hiro-lab
Heavy Ionising Radiation Observation Laboratory
As space agencies and private companies prepare for extended missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, one essential question remains unanswered: how do we ensure the safety and effectiveness of medications in deep space?
Introducing HIRO-LAB, a cutting-edge payload designed to tackle this critical challenge. Developed in partnership with the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), HIRO-LAB is our answer to one of space exploration’s most overlooked problems—the destructive impact of heavy ionising radiation on pharmaceuticals.
The Challenge is protecting medicine from the unseen threats of space. Medications are vital to the wellbeing of astronauts—from daily health maintenance to emergency interventions. But beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field, cosmic radiation levels skyrocket. Both Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) can silently degrade pharmaceutical compounds, reduce their efficacy and shelf life, and compromise astronaut health.
Until now, precise data on this radiation and its direct effect on medicine—especially on planetary surfaces like the Moon—has been limited or nonexistent.
Concept illustration only
our solution
A compact, purpose-built lunar payload
HIRO-LAB will be a compact, purpose-built payload built for deployment beyond low-Earth orbit (BLEO), engineered to measure both the intensity of radiation and the structural integrity of pharmaceuticals exposed to it.
This isn’t just theoretical. Ibuprofen has already been tested aboard the ISS in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). HIRO-LAB will take the next giant leap by gathering comparative data from outside the magnetosphere, BLEO.
The data collected by HIRO-LAB will be instrumental in developing radiation-resistant pharmaceuticals tailored for long-duration missions. This research has terrestrial implications too—potentially guiding the development of medications better suited for high-radiation environments such as aviation or nuclear medicine or providing longer shelf life products for use in remote communities. Our partnerships with the University of South Australia's Centre for Pharmaceutical Innovation will ensure that our customers receive the epitome of data analysis and product recommendations for the optimisation of their medicines for use on long-duration missions.
Sydney, Australia
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