Xinhua News Agency, August 20 (Reporter Liu Kai) The Institute of Medical Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences announced on the 20th that the Russian "Soyuz-2.1 b" carrier rocket took off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan that night and sent the Russian "Bion-M" 2 biological science experimental satellite into the predetermined orbit.

The satellite contains 75 mice and approximately 1,500 fruit flies, as well as samples of cell cultures, plants such as goldflies, plant seeds, fungi, clothes, grains, beans and economic crops.

According to Russian media reports, the "Bion-M" 2 biological satellite was sent into the high-latitude orbit between 370 and 380 kilometers from the surface of the earth, the orbit of the cosmic radiation level is about one-third higher than the International Space Station orbit, and there are differences in the geomagnetic environment.

The "Bion" series satellites are spacecraft independently developed by Russia for biological research. In 2013, the first satellite of the "Bion-M" series was successfully launched, sending mice, Mongolian gerbils, geckos, snails and plants into space. (End)