BUSINESS
Virgin Galactic mission to study menstruation in microgravity
The OP-01 mission will launch next year from Spaceport America, aiming to unlock new insights for astronauts
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Two researchers will head to space next year to study menstruation in microgravity.
Manju Bangalore and Priya Abiram of Operation Period will board a spaceflight with Virgin Galactic that will launch from Spaceport America in southern New Mexico in 2027. Bangalore and Abiram are engineers and astronauts in training.
While previous research explored the effects of space on the human body, 鈥渕enstruation has never been directly and quantitatively studied in space,鈥� Virgin Galactic said in a news release Thursday.
Bloomberg News reported that Operation Period, a reproductive health nonprofit, is seeking .
鈥淏y studying menstruation in microgravity, we have the opportunity to potentially unlock insights for astronauts, as well as help inform future biomedical research on Earth, from reproductive science to chronic conditions that remain underresearched and underfunded,鈥� Abiram said in a statement.
The OP-01 mission announcement comes just weeks after Virgin Galactic announced in an earnings call that it plans to resume commercial spaceflights in the fourth quarter of 2026. In 2024, the company paused its flights to build a new class of spaceships.
On Wednesday, Virgin Galactic with its VSS Unity spaceship 鈥� its first since June 2024 鈥� to provide proficiency training for its pilots as it prepares its newer spaceships for launch later this year, according to the outlet SpaceNews.
Spaceport America Executive Director Scott McLaughlin called the OP-01 mission important to understanding 鈥渢he physiology of the people who will be eventually working in space as opposed to just visiting temporarily.鈥�
Virgin Galactic said further details on the mission will be announced in the coming months.
鈥淭his mission with Operation Period is a powerful example of how Virgin Galactic can continue to support real-time, in-flight scientific investigation into long-overlooked areas of human health, helping advance more inclusive and innovative exploration that delivers insight for both space and life on Earth,鈥� said Amber Favaregh, Virgin Galactic鈥檚 director for system analysis and research.
Gregory R.C. Hasman covers the economy and healthcare. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
