Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Saudi Space Agency announced a major scientific breakthrough, extending the Kingdom’s pioneering human spaceflight achievements and building on the historic SSA-HSF1 mission, with direct implications for global human health research.

As part of the “Saudi Arabia Toward Space” mission, Saudi astronauts conducted 19 scientific experiments aboard the International Space Station, marking one of the most ambitious research programs undertaken by the Kingdom in orbit.

Among the most significant outcomes was the world’s first successful manufacture of a nanomaterial designed to repair cartilage under microgravity conditions, a milestone in space-based biomedical research.

The study, led by scientists Yuping Chen and Mari Ann Snow through an international collaboration, focused on developing advanced biomaterials for tissue engineering.

Saudi astronaut Rayyanah Barnawi carried out the experiment aboard the ISS, overseeing the fabrication process and collecting data in microgravity.

The work progressed from material preparation on Earth to in-orbit manufacturing, with samples later returned for comparison with those produced under normal gravity.

Findings published in Nature showed that microgravity significantly enhanced the precision, quality, and efficiency of cartilage-related nanomaterial manufacturing compared with Earth-based production, highlighting space as a powerful platform for medical innovation.

“Conducting the experiment in space enabled the production of an advanced nanomaterial and the generation of reliable data that support scientific research aimed at improving human life,” Barnawi said.

The Saudi Space Agency said the results reflect close integration between scientists and astronauts and open new pathways for producing advanced medicines and regenerative treatments in space.

The breakthrough also supports future applications in organ transplantation and regenerative medicine, with benefits extending beyond space exploration to healthcare on Earth.