ICE Cubes payloads on SpaceX CRS-32

‘Ageing Beyond Earth 2.0’, led by Dr. Ghada Alsaleh at the University of Oxford’s NDORMS in collaboration with Prenetics, returns to the ISS for a second mission to explore how microgravity affects the cellular and molecular mechanisms of ageing. Using the Science Cube Mk2, the team will study osteoarthritis, a condition where the body struggles to clear damaged cells from cartilage and connective tissue. The experiment uses 3D joint organoids (miniaturized, lab-grown models of human joints), to examine bone and tissue degeneration in space, where astronauts often experience symptoms that mimic accelerated ageing. The payload maintains optimal conditions and enables real-time monitoring (via the ICF and ICMCC) from the Oxford’s Space Innovation Lab premises, building on earlier findings to deepen our understanding of age-related diseases on Earth. Read more about the research here.

‘LeopardISS’, developed by KP Labs for Poland’s first national scientific mission to the ISS (IGNIS), is a compact and advanced data processing unit designed to test and validate AI algorithms directly in orbit. By bypassing traditional satellite deployment, LeopardISS offers a faster, more iterative route to achieving AI spaceflight qualification and heritage. The cube supports applications such as image classification and 3D terrain mapping, critical for Earth observation and future planetary exploration. One of its key tasks will be validating a navigation algorithm developed with Poznan University of Technology, intended for autonomous rovers. With real-time ground interaction and continuous telemetry access via the ICF, LeopardISS helps pave the way for smarter, space-qualified AI technologies. Learn more about it here.

Now on its sixth flight to the ISS, Kirara is a high-quality protein crystallization incubator developed by JAMSS and hosted in our ICF. Leveraging the unique environment of microgravity, Kirara #6 carries an array of scientific and educational experiments from Japan, Korea, and Hungary, including contributions from the Hungarian HUNOR national mission. Among them, TANAKA Precious Metals will explore Au Nanostructure Formation Technology to enhance crystal growth, while HUN-REN’s experiment will be the first to crystallize hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) in space, offering unprecedented insights into fragile structures and potentially yielding larger, more ordered structures with applications in drug development and material science. Kirara #6 also includes educational components, such as seed growth experiments for Japanese schoolchildren, and cultural contributions like a musical interpretation of crystallization and a recording of the Hungarian national anthem. By blending science, STEM education, and culture, the Kirara service continues to demonstrate how microgravity research can foster international collaboration, inspire future generations, and deliver tangible benefits back on Earth. Read more about the mission here.

After approximately one month onboard the ISS, both the Oxford Cube and Kirara #6 will return to Earth with their precious samples and insights from space. Shortly after their de-installation, LeopardISSwill be plugged in our Facility and begin its mission. Part of the Polish IGNIS mission and designed for a longer stay, LeopardISS will begin its in-orbit AI testing campaign, continuing the cycle of innovation from Earth to space and back.

Explore the links and related articles below to learn more about these investigations and similar projects.

Photo credits: NASA / ESA / SpaceApps