BOULDER, Colo. — BioServe Space Technologies, a research center based at the University of Colorado Boulder, reached a major milestone this week with its 100th orbital launch.
Founded in 1987, BioServe specializes in developing and managing delicate scientific experiments for space missions. These payloads, often involving stem cells, insects like ants and silkworms, and even novel food sources such as algae, contribute to experiments that have resulted in significant medical and scientific advancements here on Earth.
"To have that legacy behind us — 100 launches, hundreds of students, and several hundred experiments — is just fantastic," said Mark Rupert, associate director of BioServe.
Preparing an experiment for launch is no small feat. Rupert explained that it can take two to three years to bring a project from inception to the launch pad.
“An awful lot of work has been put into that effort — building equipment and writing procedures, training the astronauts — and so when we get to that final push, we're very excited but also very nervous,” he said.
Every mission begins in the BioServe lab at CU Boulder’s Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences department. There, researchers engineer systems to keep living organisms such as cell cultures and insects viable in space without direct astronaut interaction, a challenge the engineers at Bioserve excel at.
The 100th launch on April 21 included three new experiments. One of them, spearheaded by a Scandinavian research group, investigates whether algae could serve as a sustainable protein source for future space travelers.
“I don’t know what it tastes like, but they’re literally trying to farm, if you will, algae as a protein source,” Rupert said.
From BioServe’s payload operations control center in Boulder, the team stays connected with astronauts aboard the ISS using advanced communication systems, monitoring the experiments in real time.
In its 38 years in operation, BioServe has partnered with universities, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies worldwide. Their work has contributed to research in areas such as cancer, blood clots, and the production of human stem cells in space. Notably, one project led to the development of drugs aimed at treating osteoporosis and muscle loss.
“It's not simply spending money on a space project, it's also going to be something that has application here on the ground,” Rupert said.
Looking ahead, BioServe is providing hardware for an upcoming launch in support of the Indian Space Research Organization.
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