Type IV
Type-IV contains a culture chamber (13.5 ml) and two tanks (11 ml) that can be filled with refreshing media or fixative. Tanks are activated pre-defined or in real-time and feature 2 compartments, separated with a silicone membrane.
Our Service
You focus on your research,
we take care of everything else
3 Reasons to fly with us
We make access to microgravity simpler, quicker and more affordable
LOW COST
Missions start from
€10k
off-the-shelf hardware,
standardized prices
QUICK ACCESS
Our record to ISS
4 months
single point of contact,
preferred partnerships
ALL OPTIONS
Choose from
7 platforms
ISS, (sub)orbital, parabolic
drop tower, clinostat
How it works
1
Define your research question
and experiment setup
First, think of your research question and how you could set up your experiment. If you don't know how microgravity could benefit your research, learn more in our microgravity section or browse through past missions to get inspiration.
You can also book an Exploration Workshop with our experts, in which we will apply modern brainstorming and design thinking methods to jointly explore your unique possibilities in microgravity.
2
Define your
mission requirements
Based on your experiment requirements, we help you to find the most suitable and most cost and time effective combination of experiment hardware and microgravity platform.
The easiest way is to use our online Mission configurator, where you simply enter your experiment requirements and receive a first mission draft with details about hardware, platform, cost and timeline within minutes. The mission draft is of course nonbinding for both sides, but it serves as a great discussion basis for the next steps.
3
Finalize mission details and
sign contract
Based on your mission draft from step 2, we will have a face-to-face or online meeting to discuss your mission in detail, clarify potential amendments or development work on the hardware, define the milestones and of course answer all the questions you have.
If we meet in person we can even bring some samples of our hardware. Once we agree on the details and you have secured funds for the mission, we sign the contract and start!
4
Test your experiment on the ground
Making any changes to your experiment when it's launched is nearly impossible. Thus, you need to be sure that the experiment runs exactly the way you imagined it. Of course we also support you here. We will provide you with the same hardware boxes that will be launched to test hem thoroughly in your lab first. You will also receive a training on the hardware from our experts.
5
Prepare launch
This is mostly our part and happens in parallel while you test and tailor your experiment setup. We lock in the launch slots with our implementation partners, finalize the hardware, clarify all the logistics like safety, customs, etc. If your experiment requires you to prepare your experiment short before launch, we will rent a lab at Kennedy Space Center for you and help you with travel planning.
6
Execute mission
This is the most exciting part of the mission. Depending on your type of experiment and microgravity platform, we'll in most cases fly together to the launch site (e.g. Kennedy Space Center), set up your experiment hardware (e.g. insert your cell cultures into the hardware boxes) and hand it over to our implementation partner.
If you launch to the ISS, we watch the rocket launch together. A once-in-a-lifetime experience! Once your experiment is up in microgravity, you will receive regular updates from us and in many cases even data from your experiment.
7
Return and analyze experiment
Once we have received your sample back we will immediately ship it to your lab so you can start your detailed analysis of the samples. Of course you also have the option to not receive it back if you just require the data.
The right hardware for your
experiment
As astronaut time on the ISS is precious, we make sure that your experiment runs completely autonomously. Therefore, we have a portfolio of hardware boxes for a variety of science experiments. We can also develop new hardware if you require.
Reliable hardware portfolio
Our flight-proven hardware portfolio consist of standard experiment containers (Outer Shell) and specific experiment inserts (Inner Shell). Hardware is offered on a leasing basis and can be used for flight and ground testing.
The experiment sets interface mechanically and electrically with compatible facilities using a simple clip-in-place design.
Outer Shells
Outer Shells provide the level of containment for the Inner Shells and the interfaces to the facilities.
Available Outer Shells
- Standard type
- With gas exchange via Teflon foil
- Piggy bag for CO2 supply
- With windows for illumination and observation
- With Gore-Tex membrane for increased gas exchange
- With extended volume EC vented types
Our formfactor suits lots of different facilities:
Biopack, Simplex, Kubik, ScienceTaxi (former Bibox, SIMBOX), NanoRacks Frame-3, STaARS-1 EF
Inner Shells
Inner Shells are designed for your specific use-case, such as cell cultures, plants or aquatic systems.
Observation Unit
Features infrared and visible LEDs to simulate day and night cycles. The HD camera has a flexible lens (e.g. fish-eye) to take pictures or videos. It is a vented container to provide for continuous air flow. Can be combined with different Inner Shells, like Greenhouse.
Greenhouse
Greenhouse supports the growth of higher plants under micro g conditions in solid media (agar or soil). It features homogeneous LEDs. Gas-permeable membranes allow for gas exchange with limited loss of humidity. Can be placed inside the Observation Unit.
Mini Aquarium
Mini Aquarium was developed for the investigation of the behavior and development of fish. A transparent gas-permeable membrane allows for continuous gas exchange and observation.
4 chamber petri dish
The 4 (or 8) chamber petri dish is a modification of the Mini Aquarium. It was designed for the investigation of the behavior and development of smaller organisms. A transparent gas-permeable membrane allows for continuous gas exchange and observation. It can be placed inside Observation Unit and can be equipped with gas pressure sensors.
ScienceBox
ScienceBox provide form factors from 1U (10x10x10cm) to 7U. It can be customized individually and equipped with anything that needs to be launched to space. To reduce cost time, it can be equipped with up to 4 Outer & Inner Shells inside a 3D-printed rack.
ScienceTaxi
One-size-fits-all facility
The ScienceTaxi facility is a middeck-locker size incubator that fits any platform. It’s the perfect solution for all platforms beyond the ISS, such as orbital or suborbital spacecraft or parabolic flights. And it’s compatible to most of our Outer and Inner Shells.
- Fits on orbital, suborbital and parabolic platforms
- Independent of ISS
- No crew time needed, execution of
experiment just hours after launch - Up to 44 experiment units
- Variable g centrifuge (e.g. Earth, Moon, Mars)
- Real-time HK data monitoring and commanding
- Temperature range +4°C to +40°C
Clinostat
Microgravity simulator for your lab
The yuri Clinostat is your entry ticket to the microgravity world.
The most affordable way to study the influence of gravity on biological systems.
An easy-to-use device for 24/7 microgravity research in your own lab.
- Base module with up to 2 expansion modules (max. 45 samples)
- Microgravity, Moon gravity and Mars gravity possible
- Wide range of compatible sample sizes (1-15ml)
- Designed to use inside incubators and lab conditions, easy to clean
- Control unit outside incubator for permanent surveillance & control
- Automated calculation of optimal rotational velocity
The development of the Clinostat was supported by the Initiative for Industrial Innovator’s of UnternehmerTUM and by the ESA BIC program.
The right platform for your
experiment
Most people think of the ISS when it comes to microgravity research. However, there is a whole variety of microgravity platforms available. And we can bring you to any of them.
 |  |  |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | ISS | Orbital Spacecraft | Suborbital Spacecraft | Parabolic Flight | Drop Tower | Microgravity Simulator |
| Microgravity duration | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5-10 minutes | 20 seconds | 9 seconds | Unlimited |
| Microgravity quality | 10 -4 | 10 -4 | 10 -2 | 10 -2 | 10 -2 | 10 -2 |
You can find more details about each microgravity platform in our microgravity section.
Missions the team has flown
Discover the amazing possibilities of microgravity
by browsing through our past missions
Cellbox I
Immune cells fight illnesses by attacking invaders in the body. But microgravity, which suppresses the human immune system, can affect how well they work. This study looked at changes to these cells to better understand how spaceflight affects the immune system.
Cellbox II
Finding new treatments against cancer requires studies of tumor cells, but gravity affects cell growth. This mission studied thyroid cancer cells in microgravity, as cells grow in spheres there. It is used for biomarkers, that help develop new drugs against cancer.
BioSience-4
This mission examined how oligodendrocyte progenitor cells react to microgravity, esp. the rate of proliferation and differentiation. OPCs are precursors of central nervous system cells and results may help neural stem cell studies (e.g. tissue regrowth and organ farming)
Gene control prime
GCP examines microgravity related changes to gene expression in mammalian immune cells. The sensitivity of such cells to gravitational changes makes them ideal for understanding the role of gravity in cell function and to find rules, e.g. regulation of gene expression.
V3PO
Plants normally grow from seeds, but can also be cultivated with cuttings taken from branches. This study showed how well plant cuttings can be grown into new plants in microgravity and to grow plants in a more uniform manner than those grown from seeds.
MMARS-1
This mission showed how a methane producing bacteria adapt to the stresses of microgravity and the use of pressure measurements to estimate metabolic activity of those. It investigated the decoupling of metabolic activity from biomass production.
Hydra-2
Studied the effects of microgravity on ancient bacteria that produce methane in the absence of oxygen. It measured the colony size before and after flight, to determine their growth rate. The goal was to evaluate bacteria for methane production on asteroids for rocket fuel.
Fruit Fly Lab
Fruit flies have similar genetic patterns to humans and are important models for research in genetics, developmental biology and neurobiology. This mission looked at neurobehavioral changes that occur in fruit flies during spaceflight.
Other fascinating missions
For more fascinating experiments in microgravity, browse through the database of the ISS National Lab:
What our customers are saying
“Having worked with the team on our brain cell mission, I strongly recommend them for training and flight integration. They’re a great company open for innovation according to customer needs.”
Prof. Araceli
Espinosa-Jeffrey, Ph.D.
Research Neurobiologist at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and visiting professor at University of Guadalajara, Mexico
“I’m very excited to fly Australia’s first biology mission to the ISS with yuri. So far it has been great working with the team, they really take care of everything, which helps me focus on my cancer research.”
Dr. Joshua Chou
Senior Lecturer at the School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), formerly Harvard Medical School
Ideation Workshops
Discover your microgravity potential
You know you could benefit from microgravity, but don’t have a concrete idea yet? Let’s run a workshop with your team to discover your most valuable ideas! By applying modern design thinking methods, we guide you through an efficient ideation process that is both outcome-driven and fun!
- 1 full day or 2 afternoons
- At your site or at yuri office
- Certified Design Thinking Coach
- All material (sticky notes, etc.) provided by yuri
- Outcome: prototypes of your microgravity experiments and a rough mission manifest
Other Services
Besides being your end-to-end partner for all microgravity missions, we can support you in various other space related engineering requirements:
- Mechanical Design (CAD)
- Structural Analysis (FEM)
- Technical and Safety Documentation
- Systems Engineering
- Fracture Control
- Project Management
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