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NASA will start the microsatellite with a colony of yeast.. / April 30, 2009 /

The American space agency will launch into an orbit the microcompanion with a colony of yeast onboard, is informed in the press release published on a site of agency. Studying of features of influence of medicines in weightlessness will be the purpose of the device which has received name PharmaSat. Companion weight — about five kgs, and in the sizes it does not surpass a bread long loaf.

Start is planned for May, 5th, 2009. It is planned that into a settlement orbit in height about 460 kilometres over a surface of the Earth the companion will be deduced by rocket Minotaur 1. The Carrier rocket will go to space from the cosmodrome located in the State of Virginia.

Within the limits of experience which will proceed within 96 hours, researchers will study influence of medical products on a colony of yeast in the companion. For this purpose the device interior is supplied by a considerable quantity of gauges, and also video observation system. The data from the companion will be transferred to the Earth.

According to experts, use of similar microsatellites in the future can serve as cheap alternative to carrying out of experiments in weightlessness on МКС.

It is far not the first similar mission NASA. So, in 2006 the agency has started microsatellite GeneSat-1 which transmitters continue to work till now. Studying of the genetic changes arising in bacteria of an intestinal stick under the influence of conditions of a free space was the mission purpose.

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