ADSEP Mini-labs Automate 24 Space Station Experiments

On August 5, 2026, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson swapped sample processors in the Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) aboard the International Space Station.

Developed by Redwire, the ADSEP automates research, running multiple experiments simultaneously inside cassettes — mini-laboratories that allow diverse studies at once. The latest model, ADSEP-4, holds four cassettes and features imaging. Since 2017, ADSEPs have supported two dozen investigations on the orbiting laboratory.

Current experiments focus on growing seed crystals in microgravity to reformulate drugs or develop new therapeutics. Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a cassette-based system within ADSEP, leverages the space environment to produce larger, higher-quality crystals.

Notable PIL-BOX investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory target cancer. ADSEP-PIL-10, conducted with Aspera Biomedicines, crystallizes cancer-blocking and cancer-promoting molecules for an oral medication. ADSEP-PIL-15 crystallized cancer-treating medicines to refine their production, quality, and stability. A technology demonstration, ADSEP-ICC, tested a larger cassette to scale crystallization for commercial use.

ADSEP also supports cell and tissue culturing, organism studies, and materials science. In 2021, the ADSEP-UMAMI investigation examined how bobtail squid interact with beneficial microbes in space, finding that symbiotic relationships can reduce stress responses and accelerate tissue development. These insights inform management of closed ecosystems and astronaut health.

The automated versatility of ADSEP yields findings that benefit future space missions and people on Earth.