Saudi Space Agency launches microgravity mission to study neurodegenerative diseases

The Saudi Space Agency, Axiom Space, and the National Stem Cell Foundation have launched the BioGravity-1 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to study neurodegenerative diseases in microgravity. Carried aboard a SpaceX CRS-35 resupply flight, the mission marks the first time biological samples from the Middle East have been sent to space for such research.

Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) contributed Saudi samples to the study, which focuses on Parkinson’s disease, Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS), and Alzheimer’s disease. The mission aims to evaluate how disease biology and therapeutic responses vary across genetically and ethnically diverse populations, including cell lines from the United Kingdom.

By utilizing the unique environment of microgravity, scientists hope to observe cellular interactions and disease-related changes that occur more rapidly than in traditional Earth-based laboratory settings. The program seeks to establish a scientific baseline for how cells respond to space conditions to better understand aging and neurological disorders.