Skyroot Aerospace and Redcliffe Labs Partner to Test Diagnostics in Space

Hyderabad-based space launch startup Skyroot Aerospace has partnered with diagnostic services provider Redcliffe Labs to explore the future of medical diagnostics in space, the companies announced on Friday.

The collaboration marks what both firms describe as India's first partnership between the diagnostics sector and private space science. The initiative aims to study how diagnostic materials perform when exposed to space environments, combining Noida-headquartered Redcliffe's diagnostic research capabilities with Skyroot's orbital launch expertise.

Under the partnership, the first mission, designated DRIFT-1, will send Redcliffe Labs' dry diagnostic reagents into low Earth orbit for 90 days. An identical control sample will remain on Earth for the duration of the mission. Researchers will subsequently compare the space-flown reagents with the ground control samples to evaluate changes in stability, performance, and reliability under orbital conditions.

The study aims to generate a flight-heritage dataset intended to guide the development of future diagnostic technologies for space missions as well as complex healthcare environments on Earth. Potential applications include astronaut health monitoring, space-enabled diagnostics, microgravity life sciences research, and point-of-care testing for upcoming human spaceflight programmes such as Gaganyaan and the Bharatiya Antariksh Station.

Beyond space exploration, Redcliffe noted that the research could aid in designing resilient diagnostic tools for remote areas on Earth with limited laboratory infrastructure or lack of reliable cold-chain access.

Skyroot co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Pawan Kumar Chandana said the project advances the company's goal of expanding space applications while supporting astronaut health.

"A diagnostics leader taking its expertise to orbit is exactly the kind of use case we want to open up by opening space for all. Skyroot’s partnership with Redcliffe Labs is a first step towards keeping astronauts healthier in orbit," Chandana said.

Dheeraj Jain, chairman and co-founder of Redcliffe Labs, stated that the partnership reflects the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle global challenges.

Aditya Kandoi, founder and CEO of Redcliffe Labs, added that orbital conditions provide an extreme testing ground for medical innovation. "If we can build diagnostics that withstand the rigours of space, we can create more resilient technologies that improve access to reliable healthcare in some of the most challenging environments on Earth," Kandoi said.