Biomedical payloads: A maturing application for CubeSats

This paper outlines some of the challenges and opportunities facing space biomedical community how CubeSats may (and indeed already are) supporting this research area. A review current microgravity platforms capable is presented alongside a summary vital that enables. presents CubeSat enabling technology critical gaps given, analysis relevant logistical bureaucratic factors in sector. An overview general design requirements for missions to help support potential new developers, small innovations are present importance sector's maturity. Finally, we demonstrate do have become mature high-fidelity niche NewSpace infrastructure, could professionally-credible research, complementing traditional such as crewed vehicles, autonomous biosatellites free-flyers. Biomedical been validated through well-documented programme NASA missions, well successful flights from at least one commercial company date, now these trail-blazers being followed by “mini-space race” among Universities other groups. report aims status estimate which scenarios mission would provide cost-effective, worthwhile science return, versus (arguably) most common route payloads – ISS. It act primer information planners or scientists newer sector want ground-up routes space. Importantly, compares payload hosted on platform like ISS, not any high-profile, potentially very popular, developing only briefly referenced.