Redwire subsidiary SpaceMD to fly drug research on SpaceX Starfall mission

Redwire subsidiary SpaceMD has signed a contract to conduct pharmaceutical research aboard SpaceX’s new Starfall reentry capsule. Scheduled for 2028, the mission is expected to be the largest dedicated commercial microgravity research flight to date.

The mission will carry up to 32 Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory boxes, known as PIL-BOXes. These mini-labs use microgravity to crystallize drug compounds, allowing scientists to create larger, more uniform crystals to better understand molecules and develop improved medical formulas. SpaceMD is developing a new version of the PIL-BOX specifically optimized for the Starfall spacecraft.

By utilizing a reentry capsule rather than the International Space Station, researchers can benefit from a tailored microgravity environment with a much faster return to Earth for sample analysis. This partnership aims to increase the frequency and scale of commercial microgravity manufacturing as the ISS approaches retirement.