For the first time in university history, researchers from the Boise State College of Engineering are sending an experiment to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX mission.

The project, titled “Vibration-Induced Bone Enhancement in Space,” received funding from the National Science Foundation and NASA. As part of the experiment, tiny cubes of simulated bone marrow, no larger than a pencil eraser, will remain in space for 21 days.

The university says when the samples return to earth, researchers will analyze their genetic activity and their ability to form mineralized bone tissue. Researchers say insights from the work could improve treatments for osteoporosis and age-related bone loss, enhance recovery from injury, and help protect astronauts during long-duration space missions.

The mission is described as a significant step forward for Boise State’s research enterprise, expanding its reach into space-based science and engineering while strengthening its role in tackling complex, real-world problems.