Officials hope it will help with the commercial return of pharmaceuticals from space, according to a July 17 news release.
What you need to know
The program will train technicians to handle, inspect and transfer pharmaceutical payloads delivered by Intuitive Machines’ reentry vehicles as part of its Earth Reentry Program, which is backed by a Texas Space Commission grant, according to the release.
San Jacinto College will build the program using its existing curriculum from the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training, according to the release. The college has supplied around 20 trained composite material handling technicians for Intuitive Machines since 2019.
“San Jacinto College has the credibility and technical depth to make this vision a reality,” Intuitive Machines Chief Technology Officer Tim Crain said in the release.
Intuitive Machines’ biotech partner, Rhodium Scientific, will also collaborate on the program, developing biomanufacturing payloads and a turkey science platform for the college, according to the release.
Quote of note
“Delivering life-improving pharmaceuticals from orbit is only valuable with reliable recovery and processes on Earth,” Crain said. “That requires more than a spacecraft; it demands the workforce, facilities and regulatory alignment to support safe, repeatable operations.
What's next
The first phase of the Earth Reentry Program is expected to finish in early 2026 with a full-scale mockup that simulates how real pharmaceutical payloads will be handled after landing, according to the release.
In case you missed it
Intuitive Machines is getting an additional three acres of land at Houston Spaceport, along with a lease extension, that officials said will help the aerospace business implement a $12 million expansion, Community Impact previously reported.
The new land will allow for Intuitive Machines' expansion, which will include new production, testing and various support facilities. In addition to the land, the amendment also extended Intuitive Machines’ lease agreement from 20 years to 25 years, Community Impact previously reported.
