Human stem cells from Adelaide University’s Center for Cancer Biology successfully returned from space after a landmark mission. Launched on Oct. 1, 2026, the cells spent seven minutes in microgravity aboard a rocket. Researchers now study how these cells responded to space to find new ways to detect cancer early.
Human stem cells from Adelaide University's Center for Cancer Biology have successfully traveled to the edge of space and back as part of a landmark mission for Australian cancer research.
The cells were launched on Oct. 1, 2026, at 8:51 a.m. local time aboard the German Aerospace Center (DLR) MAPHEUS-17 sounding rocket from the Esrange Space Center in Sweden, owned and operated by SSC Space.
Led by South Australian company Cambrian Defense & Space, the mission was delivered in partnership with the Center for Cancer Biology, SSC Space and Blue Dwarf Space.
The rocket reached approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles) above Earth, giving the cells at least seven minutes in microgravity before returning safely to Earth for recovery and analysis.
Researchers will now analyze the cells to investigate how they responded to microgravity and whether the changes could provide new insights into cancer progression and early detection.