Reservation agreement connects Switzerland and Liechtenstein’s end-to-end space research ecosystem with U.S. orbital infrastructure, enabling streamlined pathways from laboratory to space aboard Starlab
HOUSTON – July 21, 2026 – Starlab Space LLC, a commercial space developer, announced the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA), a leading European space research and technology alliance, has reserved space in the Starlab Space Station to support microgravity research, technology development and in-space application in low Earth orbit.
The agreement establishes a strategic transatlantic bridge connecting one of the world’s most advanced industrial and research ecosystems, spanning Switzerland and Liechtenstein’s globally leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and high-precision electronics sectors, with commercial orbital infrastructure aboard Starlab. Through this pre-booking reservation, CSA enables organizations across its network to access a streamlined pathway from laboratory research to in-space validation and application. The collaboration creates an integrated corridor for payload development, testing, qualification, and deployment in orbit, accelerating time-to-value for both scientific discovery and commercial innovation.
CSA also plays a key role in supporting the Canton of Zurich in the development and execution of its space strategy, helping anchor a growing regional hub that connects research, industry, and international space infrastructure.
Areas for the use of the reserved volume include biotechnology, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and advanced instrumentation, with potential applications such as the production of human tissues in microgravity and next-generation materials and component testing. By expanding access to microgravity environments, the agreement enables companies to generate new value from space-based R&D without requiring them to build internal spaceflight infrastructure and capabilities.
“The Starlab system creates a fundamentally new architecture for global knowledge creation between space and Earth,” said Prof. Dr. Dr. Oliver Ullrich, Chairman of the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
“CSA’s reservation agreement is a powerful example of how leading organizations are proactively unlocking the value of microgravity for entire industries,” said Luis Zea Ph.D., Chief Scientist of Starlab. “This is not about turning pharmaceutical or electronics companies into space companies—it is about enabling them to extend their innovation platforms into microgravity. By securing access to Starlab, CSA is creating a bridge that allows Switzerland and Liechtenstein’s world-class ecosystems to generate new discoveries and applications that will benefit people locally and, ultimately, around the world.”
The agreement reflects a broader trend: international organizations are actively positioning their research communities for commercial LEO access as the ISS transition approaches. Starlab’s international joint venture, spanning European, Japanese, and North American partners, is structured to support research programs across borders, enabling the sustained microgravity conditions that advance healthcare, materials science, agriculture and emerging technologies.
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, 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 CSA
Under the strategic objective of establishing space as a innovation flagship in the state of Zurich in Switzerland, the Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA) and the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich (SIPZ) in Dübendorf are building one of Europe’s most complete ecosystems for end-to-end space and aviation research, technology development, and operational implementation. The CSA is a legal entity of 13 leading institutions from Switzerland and Liechtenstein with strong experience in space and aviation, Together, CSA and SIPZ are creating a European hub for research, trade, and logistics, serving as a transatlantic bridge between European space innovation and Florida’s spaceport system. This includes direct flight connections between Dübendorf and the launch sites, enabling the rapid and seamless transfer of space systems, payloads and products, connecting European space innovation and the U.S. commercial space station ecosystem.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Starlab Space
Melissa Price, melissaprice@griffincg.com