Adelaide University stem cells return from space mission

Human stem cells from Adelaide University’s Centre for Cancer Biology have successfully completed a mission to the edge of space to aid in cancer research. Launched on October 1 from the Esrange Space Centre in Sweden, the cells traveled aboard the German Aerospace Centre’s MAPHEUS-17 sounding rocket.

The rocket reached an altitude of approximately 300 kilometers, providing the cells with at least seven minutes of exposure to microgravity before returning safely to Earth. The mission was led by the South Australian company Cambrian Defence & Space, in partnership with SSC Space, Blue Dwarf Space, and the Centre for Cancer Biology, with support from the South Australian Government.

Researchers intend to analyze the recovered cells to observe how they responded to microgravity. The goal is to determine if these conditions trigger biological changes that could offer new insights into how cancer develops, progresses, and how it might be detected earlier.