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LEXINGTON, Ky. (October 4, 2018) – Space Tango, a leader in the commercialization of space through R&D, bioengineering and manufacturing in microgravity, today announced the creation of a new subsidiary enterprise focused on research and development surrounding the plant biology and properties of hemp. The primary objective of the separate enterprise is the potential enhancement and bioengineering of this novel and versatile plant for Earth-based biomedical applications. Inaugural companies joining Space Tango as partners include Atalo Holdings, providing certified hemp genetics, and Anavii Market, a trusted online retailer of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) therapeutics.
Hemp has a long and storied history as the non-psychoactive variety of Cannabis sativa L. Its cultivation extends back thousands of years for a variety of purposes ranging from textiles and industrial fiber to food and medicines. This new enterprise will explore the various aspects of hemp, but particularly those associated with biomedical and health uses with a focus on enhancing its applications, efficacy and value.
“Each time a new type of physics platform has been successfully harnessed such as electromagnetism, it has led to the exponential growth of new knowledge, benefits to humankind and capital formation,” said co-founder and chairman Kris Kimel of Space Tango. “Using microgravity, we envision a future where many of the next breakthroughs in healthcare, plant biology and technology may well occur off the planet Earth.”
This project is particularly appealing because hemp is a rapidly emerging industry, which by many indications, may have considerable, and as of yet, unrealized uses and potential. Work todate has been very intriguing and led to this move.
The 2014 U.S. Farm Bill enabled expanded research and development and planting of industrial hemp for the first time in 70 years. Since the passage of this Farm Bill, research has rapidly accelerated into all areas of fiber, food and medicine.
“When we send plants to the International Space Station, we eliminate one core, constant force, to which plants are well-adapted – gravity,” explained Dr. Joe Chappell, a member of the Space Tango Science Advisory Team who specializes in drug development and design and has personally conducted microgravity research on the ISS. “When plants are ‘stressed,’ they pull from a genetic reservoir to produce compounds that allow them to adapt and survive. Understanding how plants react in an environment where the traditional stress of gravity is removed can provide new insights into how adaptations come about and how researchers might take advantage of such changes for the discovery of new characteristics, traits, biomedical applications and efficacy.”
“We’re proud to join Space Tango in this enterprise and look forward to the breakthroughs we believe will come from the confluence of plant biology and microgravity,” commented William Hilliard, Atalo CEO. Atalo Holdings is a vertically integrated ag-tech company that will be providing certified hemp seed and expertise to the venture.
Space Tango develops products and processes that create new industries to improve life on Earth by streamlining research, operation of experiments and manufacturing in microgravity on the International Space Station (ISS).
About Space Tango Space Tango provides improved access to microgravity through their Open Orbit platform for research and commercial manufacturing applications that benefit life on Earth. Space Tango is focused on creating a new global market 250 miles up in low Earth orbit and envisions a future where the next important breakthroughs in both healthcare and technology may occur off the planet. Recognized for their expertise in microgravity design and operations, Space Tango believes that by exploring with industry and educational partners of all kinds, we can improve life on Earth and inspire the next generation to continue to expand the horizon of this new frontier. Space Tango, headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, with operations in San Diego, Houston and Kennedy Space Center in Florida, believes the microgravity environment is a new frontier for discovery and innovation. For more information, visit www.spacetango.com.
Contact:
Danielle Rosales
press@spacetango.com
650.837.0332