The emergence of new Commercial Space Stations (CSS) marks a pivotal shift in the space industry, as private entities aim to replace the International Space Station and establish a sustainable low Earth orbit (LEO) economy. While much attention has been given to the role of institutional and space-sector actors, a significant but underexplored frontier lies in engaging non-space end-users, particularly pharma companies. Commercial Space Stations (CSS) offer unprecedented opportunities for pharmaceutical and biomedical innovation by providing sustained, reliable access to microgravity. This unique environment enables processes that are difficult or impossible on Earth, such as the growth of purer protein crystals and the formation of 3D cellular structures without the need for scaffolds. A notable example is the research conducted on the International Space Station (ISS) by pharmaceutical companies like Merck, which used microgravity to grow more uniform crystals of the cancer immunotherapy drug Keytruda, potentially enhancing its effectiveness.

However, CSS are capital-intensive ventures and must generate revenue to remain viable, making it essential to understand whether and how they can deliver value to these end-users. This dissertation aims to investigate how CSS create value for pharma companies.

The empirical context focuses on the CSS project ecology and the Starlab project ecosystem, a flagship CSS project where Ohio State University (OSU) is a key stakeholder. OSU’s involvement in the development of the George Washington Carver Science Park, a hub of interdisciplinary research, makes it an ideal environment for this study. Furthermore, OSU’s strong ties with industry and its alignment with Politecnico di Milano’s collaborative and cross-sectoral approach foster a uniquely fertile ground for research.

The methodology combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, grounded in systems architecting principles and project ecologies literature, to map the CSS project ecosystem and assess potential value streams. Students will analyse publicly available documents and interview managers.

Expected research design

1. CSS project ecology analysis (Literature review)
2. Starlab project ecosystem analysis (Literature review)
3. Manufacturing business cases in space (Literature review + interviews)
4. Manufacturing end-users analysis (Literature review + interviews)
5. CSS value streams assessment for manufacturing companies (systems architecting methodology)

Expected outcomes include the identification of the key pharma end-users, pharma business cases, assessment of the pharma CSS value streams.

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