What Rhodium Scientific does

Rhodium Scientific is a Houston-based space biotechnology company founded in 2014, positioned as America's first commercial space biotechnology firm. The company designs and operates NASA-certified spaceflight hardware — including Rhodium Science Chambers, the Plant LIFE system, high-throughput centrifuges for simulating lunar and Martian gravity, and large-batch culture chambers — and translates terrestrial laboratory protocols into flight-ready experiments for execution aboard the International Space Station and emerging commercial space platforms. Its quality framework, the proprietary QuIC Space Process (Quality, Industry Compatible Space), is FDA-aligned and was formalized as a government-vetted product in 2021, providing standardized documentation and reproducibility for biomanufacturing, pharmaceutical development, biomedical research, and agricultural science customers.

The company operates as both an Implementation Partner and Commercial Service Provider for the ISS U.S. National Laboratory (designation since 2019) and is a channel partner within the Starlab Space ecosystem for next-generation commercial space stations. Its revenue model is professional services delivered through contract-based engagements — including a $10M NASA IDIQ contract and project-specific awards — targeting three vertical segments: federal government agencies (NASA, DARPA via the B-SURE Program, DTRA), academic institutions (University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Florida, Clemson, University of Texas, UPR Mayagüez), and commercial enterprises (notably Bristol-Myers Squibb for pharmaceutical space-based R&D). Operations are anchored in Houston, Texas, co-located with NASA Johnson Space Center, and the team is small (1-10 employees), indicating a specialized services firm rather than a scaled platform.

Recent strategic activity reflects platform expansion rather than core service scaling: a June 2025 $10M Texas Space Commission grant (with Intuitive Machines) for Zephyr reentry vehicle development, an August 2025 NASA/NIST/Office of Space Commerce partnership for space-flown reference materials, and the launch of the Rhodium Space Biobank — described as the nation's first regulatory-aligned repository for space-exposed biological and material samples. Leadership consists of Founder & CEO Olivia G. Holzhaus (M.S.) and Chief Scientific Officer Heath J. Mills (Ph.D.), supported by a small scientific and operations staff.

Name

Rhodium Scientific

Legal name

Rhodium Scientific

Website

https://rhodiumscientific.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rhodium Scientific is America's first commercial space biotechnology company, providing NASA-certified spaceflight hardware, science translation services, and the Space Biobank for microgravity research aboard the ISS and emerging commercial space platforms. It serves government agencies, academic institutions, and pharmaceutical companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Biotechnology Research Services

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Analytical Development & QC Testing (Release/Stability/Potency) (HLAGAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) for Space Systems (IMABACAG)

Keywords

• Space biotechnology services
• Spaceflight research services
• Microgravity experiment hardware
• Space biobanking services
• ISS commercial services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Spaceflight Research Services: Contract-based professional services providing spaceflight research capabilities to government agencies, academic institutions, and commercial enterprises. Revenue is generated through service contracts, including IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity) contracts with government customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rhodium Scientific is a space biotechnology agency that provides mission-specific scientific consulting, NASA-certified spaceflight hardware, and space-exposed biological sample biobanking services. As both an Implementation Partner and Commercial Services Provider for the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, the company translates terrestrial laboratory protocols into flight-ready experiments for pharmaceutical, biomedical, biomanufacturing, and agricultural research in low Earth orbit. Its primary deliverables are contract-based spaceflight research missions, proprietary hardware (Rhodium Science Chambers, centrifuges, plant growth systems), the QuIC Space Process quality framework, and the Rhodium Space Biobank repository.

Product overview

Rhodium Scientific offers a comprehensive space biotechnology platform consisting of specialized hardware products and mission services. The core offerings include the Rhodium Space Biobank™ (a regulatory-aligned repository for space-exposed biological samples), NASA-certified Rhodium Science Chambers™ for spaceflight experiments, and the QuIC Space Process™ quality assurance methodology. Their Hardware Portfolio includes centrifuges for lunar/Martian gravity simulation and large-batch culture chambers. These products are supported by Science Translation services that convert terrestrial laboratory protocols into flight-ready operations. The company serves as both Implementation Partner and Commercial Services Provider for the ISS National Laboratory and emerging commercial space platforms like Starlab.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rhodium Space Biobank™: The nation's first secure, regulatory-aligned repository dedicated to preserving, cataloging, and characterizing biological and material samples exposed to spaceflight.
• Rhodium QuIC Space Process™
• Rhodium Science Chamber™

Products and services

• Rhodium Space Biobank™

Quantifiable outcome

• NASA IDIQ contract awarded for spaceflight services

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ISS U.S. National LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignated Commercial Service Provider and Implementation Partner for the ISS U.S. National Laboratory, enabling Rhodium Scientific to conduct commercial research missions aboard the International Space Station.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$10M IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity) contract holder providing spaceflight research services. NASA certification enables the company to provide NASA-grade spaceflight hardware and operations.
• DARPAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipant in the DARPA B-SURE Program for space-based research and development initiatives.
• DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDefense-related space research partnerships supporting national security research objectives.
• NISTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with National Institute of Standards and Technology for standardization and measurement capabilities in space research.
• U.S. Office of Space CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with federal office supporting commercial space commerce and industry development.
• Starlab SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership for future commercial space station capabilities and next-generation orbital research platforms.
• Sierra SpacemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for space transportation and orbital infrastructure supporting research missions.
• Northrop GrummanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for space logistics and cargo delivery capabilities supporting ISS research operations.
• Texas Space CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level partnership with Intuitive Machines supporting Texas space industry development.
• University of Wisconsin-MadisonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership for conducting microgravity experiments and scientific studies.
• University of FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partnership for space-based scientific experimentation.
• Clemson UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research collaboration in space science.
• University of TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity system partnership for research and development activities.
• Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional research partnership supporting scientific collaboration.
• UPR MayagüezminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for academic research in space sciences.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial pharmaceutical partnership for space-based drug development and biological research.
• Intuitive MachinesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with lunar and space infrastructure company for future mission capabilities.
• Involve SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpace services partnership for mission support and operations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Space Tango: Space Tango is a Kentucky-based space biotech services company offering CubeLab hardware and mission services on the ISS National Lab for biological and physical science research, directly competing with Rhodium for government, academic and commercial payloads.

Broad incumbents

• Redwire Corporation: Redwire is a publicly traded space infrastructure company that acquired Techshot and other biotech hardware providers, offering spaceflight bioreactors and research platforms on the ISS with a broader portfolio and deeper capital base than Rhodium.
• Voyager Space (Nanoracks): Voyager Space's Nanoracks division operates commercial space services including Bishop Airlock and ISS research platforms, and is developing Starlab, where Rhodium is a partner — overlapping heavily with Rhodium's CSP/IP service model.
• BioServe Space Technologies: BioServe is a University of Colorado research center that designs, builds and operates life-science payloads on the ISS, with a similar flight-heritage hardware and services model to Rhodium but operating as an academic center with different customer access.
• Sierra Space: Sierra Space is a major commercial space company building Dream Chaser and Orbital Reef, and is a strategic partner of Rhodium for research missions and orbital infrastructure, with overlapping customer relationships in space-based biotech.

Regional players

• Kayser Space: Kayser Space is a UK-based space biotech services company providing payload integration, hardware and mission services for microgravity research, operating in the same niche as Rhodium but primarily serving European customers.
• SpacePharma: SpacePharma is an Israeli/Swiss space biotech company offering microgravity lab services and hardware including mDx, SP-series platforms and ISS missions, comparable to Rhodium in service offering but primarily serving European and Israeli pharma accounts.
• Yuri GmbH: Yuri is a German space biotech company operating ScienceTaxi and other ISS hardware for microgravity biological research, targeting the same pharma and academic customers as Rhodium but based in Europe.

Emerging players

• Axiom Space: Axiom Space is developing commercial space station modules and operates private astronaut missions to the ISS, with adjacent research-services capability and ambitions to host biotech customers that overlap with Rhodium's commercial pharma pipeline.
• Varda Space Industries: Varda is building in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing and Earth-return reentry capsules, focused on microgravity-enabled drug crystallization with deep venture funding; it competes with Rhodium for commercial pharma space-manufacturing accounts but at significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RHScientific

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhodium Scientific