinating seeds and other botanical developmental processes. Bion 10, launched in late 1992, included the maiden flight of ESA's Biobox, a general-purpose incubator with a programmable temperature profile mounted on the exterior of the Bion reentry capsule with 10 life sciences experiments. Although no additional Bion missions were flown during 1993-1994, ESA took advantage of a flight opportunity on Photon 6 in 1994 to conduct six radiation biology experiments in Kayser-Threde GmbH's Biopan facility (Reference 1).

1. Annual Report, European Space Agency, 1990, pp. 69-70, 1991, pp. 64-65; 1992, p. 54; 1994, p. 70.

Sources and Resources

• Adapted from: Europe and Asia in Space 1993-1994, Nicholas Johnson and David Rodvold [Kaman Sciences / Air Force Phillips Laboratory]

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