October 24, 2024 - The Space Exploration & Research Agency (SERA) today announced research partnerships with Weill Cornell Medicine and the University of Austin (UATX) for its upcoming mission with Blue Origin to bring underrepresented nations to space. The mission’s crew of citizen astronauts will help conduct biomedical experiments during the spaceflight chosen and designed by the global public.

Historically, scientific research in space has been confined to narrow academic disciplines and limited to a few select countries. More than 80% of astronauts have come from just three countries. SERA is aiming to break down structural barriers to space and make spaceflight and scientific research more accessible and inclusive.

Earlier this year, SERA formed a strategic partnership with Blue Origin to purchase six seats onboard a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. Five of the seats are allocated to partner nations that have never had an astronaut or very few. The sixth seat will be open to a person from any partner nation. Anyone can apply and be selected by the voting public.

Now, SERA is announcing research partnerships with the Mason Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine and the Overbey Lab at the University of Austin (UATX), preeminent institutions in space research, that will empower the public to participate in scientific research during the mission. Each of the six seats will be allocated a series of both autonomous and astronaut-tended experiments. These experiments will focus on the effects of microgravity on human physiology, cell biology and fluid dynamics, to better understand the human experience in space.

Select experimental parameters will be predetermined to ensure scientifically meaningful insights. The public will use the Mission platform to put forward specific proposals to test their own hypotheses. The platform also includes an AI assistant trained on academic papers relevant to microgravity and the experiment themes to help those without traditional experience in space science to research and structure their submissions. Proposals will be evaluated by the partners to curate finalists for each seat, which will then be voted on by the public.

Earlier this year, SERA announced that India, Nigeria, and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) will each be allotted a seat on the mission, marking a significant milestone for nations that have historically lacked access to space. This opportunity will pave the way for further scientific research, innovation, and advancement within these regions. The remaining seat assignments for underrepresented countries will be revealed later this year.

SERA’s first achievement toward making space accessible to all was demonstrated on June 4, 2022, when the company sent Victor Hespanha, a 28-year-old civil engineer from Minas Gerais, Brazil, to space on NS-21, Blue Origin’s fifth crewed flight. He became the second Brazilian to fly to space.

“Expanding the horizons of space discovery goes beyond the astronauts themselves,” said Sam Hutchison, Co-founder of SERA. “Building an inclusive space ecosystem also means pushing research forward and investigating topics that have been previously overlooked by national and corporate space interests – and bringing our entire community along for the ride.”

“We are elated to enable a broader range of countries, people, and cultures expand into space, and then to deploy cutting-edge biomedical experiments during the SERA flights that can help prepare for future missions,” said Dr. Christopher Mason, WorldQuant Professor of Genomics and Computational Biomedicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

“Scientific discovery is not restricted to the ivory tower. To become a multi-planetary species, all explorers will need to bring their sense of curiosity and an appetite for discovery,” said Dr. Eliah Overbey, professor of bioastronautics at UATX.

“Our future in space should reflect the diversity on Earth,” said Phil Joyce, SVP, New Shepard. “This program is an important step in making space accessible to new and emerging spacefaring nations, advancing science, and inspiring people within—and beyond—their borders.”

More information on the mission will be announced over the coming months. To sign up for updates on SERA, visit www.sera.space and follow us on X, Instagram, and Facebook.

About SERA

The Space Exploration & Research Agency was founded to build a global community dedicated to space exploration and research. Its mission is to create a space agency for everyone.

About UATX

The University of Austin prepares thoughtful and ethical innovators, builders, leaders, and citizens through fair-minded open inquiry and sustained civil discourse.

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