Saudi Arabia sends region’s first biological samples to space

Saudi Arabia, represented by the Saudi Space Agency and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), has launched the Middle East’s first biological samples into space. The initiative is part of the BioGravity 1 mission under SpaceX CRS-35 to the International Space Station, supported by NASA. This long-term research program aims to advance scientific efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis through a series of three consecutive missions. The achievement strengthens Saudi Arabia’s presence in microgravity research and expands the use of space science and technology in health and life sciences.

The mission marks the first phase of the program, sending reference human samples from healthy donors to space to establish a scientific baseline for future stages. It leverages the unique microgravity environment to study cellular changes related to aging and neurodegenerative diseases. The biological experiments developed by KAUST include two studies, SSA-1 and SSA-2.

The program is conducted through an international scientific partnership involving the US National Stem Cell Foundation (NSCF), with support from NASA and Axiom Space, alongside national contributions from the Saudi Space Agency and KAUST. This collaboration enhances the integration of Saudi capabilities with the global research community.

Rayyanah Barnawi, Saudi astronaut and general supervisor of microgravity research at the Saudi Space Agency, said: “Launching these samples is a significant scientific step in utilizing the space environment to benefit human health. It reflects the development of national capabilities and readiness to participate in advanced research. Through the BioGravity program, we aim to turn knowledge gained in orbit into research opportunities that deepen our understanding of diseases and support the development of future treatments.”

Professor Emad Ghazalzi, professor of bioscience at KAUST and principal investigator of the project, said the mission allows researchers to test disease models in an environment that cannot be replicated on Earth, enhancing the university’s contribution to discoveries that benefit patients in Saudi Arabia and worldwide.

Dr. Pinar Mesci, scientific advisor to the US National Stem Cell Foundation and global head of biomanufacturing and biotechnology at Axiom Space, said: “I am especially excited about this mission, where the NSCF team will, for the first time in microgravity, test the concept of the ‘Brain Organoid Village’. Integrating multiple individual cell lines into a single organoid enables population-level studies and the possibility of conducting what could be described as ‘clinical trials in a dish’. This mission included samples from Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the Saudi Space Agency and KAUST.”

The program spans three interconnected research missions, starting with the study of healthy reference samples, followed by a second mission focusing on models derived from Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis patients, and a third mission dedicated to studying therapeutic responses and exploring potential drug targets in microgravity.

The BioGravity program is part of the Saudi Space Agency’s efforts to build national capabilities in microgravity and life sciences research, expand international scientific partnerships, and leverage space science and technology to improve human health. These efforts support the knowledge economy, innovation, and quality of life in line with Saudi Vision 2030.