SpaceX is launching human muscle cells into space as part of a study that hopes to uncover the secrets of ageing

• SpaceX is sending muscle cells to the International Space Station on Tuesday via a Falcon 9.
• It's part of a study by UK researchers who want to understand why muscles get weaker as people age.

SpaceX is set to launch human muscle cells into space on Tuesday as part of a study that aims to further the understanding of the effects of ageing, according to scientists.

The MicroAge study, led by researchers from the University of Liverpool in the UK, will be launched on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida to the International Space Station (ISS), according to the university.

Astronauts' muscles get weaker in space because there's no gravity, and therefore no need to use the extra tissue. The researchers want to compare what happens to muscle tissue in space versus on Earth to help determine why human muscles become weaker as they get older and to help combat the effects of ageing.

The laboratory-grown muscle cells will go through various experiments in microgravity on the ISS, the university said.

The cells, which are the size of a grain of rice, will be put into small 3D-printed holders, the UK space agency said in a report on the UK government's website. When the cells reach the ISS, they will be electrically stimulated to produce contractions in the muscle tissue.

The scientists at the University have travelled to the Kennedy Space Center to grow the muscle cells before launch, per the researchers' report. The cell samples are set to return to Earth in January for further research.

The agency said in its report that it has provided £1.2 million ($1.5 million) in funding to the University of Liverpool for the study.