Auxilium Bioprints Kidney and Liver Tissue in Space for the First Time

What Happened

Auxilium Biotechnologies has achieved a first in space bioprinting. During Mission AXLM-3, the company's AMP-1 orbital bioprinter manufactured kidney tissue, liver tissue, and cartilage aboard the International Space Station. The mission launched on SpaceX-34 and the samples returned to Earth on June 17, 2026.

Why It Matters

Printing soft tissue in microgravity solves a fundamental problem on Earth: organs and tissue samples often collapse under their own weight before they can set. The absence of gravity lets the bioprinter lay down cells without support structures. Auxilium also produced 28 nerve repair implants during the same mission.

What's Next

The company has not announced clinical trials, but the milestone moves bioprinting closer to producing transplantable tissue. NASA and private space stations are likely customers for on-demand medical manufacturing in orbit.