ZURICH — The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA) is building a pathway for researchers and companies to move experiments from ground development and parabolic flights in Switzerland to research aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
The effort centers on the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich and Dübendorf airfield, where CSA is combining ground-based development with access to microgravity testing and orbital research.
CSA and Starlab Space are also offering three competitively selected experiment opportunities with free access to the ISS as part of the effort.
The organizations plan to extend the pathway to Starlab's planned commercial space station as the industry prepares for the eventual retirement of the ISS.
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Dübendorf connects ground testing with microgravity research
The program brings together two stages of microgravity research. Researchers can use parabolic flights to test experiments for short periods in reduced gravity before moving qualified work to longer-duration orbital research.
CSA launched its eighth Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign on Sept. 7 alongside the new orbital research effort with Starlab.
CSA is developing the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich as the ground-based portion of the system with the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich Foundation. Researchers, startups and companies will be able to develop and test technologies there before moving experiments into parabolic flight and, eventually, orbit.
International partners provide flight and orbital access
CSA is working with several organizations to connect Dübendorf with flight, orbital and launch infrastructure outside Switzerland.
Royal Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR) and Novespace support parabolic-flight access, while Starlab provides a route to research aboard the ISS and future commercial activities in low Earth orbit.
CSA is also working with Space Florida to connect users with the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral launch ecosystem.
The partnerships give researchers a route from development in Switzerland to microgravity testing and orbital operations.
“Thanks to strong global partnerships of the CSA, the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich and Dübendorf airfield are developing into a European hub for commercial space activities,” said Carmen Walker Späh, president of the Government Council of the Canton of Zurich.
Program looks beyond the ISS
The pathway is also designed to continue after the ISS retires. Starlab is a joint venture involving Voyager Technologies, Airbus, Mitsubishi Corp., MDA Space, Palantir Technologies and Space Applications Services. The venture is developing a commercial space station to support research and other activities in low Earth orbit.
Under the new pathway, customers can conduct research aboard the ISS before moving future work to Starlab once the commercial station becomes operational.
CSA and the Zurich Innovation Park Foundation plan to continue developing the Dübendorf system through 2030. Their plans call for connecting ground development, microgravity qualification and orbital missions for companies, startups and research institutions.
