The European Union’s Chemicals Regulation, REACH, is one of the most comprehensive legislative frameworks for chemical safety worldwide. Designed to protect human health and the environment from hazardous substances, REACH also poses unique challenges for the space sector where exemptions are rare and obsolescence risks are high.

As we prepare for missions beyond Earth orbit, one crucial challenge remains: keeping astronauts healthy in microgravity. Without daily exercise, their muscles, bones and cardiovascular systems weaken, which could impact mission success and astronaut safety, especially in destinations such as the Moon or Mars, where crew will have to operate autonomously immediately after landing.