The Space Show presents Lynn Harper discussing microgravity medicine with commercial space operators are ready! Sunday, 9-21-25

This summary was provided by Zoom and edited.

We started our program by introducing our guest of honor, Lynn Harper, Strategic Integration Advisor to ISS National Lab and InSPA. Space show program participants were also introduced including Marshall Martin, John Hunt, John Jossy, Dr. Ajay Kothari and Dr. Phil Swan. Lynn shared her slides on ISS results from 2022-2024, which were later accessible to all participants through chat. In addition, the link to her slides and to other relevant material to this discussion can be found at the end of this summary. All of us discussed the potential for career growth in space-based microgravity medicine, with Lynn highlighting exceptional results from 2024. Check out the chat window in the video for additional links to relevant items of interest. Once again I announced an upcoming live presentation of AJ’s art show in Fairfax, Virginia, scheduled for Tuesday at 12:30 PM Pacific time.

Ms. Harper discussed the advancements in microgravity and space-assisted medical research, highlighting significant breakthroughs in disease modeling and drug development. She explained how microgravity has accelerated research in areas such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases, with examples like Merck reformulating its cancer drug Keytruda to enable injectable administration due to uniform crystal growth in space. The potential economic impact of these advancements is substantial, with projections of $40 billion in annual revenue by 2030. Lynn also emphasized the need for more space research capacity, as demand far exceeds current availability, particularly for personalized drug testing, and she discussed the role of commercial space providers in meeting this demand. As you will hear later in the discussion, it also sparked talk about extending the life of the ISS to do this important research and work.

Our program focused on the remarkable results from space research, particularly the impact of microgravity on material and biological processes. Lynn highlighted that recent experiments have shown significant improvements in materials like crystals and biomaterials grown in space, with potential applications in medicine, such as cancer treatments and 3D printing of tissues. The discussion emphasized the need to continue using the International Space Station (ISS) for these experiments, as private space companies may not be able to replicate its capabilities by 2030. The group also discussed the possibility of future space stations with both zero-gravity and artificial-gravity environments to support various research needs.

Lynn and Ajay discussed the potential benefits of conducting materials research in low gravity environments, such as the moon, which offers both 1/6thG and extreme cold conditions in almost permanently shadowed craters. They explored how processing minerals in space could reduce Earth’s dependency on imported critical minerals, with microgravity potentially offering cost-competitive advantages over Earth-based processing. Lynn confirmed that cancer research experiments, which currently work in Earth’s gravity, could be adapted for microgravity, and Ajay suggested building lunar labs to conduct these experiments continuously. Marshall raised a question about the implications of extracting space materials to build labs, which Lynn acknowledged as a valid consideration for future discussions.

Lynn discussed the slow adoption of space-produced medical materials due to the time it takes for information to spread and the need for statistically significant results to gain acceptance. She emphasized the importance of reducing space transportation costs to make space medicine accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy. We talked about the challenges of communicating space-related advancements to a poorly informed public and the disconnect between space enthusiasts and the general population. All of us agreed on the need to spread awareness through various media outlets to inform decision-makers and the public about the potential benefits of space medicine.

The economic potential and funding of space-based research, particularly microgravity medicine was discussed in some detail. Lynn explained that space investments have historically delivered a 7:1 return on investment and highlighted successful examples like Starlink and Keytruda. Ajay questioned why the healthcare industry, with a $3.5 trillion budget, doesn’t fund more space-based medical research, but Lynn clarified that other government agencies and private companies already contribute significantly to ISS National Lab projects. The discussion also touched on the need for more frequent and reliable flight vehicles, with Lynn noting that SpaceX and ISS are currently operational but new developers will need to go through a learning curve of initial flights before achieving commercial reliability.

Lynn discussed the significance of human life beyond Earth, emphasizing the potential for humans to thrive in space and the importance of space exploration for defining the nature of life in the universe. She highlighted the United States’ 25-year history of permanent space habitation and expressed optimism about future space endeavors. The group agreed on the need for a variable gravity facility in low Earth orbit to support long-term human survival on the Moon or Mars, as well as reproduction studies to ensure the ability to have children in space settlements. Before ending, many in the meeting inquired as to the possibility of extending the life of the ISS given the value and importance of the work being done on the ISS National Lab. The response to that was a bit up in the air but I guess we will see on that one. The conversation ended with appreciation for Lynn’s insights and a reminder of an upcoming art show featuring AJ’s work.

Additional relevant links to this discussion:

1. John Jossy: JAXA AG mouse study in KIBO module https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-023-04769-3

2. Lynn Harper 1:18 PMExceptional Results from ISS 2022-2024 https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19qy1UE32hZvSglITBvFD0hTFfVr7EHj3/edit?slide=id.p1#slide=id.p1

3. John Jossy 1:26 PMSpaceX Starfall Lab: https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/5420403-spacex-space-based-manufacturing/

Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless Entertainment

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