Agreement have been made between Sierra Space and Yuri for the Launch of ScienceTaxi to Space
The Dream Chaser Spaceplane from Sierra Space will deliver Yuri’s Life Science Incubator to the International Space Station for Microgravity Research.
A new agreement to advance medical research in microgravity for the benefit of life on Earth was announced today by Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company at the forefront of developing and building the infrastructure for low-Earth orbit (LEO) commercialization, and Yuri, a German-based space biotech company. According to the deal, Yuri’s ScienceTaxi will be transported to the International Space Station (ISS) starting in 2024 aboard Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spacecraft, where the incubator will be used for a variety of life sciences investigations.
The ScienceTaxi is a cutting-edge facility for incubators for life sciences. It offers temperature control, total automation, and real-time data collection. Experiments can be performed using Earth’s gravity as a reference as well as the gravity of the moon or Mars thanks to the integrated ScienceTaxi centrifuge. It has space for up to 38 ScienceShells or experiment units.
The first winged commercial spacecraft, Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser, will transport Yuri’s ScienceTaxi to the International Space Station by the recently concluded Commercial Payload Services Agreement (CPSA). More than 300 cubic meters of on-orbit study space might be found in the habitat of Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFETIME). Additionally, the two companies are looking into prospective LEO locations.
“Our relationship with Yuri is another step forward for Sierra Space and our mission to provide accessible space for all people across the world,” stated Neeraj Gupta, Sierra Space SVP & GM of Space Destinations. Our team’s passion and inventiveness are on display with the debut of ScienceTaxi with Yuri as we endeavor to monetize space for the good of life on Earth. Any orbital or sub-orbital platform can now conduct controlled microgravity research thanks to our cooperation with Yuri and its ScienceTaxi and ScienceShells.
“This development is a fantastic milestone that will introduce the scientific community to top-tier bio research outside the ISS,” says Mark Kugel, co-CEO of Yuri GmbH. Due to the extensive selection of available experiments, which includes cell, plant, and crystal studies, scientists from all over the world can book research times on ScienceTaxi. Future commercial launches of the Yuri ScienceTaxi in LEO and beyond are planned, and Yuri GmbH is excited about this long-term strategic partnership with Sierra Space.
Sierra Space and Yuri announced in September 2021 their plan to examine the bold and innovative economic potential for microgravity research by taking advantage of the benefits of zero gravity in space.
Sierra Space will provide payload integration services for the first Yuri’s ScienceTaxi mission, which is scheduled to launch in 2024 aboard an ISS visiting vehicle.
