Space is a harsh environment where astronauts are exposed to microgravity and high levels of radiation. This leads to bone density loss, muscle atrophy, decline in cardiovascular fitness, immune system dysregulation, and increased cancer risks. It is vital to address these risks through research and innovation especially if we want to enable longer, more distant space missions and settlements.
Research under microgravity environment also serves as an enabler to study Earth-related processes. By cancelling the effect of gravity, scientists can isolate and observe underlying mechanisms at play in areas such as biotechnology, advanced materials, and other chemo-physical processes. Prior research conducted in microgravity has led to advancement in development of new treatments against aging, cancer, and heart-related diseases among other things.
Luxembourg is committed to the space health sector and that is why, the LSA is happy to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Boryung Corporation.
Founded in 1957 and headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Boryung is a life science infrastructure company committed to addressing humanity’s most pressing health challenges both on Earth and in space. In recognition of space as a new frontier for medical innovation, Boryung launched the global “Humans In Space” (HIS) initiative to support the development of breakthrough technologies in space medicine and health-related R&D leveraging microgravity.
This agreement, effective since the 5th of 2025, establishes a collaborative framework to support Boryung's global "Humans In Space" (HIS) initiative and further reinforces the LSA’s strategy of supporting commercial microgravity activities alongside its network of companies and institutes based in Luxembourg.
The annual HIS Challenge, now in its fourth edition, invites visionary researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world to propose bold ideas that leverage the space environment to drive health innovation. This year’s Challenge highlights 3 core tracks: Space Exploration, Life Science, and Artificial Intelligence. Selected teams may receive support through two award categories: (1) Equity Investment and (2) Orbital Launch Funding (OLF). A total investment pool of approximately $2 million USD is made available to awardees through Boryung and its global investor network.
The Luxembourg Space Agency encourages Luxembourg startups, researchers, and institutions active in the health and space technology sectors to apply to the HIS Challenge! It's a unique opportunity to access an international network of experts, potential funding for in-orbit experiments, and to contribute to significant advancements in the field of space health and exploration.
The call for application closes very soon on July 11th .
For more information, please visit: www.humansinspaceofficial.com.
