Timeshifter and Axiom Space partner to enhance safety and performance on space missions

BOSTON, USA (December 2, 2021) — Timeshifter Inc. – the circadian technology pioneer – today announced at the Global Wellness Summit a partnership with Axiom Space, a leader in human spaceflight and human-rated space infrastructure, to help Axiom optimize the safety and performance of its astronauts and mission controllers as they build the world’s first commercial space station.

Timeshifter will provide astronauts and mission controllers with sleep and circadian plans to reduce jet lag when traveling on Earth, optimize shift work performance in mission control, and prepare for rocket launches. Through this partnership, Timeshifter will also advise Axiom on the lighting environment and sleep cabin design for the new space station.

Most people are aware of the importance of sleep (the sleep economy has reached nearly $500 billion per year). However, our circadian system is less understood, even though it controls sleep and almost every biological system in our bodies – including the heart, metabolism, and reproductive and immune functions – with significant implications for our performance and our health. This partnership will put an important spotlight on the entire circadian field, and help Timeshifter develop new features and products to help people back on Earth live their best and most productive lives.

Axiom Space exists to create a thriving home in space that benefits every human, everywhere. When the International Space Station is decommissioned, its partner nations plan to rely on private companies to advance the frontiers of human habitation and discovery in low-Earth orbit. Axiom, whose leadership played key roles in the ISS’ design, development, assembly, and operation, is taking on this challenge by driving expanded commercial utilization of the ISS today while currently constructing a privately owned and operated successor that will host astronauts, private organizations, and space agencies. The first step on this roadmap is Axiom's Ax-1, the first-ever private mission to the International Space Station scheduled for launch on February 21, 2022, which will bring a crew of four Axiom private astronauts to conduct 100 hours of research experiments in partnership with a host of organizations on the ground.

Timeshifter has built the world’s first technology platform for optimizing performance, safety, and health using circadian science. This gives Timeshifter the unique ability to solve several universal and impactful problems. Timeshifter has already developed a solution for jet lag with its app launched in 2018 – now the most-downloaded and highest-rated jet lag app in the world. It has also just released a new app to help shift workers manage their sleep, alertness, health, and quality of life. Globally, around 700 million people are shift workers, often changing schedules so frequently that most never adapt, living in a circadian no-man’s land, stuck between home and work lives.

Timeshifter has also begun strategic work in the field of chronotherapeutics, and aims to use circadian time to help patients time their medication better, based on their internal circadian time, or reset their clocks to prepare for medical treatments to improve clinical outcomes and reduce side-effects.

“Our team has designed sleep and circadian plans for space agencies, Formula 1 teams, and Olympic athletes for more than a decade. We are thrilled to now bring this expertise to human spaceflight leader Axiom Space to help optimize the safety and performance of their astronauts and mission controllers. This partnership continues Timeshifter’s momentum as the leader in circadian technology, and further raises awareness of the entire circadian field.

— Mickey Beyer-Clausen, Co-founder & CEO of Timeshifter.

“We have convened an elite collection of expertise at Axiom to build and operate the world’s first commercial space station, and Timeshifter fits right into that mold as a partner. Circadian science has been a critical part of enhancing safety and performance for both astronauts and mission controllers on past space missions. The partnership with Timeshifter will bring those capabilities to Axiom’s operations, but will also include research to help people back on Earth live so they can perform at their best, and live longer and healthier lives.

— Axiom Chief Medical Officer Dr. Smith Johnston, who previously served as NASA's lead of Fatigue Management and Human Health, Performance, and Longevity programs.

“As we learn more about circadian rhythms, their importance in maintaining our performance, health, and well-being is becoming increasingly clear. Not long into the future, measuring and accounting for the differences in our individual circadian rhythms will become commonplace in all aspects of our lives, from when to sleep and exercise, and what and when to eat, to the interpretation of blood tests or when to take medications.

— Dr. Steven Lockley, Chief Scientist at Timeshifter and an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.