T-Minus Space Daily (N2K Networks)

Episode: Axiom 4 Science Missions

Date: December 27, 2025
Host: Maria Varmazes
Guest: Dr. Lucy Lowe, Chief Scientist, Axiom Space

Episode Overview

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily spotlights the upcoming Axiom 4 (AX4) mission, focusing on the unprecedented array of scientific research and international collaboration it will bring to the International Space Station (ISS). Host Maria Varmazes interviews Dr. Lucy Lowe, Chief Scientist at Axiom Space, to unpack how AX4 will usher in a new era of space-enabled research, support the return to crewed spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, and expand the scientific opportunities for both Earth and space.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The AX4 Mission: International Collaboration and Scientific Ambition

• International Significance:
  • AX4 marks the return to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary—the first government-sponsored flights in over 40 years for each.
  • It will be their first ISS mission, showcasing significant international partnership.
• Scale of Research:
  • Around 60 science studies and activities from 31 countries, the most research (to date) on any Axiom mission (01:43–02:22).

2. Dr. Lucy Lowe’s Career and Transition into Space Science

• Background:
  • Trained as a neuroscientist in the UK and Canada, transitioned into science program management at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the U.S.
  • First became involved in space-related research through NIH's bioengineering program, realizing the unique opportunities microgravity offers for science (03:18–06:53).
• Quote:
  • “Through that work, I realized what an incredible environment the microgravity environment offers for research, for science, for understanding how cells interact, how molecules can talk to each other, how materials might be produced or manufactured in a different way. And I thought, wow, this is amazing.” (04:13–04:35)

3. How Axiom Prioritizes Research for Space Missions

• Complex Decision-Making:
  • Research is prioritized in coordination with international customers; importance and feasibility are weighed carefully.
  • Multiple variables are considered: technical readiness, safety and regulatory approvals, available crew time, hardware and software compatibility, and physical constraints on the spacecraft.
• Quote:
  • “There are so many moving pieces that goes into what ends up making the mission research portfolio that ... that in itself could be a couple of hours long.” (11:22–12:02)

4. Flexibility and Mission Operations: Ready for Any Scenario

• Teamwork and Preparation:
  • The need for adaptability is paramount; Axiom’s operational teams prepare multiple “plan Bs” for each experiment.
  • Mission timelines differ from traditional NASA increments, requiring tight coordination and fast pivots when things change unexpectedly (12:51–14:24).
• Quote:
  • “The levels of preparation that it takes to get to this point where ... you have to be ready to pivot to plan A, B, C, D, all the way through to plan Z, is just extraordinary.” (14:05–14:35)

5. Spotlight on Specific Science Experiments on AX4

a. Sweetride: Expanding Astronaut Eligibility

• Purpose:
  • Validating continuous glucose monitors and insulin pen technology in microgravity.
  • Determining insulin stability for future space travel, aiming to make space accessible for people with conditions like diabetes (16:17–18:18).
• Quote:
  • “To date, diabetes has been a disqualifying event for a potential astronaut… So we not only want to be doing things in space that are for the benefit of people back here on Earth, but we also want to be expanding the opportunities for anyone on Earth to fly in space in the future.” — Dr. Lowe (16:51–17:19)

b. Cancer in LEO: Accelerating Drug Testing in Microgravity

• Purpose:
  • Focuses on growing cancer tumor organoids in space to study disease formation and test drugs more efficiently than on Earth.
  • On AX4, the study includes work on triple negative breast cancer (18:19–20:02).
• Quote:
  • “They’re able to accelerate that drug testing timeline by doing it in space, because of the accelerated growth of the tumor organoids… which is huge when we talk about drug development, because that can take decades on Earth and it can cost billions of dollars.” (19:05–19:41)

c. Tardigrade Resilience: Learning from Nature’s Toughest Critters

• Purpose:
  • Research on tardigrades’ molecular and genetic resilience mechanisms, with potential applications for radiation protection and gene editing, plus broader environmental resilience—e.g., drought-resistant crops (20:18–23:15).
• Notable Moments:
  • Dr. Lowe shares her delight at learning tardigrades’ alternate nickname: “moss piglets.”
  • “There’s opportunities to really delve into these… molecular mechanisms of resilience that open up all kinds of new possibilities for therapeutic development or for potentially even gene editing of organisms back here on Earth...” (21:29–22:02)

d. Hungary’s Shear Instability Experiment: Connecting ISS Fluid Physics to Planetary Science

• Purpose:
  • Study fluid dynamics by spinning a tennis ball-sized water droplet in ISS microgravity, with implications for understanding atmospheric dynamics like Saturn’s famous hexagon (24:25–26:40).
• Memorable Method:
  • The experiment uses music (remastered Bach) to cue astronauts on how fast to spin the water droplet—an innovative and playful operational touch (25:37–26:09).
• Quote:
  • “It’s a really innovative way to speed up the rate of rotation of this ball of water over the course of the experiment… trying to understand more about some of the planetary physics that we see within our solar system...” (25:40–26:29)

Memorable Quotes and Moments

• On the mission's scale:
  “This will be the most research and science related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to date.” — Maria Varmazes (01:55–02:06)

• On flexibility in space operations:
  “We have to be ready to pivot to plan A, B, C, D, all the way through to plan Z...” — Dr. Lucy Lowe (14:27–14:35)

• On the excitement of discovery:
  “We’ve really barely begun to scratch the surface in understanding that. And microgravity and research in low Earth orbit and beyond just offers an incredible opportunity and an incredible environment to keep asking those questions.” — Dr. Lucy Lowe (27:08–27:32)

• On the spirit of science in space:
  “Everything that we try and facilitate for the research is to add to that global body of knowledge that we as a species have that tells us these things about ourselves.” — Dr. Lucy Lowe (27:44–27:56)

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:43–02:22 | Introduction to AX4 mission’s significance and international scope | | 03:18–06:53 | Dr. Lowe’s personal scientific journey and transition into the space sector| | 07:36–12:11 | Deep dive: How Axiom prioritizes research payloads and operational constraints| | 12:51–14:24 | Flexibility and backup planning for space missions | | 16:07–18:18 | Sweetride experiment: Making space accessible for people with diabetes | | 18:19–20:02 | Cancer in LEO: Using microgravity to speed up cancer drug testing | | 20:02–23:15 | Tardigrade resilience research and its far-reaching implications | | 24:25–26:40 | Hungary’s fluid dynamics experiment and planetary science connections | | 27:05–27:56 | Dr. Lowe’s reflection on the importance and future of space research |

Final Reflections

Dr. Lucy Lowe emphasizes the potential for space research to advance knowledge and improve life on Earth, highlighting Axiom Space’s commitment to inclusivity, scientific rigor, and innovation. AX4 embodies the collaboration, experimentation, and vision necessary to chart the future of both commercial spaceflight and transformative scientific discovery.

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