Two young Indian-American aerospace researchers are preparing to make history in 2027 by leading the first dedicated spaceflight to investigate menstruation in microgravity, filling a surprisingly persistent void in human spaceflight research.
Manju Bangalore, 28, and Priya Abiram, 22, will spearhead Operation Period-01 (OP-01), a suborbital research mission booked on a Virgin Galactic spacecraft. Upon launch, both researchers are expected to rank among the youngest South Asian women ever to journey into space.
Developed through the nonprofit organization Operation Period’s Redshift Lab, the mission will execute what coordinators characterize as the inaugural direct, quantitative analysis of menstrual fluid dynamics in a zero-gravity environment. A suborbital flight is defined as a brief space journey that breaches the boundary of space without entering an Earth orbit.
Breaking New Ground in Space:
Despite more than 100 women having flown into space over the decades, menstruation has never undergone direct, quantitative evaluation in microgravity, according to statements from Operation Period and Virgin Galactic. Current scientific understanding relies predominantly on subjective observations and post-flight reports provided by astronauts rather than controlled, empirical measurements.
“Right now, the data indicates that menstruating is generally safe in space, but it remains limited and entirely qualitative,” Bangalore shared with Fast Company. “Consequently, we are pursuing the first quantitative study of menstruation in space.”
To conduct the study, the investigators intend to deploy a specialized fluid engineered to replicate the physical properties of menstrual blood. This proxy will allow them to evaluate flow behavior in microgravity and assess how standard and experimental menstrual products absorb the fluid. The resulting data could eventually empower scientists to better comprehend reproductive health in extraterrestrial environments and aid mission architects planning prolonged deep-space voyages to destinations like the Moon and Mars. Furthermore, the findings may yield terrestrial applications, specifically by enhancing the evaluation of sanitary products and accelerating terrestrial reproductive health innovations.
Background of the Researchers:
Bangalore, founder and executive director of Operation Period, was raised in Oregon by immigrant parents from India. A trained physicist and astronautical engineer, she earned undergraduate degrees in physics and mathematics from the University of Oregon, followed by a graduate degree in astronautical engineering from the University of Southern California. Her professional background includes stints at NASA’s Marshall and Johnson Space Centers, where she worked on propulsion frameworks and spacecraft interfaces, alongside prior contributions to science policy during the Obama administration. She has also tested menstrual dynamics during parabolic flight campaigns that simulate brief windows of weightlessness. Bangalore established Operation Period in 2015 to combat period poverty and inequity, subsequently broadening the organization’s mandate to encompass rigorous scientific research.
Abiram functions as an aerospace engineer, commercial pilot, and astronaut-in-training, holding the role of director of research at Operation Period’s Redshift Lab. She secured her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and master’s degree in aerospace engineering from Cornell University. Her technical portfolio features hands-on engineering contributions regarding astronaut life-support mechanisms and spacecraft infrastructure across prominent aerospace entities, including NASA, Blue Origin, Vast, and Boeing.
Correcting a Design Gap:
This upcoming mission arrives more than forty years after Sally Ride shattered barriers in 1983 as the first American woman in space. A frequently recounted anecdote from preparations for Ride’s historic flight involved NASA engineers inquiring whether a supply of 100 tampons would suffice for a six-day mission an enduring symbol of how inadequately early space programs accounted for female physiological requirements.
While women have since become indispensable contributors to crewed space missions, female-specific physiological topics like menstrual health have remained under-researched. While astronauts frequently utilize hormonal contraception to suppress menstruation during spaceflight, the investigators behind OP-01 argue that gathering robust, quantitative datasets will grant future crews better-informed management options. It will also assist mission directors in calculating medical contingencies and supply allotments for long-duration space expeditions.
“This mission transcends a simple scientific milestone; it targets a fundamental structural design gap,” Bangalore remarked upon the project’s public rollout. “Human spaceflight has historically been engineered around an overly narrow template of the human body.”
Abiram echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the implications extend far beyond the aerospace sector. “By analyzing menstruation in microgravity, we unlock a unique window to generate insights for spacefarers while simultaneously informing future biomedical advancements back on Earth,” she stated.
The OP-01 mission is penciled in for late 2027, though a definitive launch window remains unconfirmed. Virgin Galactic and Operation Period representatives indicated that additional disclosures concerning the scientific payload, collaborative partners, and finalized timeline will be unveiled over the coming months.
