👩🔬 The collaboration will support the demonstration of Vellon Space’s miniature space laboratory (AsteriX Lab) in orbit.
🌱 This partnership will enable the study of long-duration cell culture under lower earth microgravity.
💊 The goal is to revolutionize cell culture and drug development processes in space for enhanced pharmaceuticals and better human health outcomes.
🌌 The collaboration could also lead to advancements in understanding microgravity’s effects on biological systems and create commercial opportunities in the space technology sector.
Introduction:
IIT Madras, in collaboration with Vellon Space, an Indian space startup, is working towards advancing biomanufacturing research and development in microgravity. The partnership aims to demonstrate the capabilities of Vellon Space’s miniature space laboratory (AsteriX Lab) in orbit, with funding from IIT Madras.
- Vellon Space will receive technology development funding from IIT Madras to demonstrate its miniature space laboratory (AsteriX Lab) in orbit.
- IIT Madras’ Extra-Terrestrial Manufacturing research center (ExTeM-IITM) is the pilot customer for this demonstration mission.
- The AsteriX Lab will undergo space qualification to conduct biological experiments, specifically in long-duration cell culture under lower-earth microgravity conditions.
- This collaboration between IIT Madras and Vellon Space can potentially revolutionize cell culture and drug development processes in space, leading to improved pharmaceuticals and human health outcomes.
- It also has the potential to advance our understanding of the effects of microgravity on biological systems and create commercial opportunities in the space technology sector.
Conclusion:
The partnership between IIT Madras and Vellon Space in advancing biomanufacturing research and development in microgravity holds great potential for improving pharmaceuticals and enhancing human health outcomes. This collaboration could also lead to advancements in our understanding of microgravity’s effects on biological systems and open up commercial opportunities in space technology.
