Bioprinting during microgravity flight
Researchers from TU Dresden integrated a Brinter Core bioprinter into a self-contained experimental rack aboard the Airbus A310 ZERO-G. The system was used during repeated parabolic-flight microgravity phases to print cell-laden constructs as part of a mission analogue for future in-space biofabrication workflows.
The publication identifies Brinter Core as a representative prototype for the 3D-BioSystem concept developed for future use in connection with the European Space Agency's exploration programme. The setup used the printer's integrated pneumatic control and cartridge-temperature control, helping reduce the need for external process-control hardware during flight.
A supply-chain problem, not only a printing problem
The study focused on one of the major practical constraints of in-space bioprinting: how to deliver biologically functional, printable cell-laden material to a crewed space platform without requiring full cell-culture infrastructure at the destination.
Three preparation strategies were compared: a freshly prepared reference bioink, a cryo-based workflow in which cells and acellular biomaterial ink were transported separately and combined shortly before printing, and a fully premixed bioink stored at 4 °C for two weeks before use.
Cryopreserved cells matched the fresh reference
The cryo-based strategy performed closely to the freshly prepared reference over 40 days of post-flight cultivation. Both groups reached cell viabilities above 90% and developed continuous cell sheets by the final time point.
By contrast, the two-week cold-stored premixed bioink showed a marked decline in viability over time, with no detectable viable cells at the final cultivation point in this specific NHDF/AlgGel mission analogue.
- Successful extrusion bioprinting during repeated microgravity phases.
- Brinter Core used as a representative prototype for the 3D-BioSystem concept.
- Cryopreservation-based bioink workflow reduced destination-side preparation to thawing and mixing.
- Cell viability above 90% after 40 days for the cryo-based and fresh-reference groups.
- A practical path toward longer-duration crewed space missions with reduced onboard laboratory infrastructure.
Why this matters for manufacturing technology
For BrinterAM, the result is a strong example of application-driven manufacturing engineering. Space bioprinting requires the printer, material formulation, temperature control, process execution, logistics and crew workflow to function as one integrated system.
The work also extends the relevance of the earlier ESA 3D-BioSystem development by providing later peer-reviewed evidence of the Brinter platform operating in a demanding microgravity flight environment.