MicroSat Systems Inc. of Littleton, Colo., is participating with a student team to develop and fabricate the platform for a prototype biosatellite, the company announced June 27.

The Mars Gravity Biosatellite Program is a collaboration between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Georgia Institute of Technology Space Systems Design Laboratory to study how Martian gravity will affect mammalian health.

A small research satellite with 15 mice on board is scheduled to be placed in orbit in 2010 for a 5-week mission to determine how mammals are affected by a reduced gravity environment.