On August 20, 2025, Russia will launch the Bion-M No. 2 biosatellite on a Soyuz-2.1b rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying 75 mice, over 1,000 fruit flies, and other biological specimens for a 30-day space mission.

The goal is to study the effects of microgravity and space radiation on living organisms, with mice divided into three groups for comparison: Earth-based, simulated flight, and orbiting.

The mission also carries lunar dust and rock simulants to examine how space conditions affect materials, the Daily Galaxy has reported.

Equipped with feeding, ventilation, and monitoring systems, the mice will be closely observed, including through implanted sensors, to gather data that could inform astronaut health, space medicine, and future deep-space missions.