Starlab Signs Agreement with Rhodium Scientific for Space Biotechnology Services and Payload Integration
Rhodium Scientific will provide science translation, flight-proven hardware and commercialization capabilities within the Starlab ecosystem, supporting scalable biotech and medical innovation in low Earth orbit
HOUSTON – April 28, 2026 – Starlab Space LLC, a commercial space station developer, today announced an agreement with Rhodium Scientific, America’s first space biotechnology company focused on accelerating the commercialization of discoveries in low Earth orbit. Through the agreement, Rhodium will support life-science research and biomanufacturing capabilities for future Starlab missions, helping provide scalable, regulatory-aligned innovation as the commercial space industry transitions beyond the International Space Station.
Under the agreement, Rhodium Scientific will serve as both a channel partner and a commercial service provider within the Starlab ecosystem. The company will connect customers to Starlab’s platform while supporting the translation and execution of biological, medical, agriculture, and national security payloads. Rhodium will provide access to its flight-proven hardware portfolio in support of customer payloads, including the Rhodium Science Chamber™ facilities for a range of biological experiments in orbit, a high-throughput centrifuge designed to simulate lunar and Martian gravity, and a large-batch culture chamber to accommodate tissue engineering and bacterial production on Starlab.
Rhodium Scientific’s capabilities are designed to support end-to-end mission execution, from experimental design and payload development to in-orbit mission support and post-flight commercialization. By aligning with FDA and NIST guidelines on each mission, the company enables Starlab customers to generate high-quality, reproducible data to support regulatory pathways, product development and commercialization strategies in life sciences and biomanufacturing.
“Partnering with Starlab allows us to translate and scale microgravity science into operational, regulatory-aligned solutions to further unlock biological and medical markets in space,” said Olivia Gámez Holzhaus, Founder and CEO of Rhodium Scientific. “By integrating FDA, NIST best practices and GLP principles into every mission, we’re delivering trusted, scalable capabilities for national security, industry and academic customers.”
“Rhodium Scientific brings deep expertise in translating microgravity research into real-world applications,” said Marshall Smith, CEO of Starlab. “Through this agreement, we’re expanding access to flight-proven hardware, regulatory-aligned processes and end-to-end mission support that permits customers to move from experimentation to commercialization more efficiently in low Earth orbit.”
The announcement builds on Starlab’s growing life sciences ecosystem, where microgravity creates conditions that reveal new insights into medicines, materials and biological systems. By enabling controlled experimentation in low Earth orbit, researchers can evaluate performance limits, refine formulations and advance product development pathways that may be difficult to replicate on Earth.
Starlab’s market-driven business model is designed to reduce cost, complexity and risk for researchers and commercial partners. Its single-launch, no-assembly-required architecture enables full certification and operational readiness within weeks from launch, minimizing delays and maximizing efficiency for payload customers. Through its joint venture partners, and also through Rhodium Scientific, customers can conduct research aboard the International Space Station today, ensuring a seamless transition to Starlab as its next-generation capabilities come online.
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About Starlab
Starlab Space is a U.S.-led, global joint venture among Voyager Technologies (NYSE: VOYG), Airbus, Mitsubishi Corporation, MDA Space, Palantir Technologies and Space Applications Services, with strategic partners including Hilton, Journey, Northrop Grumman and The Ohio State University. Starlab is developing a next-generation, AI-enabled commercial space station, aiming to ensure continued human presence in low-Earth orbit and a seamless transition of microgravity science and research alongside the retirement of the International Space Station. Starlab’s advanced, user-driven design and robust capabilities make it a premier platform for scientific discovery and technological advancement in space. For more information, visit starlab-space.com.
About Rhodium Scientific
Rhodium Scientific is a Houston, Texas-based biotechnology company advancing space biology to improve human health and national security on Earth. Operating at the intersection of space medicine, biotech, biomanufacturing, and agricultural sciences, the company develops dual-use technologies designed to mitigate risks to human health in extreme environments. Since 2014, Rhodium Scientific has facilitated over 35 spaceflight missions with science teams around the world and built a NASA flight-proven hardware portfolio supporting advanced research and commercial development. Through its translational strategy, the company converts unique spaceflight-derived biological insights into terrestrial applications across oncology, aging, manufacturing, and resilient agriculture. With programs developed in alignment with FDA regulatory pathways and quality frameworks, Rhodium Scientific is uniquely positioned to bridge space research with regulated healthcare priorities, establishing itself as a leader in the emerging space medicine and dual-use biotechnology sector.
For more information, visit rhodiumscientific.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Starlab Space
Melissa Price, melissaprice@griffincg.com