GreenBone Ortho, a company specialising in bone regeneration, has announced the launch of an innovative scientific experiment bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The aim is to validate, in microgravity, the clinical application of b.Bone, a cutting-edge regenerative biomimetic bone substitute developed by the company for the treatment of bone defects.

The mission was launched during the night of 15–16 May 2026 (at 00:50 Italian time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard the SpaceX CRS-34 flight, bound for the International Space Station. This experiment represents a key milestone in GreenBone Ortho’s research to improve bone therapies, both on Earth and for astronauts in space.

“We are extremely excited about this unique opportunity to test b.Bone in an environment as challenging as microgravity,” says Saverio Gellini, CEO of GreenBone Ortho (pictured with the team). “The results of this experiment could revolutionise the treatment of osteoporosis and offer practical solutions for bone loss, which affects so many older people, particularly women. It is a significant step forward in our mission to innovate the field of bone regeneration.”

As part of the experiment, b.Bone will be tested to assess the ability of human bone cells to adhere to, proliferate on, and differentiate on the scaffold in microgravity conditions. The initial scientific results are expected later this year and will be analysed by a joint team from San Martino Hospital and the University of Genoa once the samples have returned to Earth.

The experiment was made possible thanks to collaboration with leading technology partners. Kayser Space, a subsidiary of FAE Technology, designed and built the sixteen experiment units that will house the b.Bone scaffold, providing the essential infrastructure for the survival, growth and monitoring of mesenchymal stem cells in the space environment. These units will be installed inside Kubik, an incubator developed by Comat with the contribution of Kayser Space, and operated in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Columbus module on the ISS.

B.Bone, developed by GreenBone Ortho (which we wrote about back in 2021 when they secured a €10 million funding round), is an innovative resorbable bone substitute derived from rattan, a plant native to South-East Asia. Through a patented biomorphic process, the plant material is transformed into a biomimetic calcium phosphate, retaining a porous structure naturally similar to human bone. This bioactive matrix is designed to support bone regeneration processes, and its mechanisms of cell infiltration, proliferation and differentiation are now the subject of advanced research in the field.