In March 2025, four non-medical astronauts aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully took the first diagnostic X-rays in orbit. 🚀
The crew used a portable X-ray unit, about the size of a beach cooler, to image their hands, forearms, chests, and abdomens. They only needed four hours of training to get it right.
Independent radiologists compared the space-captured images with pre-flight scans and confirmed they were accurate enough to detect fractures.
For over sixty years, space crews relied solely on ultrasounds to check for injuries. Unlike X-rays, ultrasounds require significant technical skill and constant physical contact to transmit sound waves, making them difficult to use for quick, remote diagnostics.
A simple portable device has effectively cleared the medical barrier for long-duration deep-space travel.
#SpaceX #Fram2 #SpaceMedicine
Xataka
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