This is an experimental block that an international team of scientists used to test the effects of artificial gravity on rats. On August 3, 1977, the USSR launched the satellite, Kosmos 936, also know as Bion 4, into orbit from the Pletsesk Cosmondrome. On board the spacecraft were thirty laboratory rats. Of the rats, twenty remained weightless, while ten experienced the equivalent of normal gravitational forces through the rotation of this unit. The purpose of the experiment was to determine whether those rats who were weightless and those who were in units like this showed any differences in bone mass after 19 days in orbit. Scientists concluded that although there were differences in bone mass between the rats that experienced weightlessness and those who did not, but the greatest differences in bone density was between those rats that flew in orbit and the control group on Earth.
The Soviet Institute for Biomedical Problems donated this unit to the Museum in 1979.
Display Status
This object is on display in Space Science at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.
Object Details
Country of Origin
USSR
Type
SPACECRAFT-Uncrewed-Instruments & Payloads
Manufacturer
USSR Ministry of Health Institute for Biomedical Problems, USSR
Dimensions
Overall: 1 ft. 6 in. tall x 2 ft. 2 1/2 in. wide x 2 ft. 2 1/2 in. deep (45.72 x 67.31 x 67.31cm)
Materials
aluminum case with wires. Rat preserved by taxidermy included inside.
Inventory Number
A19790836000
Credit Line
Gift of USSR Ministry of Health Institute for Biomedical Problems
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
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