Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio join Starlab and Ohio State at the George Washington Carver Science Park

Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio join Starlab and Ohio State at the George Washington Carver Science Park

The companies join a pioneering network of businesses and organizations that are part of the GWCSP

Starlab Space LLCand The Ohio State University are welcoming Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio to the George Washington Carver Science Park (GWCSP).

Both companies will play an important role in Starlab's global network and mission to advance human technology by making in-space research and development more accessible and inclusive. Key to this effort is creating a sustainable space economy, supported by the strong Earth to space connection and state-of-the-art ground infrastructure provided to Starlab through the GWCSPat Ohio State.

As part of the new agreements, Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio will supportSTEM outreach and engagement activities through the GWCSPto train the next generation of space workers, from grade-school students through advanced higher education; participate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) research and innovation activities, including payload development and the advancement of food technologies for space exploration; and share expertise with other partners through workshops, symposia and events.

"At Starlab, our approach prioritizes research, discovery and a continued human presence in LEO," said Tim Kopra, Starlab CEO. "The first step in that process is a strong foundation here on Earth. The George Washington Carver Science Park is a collaborative network where partners can exchange ideas, resources and skills and make progress on some of our biggest challenges while setting up future space research for ultimate success. We're proud to have Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio join the team and help shape the new commercial LEO economy."

Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio join a pioneering network of companies and organizations that are part of the GWCSP, a first-of-its-kind university research park dedicated to commercial spaceflight research and economic development. The GWCSP, established by Voyager Space, currently has facilities on Ohio State's Columbus campus, while its permanent home is being built on the Air Transportation and Aerospace Campus at Ohio State's University Airport. The GWCSP is a critical U.S. ground location for the commercial Starlab Space Station. Activities onsite include payload development, research, operations, communications and training.

"Ohio State is proud to collaborate with Blue Abyss and Nexture Bio as we continue our focus on accelerating transformational aerospace research and innovations that can improve the quality of life on Earth and provide benefits for the burgeoning commercial space industry," said Peter Mohler, executive vice president for the Enterprise for Research, Innovation and Knowledge at Ohio State.

Founded in 2014 in the United Kingdom, Blue Abyss aims to deliver the world's foremost extreme environment research, development, testing and training facilities to enable the research and development of space, aerospace, medical and marine technologies and techniques. The company envisions a future where humanity safely and routinely travels to, lives in and works in the most extreme environments.

"We are delighted to be joining the George Washington Carver Science Park," said John Vickers, Blue Abyss CEO. "At Blue Abyss, we are committed to fostering a sustainable space economy, bridging the gap between Earth and space. The opportunity to contribute to such a forward-thinking ecosystem - where collaboration, innovation and shared expertise are at the forefront - resonates deeply with our belief in the transformative power of extreme environment research. We look forward to the exciting advancements this partnership will bring."

Nexture Bio, founded in 2023, develops scaffolds, microcarriers, cell-attachment factors and other enabling technologies for the cultivated meat industry. The Ohio-based company leverages its access to cutting-edge technology to create cost-effective, edible, animal-component-free products to advance the field of cellular agriculture.

"The need for cellular agriculture and related technologies to provide more sustainable sources of protein to a growing population on Earth is increasingly urgent; however, it is an absolute necessity for sustaining life in space," said Teryn Wolfe, Nexture Bio CEO. "We are honored to join the GWCSP and collaborate with other innovators at the forefront of space research, leveraging our knowledge and expertise in cellular agriculture to contribute to the LEO economy."

Starlab's privately owned, commercially operated space station is scheduled to launch to low Earth orbit in 2028.

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