| Mission type | Bioscience |
|---|---|
| Operator | Institute of Biomedical Problems |
| COSPAR ID | 1996-073A |
| SATCAT no. | 24701 |
| Mission duration | 14 days (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Bion 11 |
| Spacecraft type | Bion |
| Bus | Zenit |
| Manufacturer | TsSKB Progress |
| Launch mass | 5,400 kg (11,900 lb) [1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 December 1996, 13:50:00 UTC |
| Rocket | Soyuz 11A511U (s/n V15000-050) |
| Launch site | Plesetsk, Site 43/4 |
| Contractor | TsSKB Progress |
| End of mission | |
| Recovered by | Russian Space Forces |
| Landing date | 7 January 1997, 05:02 UTC |
| Landing site | Kustani, Kazakhstan |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit [2] |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Perigee altitude | 225.4 km (140.1 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 401.1 km (249.2 mi) |
| Inclination | 62.80° |
| Period | 90.50 minutes |
| Revolution no. | 214 |
Bion 11 was a Russian biological research satellite that was part of the Bion programme. Scientists from France, Russia and United States conducted the experiments. Bion 11 was launched from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz-U launch vehicle. It carried two monkeys named Lalik and Multik. Its 14-day mission began on December 24. [3] The spacecraft type was based on the Zenit reconnaissance satellite and launches of Bion satellites began in 1973 with primary emphasis on the problems of radiation effects on human beings. Launches in the program included Kosmos 110, 605, 670, 782, plus Nauka modules flown on Zenit-2M reconnaissance satellites. 90 kg of equipment could be contained in the external Nauka module. [4] [5]
