Microgravity >> Foton

What is a foton?

A foton is an unmanned recoverable capsule which flew first in 1985. Foton is primarily used for experiments in physics and materials science. In addition, it is used for biology and radiation dosimetry experiments. From 1985 till 1992 Foton flew one time per year. After 1992, the frequency was reduced to approximately one flight every two years.

Starting with Foton-5 in 1989, scientific payloads from western Europe have regularly flown on Foton. ESA used Foton for the first time in 1991 for a protein crystallization experiment (Foton-7), followed in 1992 by a qualification flight of the Biopan space exposure platform (Foton-8). This was the upbeat for a long series of major scientific ESA payloads in 1994, 1995, 1997 and 1999 (Foton-9, -10, -11 and -12). The re-entry capsule of Foton-12 is on exhibition in the Erasmus building at ESTEC.

Foton M2 and future M3 with Belgian participation

A procurement order for two unmanned Foton capsule flights was signed (21 October 2003) by ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight, Mr Jörg Feustel-Büechl, and Mr V.I. Kozlov, Head of the Automatic Vehicle and Ground Control Department at Rosaviakosmos. This order covers the Foton-M2 and -M3 missions, which have 660 kg of ESA-supplied scientific payloads onboard.

The order binds ESA, Rosaviakosmos and two Russian partner companies (KBOM in Moscow, TsSKB-Progress in Samara) for at least the next three years, with a first launch in May 2005 and the second in autumn 2006.

This provides reflight opportunities for almost the entire experiment programme originally assigned to Foton-M1 but lost when that launch failed on 15 October 2002. It will also reinstate a substantial part of ESA's scientific objectives for the STS-107 mission unfulfilled following the Columbia Shuttle accident in February with the tragic loss of its crew, experiment samples and science/technology experiments.

The Foton-M2 payload includes experiments in fluid physics (FluidPac, SCCO), exobiology (Biopan), five material science experiments to be processed in Russia's Polizon automatic furnace and further such experiments in the DLR's Agat furnace, a technology experiment (Favorite) and the Autonomous experiments (Photo-Ii, Biofilter).
Two further experiments are embedded in the spacecraft's heat shield, one concerning re-entry technology (Keramik), the other meteoritic science (Stone).

The preliminary Foton-M3 payload definition is planned to include various experiments in biology (Biobox, Kubik, Eristo/Osteo), exobiology (Biopan), fluid physics (SCCO, Gradflex), protein crystallisation, material science (Polizon), new re-entry technology (YES-2), plus other Autonomous experiments.

Following the signing of this procurement order, these Foton missions will undergo various review phases involving ESA prior to launch. These have been made more extensive, in order to provide improved safeguards against setbacks such as the Foton-M1 accident. The reviews will cover issues such as operations and safety and will also extend to the three-stage Soyuz-U launcher.

SCCO and FluidPac are experiments with Belgian participation

(Source ESA CP 73-2003 and EH)