Biofabrication beyond Earth: Intelligent bioprinting for space medicine

Abstract

As commercial spaceflight becomes increasingly accessible, the demand for deep-space exploration and space-based medical solutions is rapidly growing. Space-based three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting provides a transformative platform to fabricate biomimetic tissues in microgravity, enabling precise assessment of spaceflight-induced physiological changes and in situ regenerative interventions during extended missions. Despite progress in modalities such as magnetic levitation and extrusion-based and projection-based printing, space bioprinting remains in its infancy. This perspective examines the unique challenges of the space environment, highlights recent technological advances, and identifies emerging opportunities. We emphasize future directions, including next-generation smart bioinks, integration with microfluidics and macrofluidics, multimodal in situ monitoring, and convergence with artificial intelligence (AI). AI-driven automation, real-time sensing, and adaptive control can enable intelligent, self-sufficient biofabrication platforms for extraterrestrial deployment. Collectively, these efforts will accelerate the transition of space bioprinting from concept to practical application, advancing deep-space medicine, regenerative therapies, and space-based pharmaceutical innovation.