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LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 1, 2026) – Space Tango today announced the successful launch of its flight hardware supporting the AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission, marking a historic milestone for biological research beyond low-Earth orbit.
As part of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences (BPS) Division, the AVATAR investigation is now on its journey around the Moon, enabling the collection of critical data to advance understanding of human health in deep space.
Space Tango designed and developed the autonomous science bay and supporting payload structures that enable the AVATAR investigation to operate safely and reliably in deep space. Throughout the approximately 10-day lunar fly-by mission, the compact science bay houses four organ chips containing live biological samples from crew members, maintaining precise environmental and fluidic conditions throughout the mission. The science bay is secured within the dedicated payload structure, which provides power, safety systems, and a crew interface for real-time status checks, ensuring continuous operation in the Orion capsule.
“The successful launch of Artemis II represents a major step forward for Space Tango,” said Twyman Clements, President and Co-Founder of Space Tango. “Our role is to deliver automated systems that make complex science possible in space. This mission marks our expansion beyond low-Earth orbit and demonstrates how our technology can support research wherever exploration goes next.”
NASA AVATAR project team members with the flight payload at NASA KSC Space Systems Processing Facility.
AVATAR is led by NASA’s BPS Division in collaboration with NASA’s Human Research Program and U.S. government partners, including the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), part of the National Institutes of Health. The investigation utilizes Emulate organ chips, with scientific leadership provided by Emulate and the Wyss Institute. To learn more about AVATAR visit https://science.nasa.gov/biological-physical/investigations/avatar/.
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About Space Tango
Space Tango designs and operates automated systems for research and manufacturing in microgravity. With a proven flight heritage of more than 300 payloads delivered to the International Space Station and other platforms, Space Tango enables scalable science and commercial production in orbit. The company’s hardware and software solutions are built to simplify operations, reduce crew time, and accelerate discovery in space. Headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, Space Tango partners with government agencies, research institutions, and commercial organizations worldwide to harness the unique environment of low-Earth orbit for advancements in biotechnology, materials science, and manufacturing that improve life on Earth.
Press and Media Inquiries
Danielle Rosales drosales@spacetango.com