Zurich hub links parabolic flights, ISS research and future commercial stations

The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein has launched a Dübendorf-based pathway that connects lab work, parabolic flight testing and orbital research, with direct access to the International Space Station and a future route to Starlab. The move is meant to make Zurich a European gateway for commercial space activity and transatlantic space partnerships.

Why it matters: - Dübendorf now sits inside a full research pipeline that can move projects from ground testing to microgravity and then to orbit. - The setup gives researchers, start-ups and companies a practical route into space-based R&D without having to build every step separately. - Zurich’s role in commercial space could expand as the hub connects European users to U.S. launch and orbital infrastructure. - The pathway also positions the region for the shift from the International Space Station era to commercial stations such as Starlab.

What happened: - The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein established a Dübendorf-based gateway to commercial space at the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich. - The launch began on Sept. 7 with the 8th Swiss Parabolic Flight Campaign and a new CSA-Starlab orbital pathway. - The hub now combines parabolic flight access and orbital research aboard the International Space Station in one operational framework. - CSA and Starlab are offering the first three selected competitive experiment opportunities with free access to the ISS. - The program is built with international partners in Europe and the United States.

The details: - The system is designed to support work from laboratory preparation through parabolic flight testing and qualification to low Earth orbit. - CSA is developing the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich as the ground-based hub, together with the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich Foundation. - Researchers, start-ups and companies will be able to develop, test and qualify technologies from a single location before moving to orbital applications. - Royal Netherlands Aerospace Center and Novespace support the parabolic flight side of the pathway. - Starlab supports orbital research and future commercial activity in low Earth orbit. - Space Florida provides access to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral launch ecosystem. - The gateway is available to national and international partners. - CSA and the University of Zurich in Florida form an operational bridge to the U.S. launch ecosystem. - Starlab is a U.S.-led global joint venture among Voyager Technologies, Airbus, Mitsubishi Corporation, MDA Space, Palantir Technologies and Space Applications Services. - Starlab is building a next-generation space station and ecosystem intended to support a new industrial park in low Earth orbit after the ISS retires. - Through the Starlab joint venture ecosystem, customers can already conduct research aboard the ISS and set up a path to Starlab once the station becomes operational.

Between the lines: - The launch is about more than access to one mission or one station. - CSA is trying to create an end-to-end space services stack in Europe, with Dübendorf as the entry point. - The transatlantic structure gives the hub a broader commercial angle by tying European mission prep to U.S. launch infrastructure. - The free ISS experiment slots are likely meant to lower the barrier for early users and build momentum for the new pathway. - The long-term goal is to make the Zurich area a standing node in the commercial low-Earth-orbit economy.

What's next: - CSA and the Zurich Innovation Park Foundation plan to develop the gateway into an established European end-to-end system by the end of 2030. - The system is expected to stay open to companies, start-ups and research institutions. - Future stages will integrate ground-based development, flight and microgravity qualification, direct access to orbital missions and a transatlantic bridge for business and investment. - The pathway is also expected to support the transition from the ISS to commercial space stations.

The bottom line: - Zurich is building a practical commercial-space corridor from lab bench to orbit, with the ISS today and Starlab tomorrow.