Microgravity is opening up entirely new possibilities for research and development, particularly in life sciences and advanced materials. At the Satellite Applications Catapult, we are helping UK organisations access, test and scale innovations in this unique environment, bridging the gap between insight and commercial implementation.
Our work sits within the Beyond Earth mission, focused on positioning the UK as a key player in the in-space manufacturing and R&D economy.
Microgravity provides conditions that cannot be replicated on Earth. This enables:
These breakthroughs have real-world impact, reducing treatment times, improving patient outcomes, and unlocking high-value commercial markets.
The increasing recognition of microgravity’s value in drug development underscores its integration into standard R&D. Over the past year, our dedicated Microgravity Life Sciences Working Group, led by the UK-Beyond Earth Network, has focused on translation: connecting scientific potential with the realities of pharmaceutical development. Bringing together stakeholders across industry, academia, and government, revealed that the challenge is not credibility, but integration with existing development frameworks and investment criteria.
We have since developed frameworks linking microgravity use cases to measurable commercial outcomes. The result is a shift in perspective, from viewing microgravity as an extraordinary venue for isolated experiments to treating it as a credible research environment within mainstream drug development.
What has emerged is not a single breakthrough, but the foundations of a discipline: evidence-based pathways that allow space-enabled research to compete for the same investment decisions as any other R&D activity.
We held the inaugural meeting of the Microgravity Life Sciences Working Group in April 2025.This workshop resulted in a paper that documents the findings of the day and sets out the next steps for the initiative.
The Catapult has already scoped a set of potential microgravity use cases – the next step is to validate which of these align with active UK research capability and industry need.
We have been working with the North West Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Catalyst (IBIC) on a joint programme grounded in the North West but supporting national opportunity, to validate high-potential microgravity use cases, connect academic capability with space providers and biotech SMEs, and identify early collaborative projects.
The IBIC’s network provides a strong foundation for this work, bringing academic strength from across the North West into an emerging area and creating opportunities for new partnerships and project development. This activity also sits within the wider UK Beyond Earth Network (UK-BEN), led by the North West Space Cluster (NWSC), and supported by its Microgravity Life Sciences Working Group (MLS WG). UK-BEN provides national coordination for microgravity activity, and this collaboration offers a practical way to link regional capability with national priorities and strengthen the UK’s emerging microgravity ecosystem.
The BSGN Advanced Materials and In-orbit Manufacturing Accelerator is a Europe-wide, multidisciplinary accelerator dedicated to advancing new materials and novel engineering solutions for both industrial and space applications.
We partner with innovators ranging from start-ups and SMEs to large multinationals, leveraging space-based R&D for product development, innovation, and technological advancement.
The BSGN Accelerator co-funds and supports commercial projects and innovators developing breakthrough advanced materials and manufacturing solutions using in-orbit R&D and microgravity engineering platforms.
Photocentric and Dcubed were selected from a strong field of applicants to participate in Phase One of the Accelerator Programme.
Whether you are exploring early-stage research or looking to scale an existing innovation, we can help you assess the potential of microgravity for your work.
Connect with us to explore collaboration, partnerships, and access to upcoming opportunities.
