The Foton-M3 orbital laboratory capsule, a Noahs Ark with animals and experiments, has successfully returned to Earth.
The Foton laboratory re-entry vehicle landed in the territory of Kazakhstan south of the Kustanai city at about 11:58, Moscow time - Nikolai Solovyov, chief of the Foton animal laboratory flight.
During the 12 days in space, Russia and European scientists conducted experiments with hamsters, newts, geckos, fish, snails, ****roaches and micro organisms. Over 70 Russian and European experiments in physics, materials technology, biology, biotechnology and others were also conducted.
Ed ~ It should be said that because of the animal experimentation associated with this mission, coverage of the Foton-M3 mission was boycotted by certain websites.
Fotino Capsule Failed to Reach Earth The landing of Fotino microcapsule that carries the first results of experiments held at Foton-M3 satellite and was to reach the earth by using the 30km rope, has ended in failure. Foton-M3 has been in orbit since September 14, 2007. According to Nikolay Sokolov, who controls the Foton-M flight, the rope started unwinding at the speed of 5 m/sec vs. the target 12 m/sec and stopped at 8.5km instead of the required 30km. Russias Mission Control Centre delivered all the commands clearly and on schedule, so the question about experiments failure should be posed to European Space Agency, the official pointed out.
The Second Young Engineers Satellite (YES2) was activated and separated from the Foton-M3 spacecraft earlier today. The tether deployed for 8.5 km, after which the Fotino capsule was released on its way to Earth. The orbit of the Fotino is currently being assessed to understand when and where the capsule will return to Earth on its parachute.
In scientific research, there is great satisfaction when theoretical work is eventually supported by experimentation. Such was the case this week for a team of Italian and US scientists when they received preliminary confirmation of a 10-year-old theory from a fluid science experiment that is currently orbiting the Earth on the Foton-M3 spacecraft. Although the Foton was only launched a week ago, the scientists are already very excited about the data they have received from their experiment, known as GRADFLEX (GRAdient-Driven FLuctuation EXperiment). The first results are qualitatively consistent with detailed theoretical predictions made over the past decade. All liquids experience minute fluctuations in temperature or concentration as a result of the different velocities of individual molecules. These fluctuations are usually so small that they are extremely difficult to observe.
A Russian scientific satellite was launched into orbit aboard a Soyuz rocket Friday, just eight days after another Russian-built rocket crashed destroying a Japanese satellite and spreading toxic chemicals. The Soyuz-U rocket lifted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3 p.m. (11:00 GMT) and arrived at a geostationary orbit eight minutes later, said Alexander Vorobyov, spokesman for the Federal Space Agency.
An experiment that's aimed at healthy space travel and involves Montana State University scientists and students is now orbiting the earth on a Russian space capsule. Launched Friday, Sept. 14, from Kazakhstan, the experiment involves common contaminants that hitch rides into space and may threaten astronauts' health, MSU microbiologist Barry Pyle said before leaving Sept. 5 for Moscow. Revamped from two years ago, the experiment is scheduled to orbit for 12 days on the unmanned Soviet Foton-M3 mission and land Sept. 26 in northern Kazakhstan or southern Russia.
An unmanned Foton spacecraft, carrying a payload of more than 40 ESA experiments, was successfully launched earlier today. The Soyuz-U launcher lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, at 13:00 CEST (11:00 GMT). Nearly 9 minutes later, the Russian Foton-M3 spacecraft separated from the rocket's upper stage and was inserted into a 300 km orbit that will carry it around the Earth once every 90 minutes.