The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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Two of Bion-10's four KNA (Kontejner Nauchnoi Apparatury) facilities. The Bion capsule traditionally carries four pan-shaped KNAs on its outer surface to expose experiments mounted on two circular plates for radiation physics and radiation biology studies. The KNAs are launched 'open', protected by the Soyuz launcher fairing and closed by springs shortly before reentry. Russia's Bion-10 (Cosmos 2229) life sciences mission provided the opportunity for significant cooperation between ESA and Moscow's Institute of Biomedical Problems (IBMP). The satellite carried 10 joint ESA/IBMP experiments, with four of them inside ESA's new Biobox incubator and two (SEEDS radiation biology and DOSICOS radiation dosimetry) carried by the KNAs. Bion-10 was launched on 29 December 1992 from Plesetsk and recovered on 10 January 1993. [Image Date: 27-12-92] [98.08.002-010]