A green light has been given to Korea's first space biomedicine research based on 3D printing to make artificial hearts in space. This also raises the possibility of expanding into new drug development and artificial organ research. The medical community expects that a bio industry using space will emerge as a new growth field.
The Korea AeroSpace Administration on the 17th released the first images captured by the multipurpose practical satellite Arirang 7 and Next-generation Medium Satellite 3, along with initial operational results.
Next-generation Medium Satellite 3 entered orbit through the fourth launch of the Korean launch vehicle Nuri in Nov. last year and is serving as a "comprehensive space laboratory" that conducts space science exploration based on domestically developed payloads. One of them is equipped with BioCabinet, a space biomedicine experimental device based on 3D bio-printing.
BioCabinet is a 55-kilogram-class space bio-research payload that integrates a 3D bioprinter with a stem cell culture and differentiation system.
It is designed to stably culture and observe cells despite launch shocks and the space environment, and, given Korea's limited access to the International Space Station (ISS), it is characterized by performing the entire process automatically without human intervention. Data are transmitted to the ground via the X-band for high-speed, high-capacity transmission and the S-band for low-capacity status information.
The core of this experiment is to confirm the formation of three-dimensional structures and the differentiation process of stem cells in a microgravity environment. Using induced pluripotent cardiac stem cells (iPSC), the research team is 3D-printing cardiac tissue and observing whether the structures produced in space actually contract and beat. At the same time, they are tracking the differentiation process into vascular cells using tonsil-derived stem cells. The mission duration is about 60 days and is designed to be extendable to up to one year.
The research team led by Park Chan-heum, an otolaryngology professor at Hallym University Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital and head of the Institute of Nanobio Regenerative Medicine, is analyzing the experimental data. In the initial analysis, the team confirmed a tendency for stem cells to differentiate more actively in space than on the ground.
Professor Park said, "It was confirmed that stem cells differentiate more actively than on the ground." Park said, "In an environment with almost no gravitational influence, cells do not settle downward, which is advantageous for forming three-dimensional structures," and "meaningful results are being derived related to artificial heart tissue printing."
This study is the longest on record so far for culturing bio 3D structures in space. It is also evaluated that it is meaningful as a case of securing domestic original technology in the field of space pharmaceutical development. Detailed results are scheduled to be released in line with the official announcement by the Korea AeroSpace Administration.
A microgravity environment provides favorable conditions for cell-to-cell interactions and three-dimensional tissue formation because there is little sedimentation and convection due to gravity. Academia says these characteristics can help implement complex structures similar to real organs.
Park's team has focused on the possibility that the cardiovascular system may be affected first during long stays in space and has pursued research with the goal of securing technology to fabricate cardiac tissue directly in space.
Space is also drawing attention for new drug development. In microgravity, substances crystallize uniformly and it is easier to obtain high-purity materials with fewer impurities, making it a favorable environment for developing precision medicines such as anticancer drugs. In fact, major global pharmaceutical companies, including Merck (MSD), are conducting research to enhance efficacy through crystallizing pharmaceuticals in space.
Based on this achievement, Park's team plans follow-up studies. In 2027, they aim to launch the space anticancer drug development platform BioRex, with a key goal of analyzing drug responses in intractable cancers such as glioblastoma. They also plan to push the BioLiv platform, which will print artificial liver tissue and conduct animal testing.
The field of space biomedicine research is attracting investments from the United States, Europe, Israel, Japan and Middle Eastern countries. China is actively conducting biomedicine research using its own space station. Among Korean pharmaceutical companies, Boryung invested $60 million (about 84 billion won) in Axiom Space, a U.S. space life sciences startup.
Attention is turning to whether the space bio industry can establish itself as a new growth pillar. Park said, "We took on the challenge of research, envisioning a future where we find clues in space to treat diseases that are hard to solve on Earth," and "we expect space research to lead to the development of new medicines and therapies."