Russians Launch International Orbital Space Lab on 16-Day Mission

Using a rocket based on the same design used to lift Yuri Gagarin into Space, the Russians this week successfully launched the Foton-M2 microgravity research capsule, chock-full of experiments from scientists around the world, but mostly Europe.
During the 16-day mission a new solid state system for creating breathable oxygen from water will be tested. If successful it will replace the Elektron system which recently failed aboard the International Space Station.
The 1,200 pound payload is mostly a do-over from a failed launched of a Foton-M1 in October 2002 and will test everything from the effects of re-entry on new composite materials to how single-celled water organisms react to Space.
This is the 11th time the European Space Agency has participated in a Foton launch and further launches, beginning with Foton-M3 in 2006 are already planned.