5 Minute Healthtech Jargon Buster: Space Medicine

As space exploration advances, maintaining astronaut health in the harsh environment of space has become a top priority. Various key space medicine technologies have been developed to address challenges such as microgravity, radiation exposure, and limited medical resources. These innovations range from telemedicine and wearable health monitors to artificial gravity solutions and advanced medical diagnostics, each playing a crucial role in sustaining human life beyond Earth. Below are examples of key space technologies that have been produced to manage and optimise healthcare in space:

The Cytotracker

An electronic white blood cell count analyser used to quantify white blood cell count. It requires only 50µl of blood (a single drop) and is useful due to the microgravity of space reducing immune response [2].

Tempus Pro

A telemedicine device produced by the European Space Agency (ESA) to survive harsh conditions. It allows geolocation and communication between medical teams and receivers, allowing for the communication of a patient’s vital signs. This allows for a remote patient consultation by utilising satellite communication to transmit the vital signs from space to Earth [3].

Space Labs Healthcare Resting ECG

The CardioExpress SL12A is used to record the electrical activity of the heart in space and could be used to diagnose potential cases of heart attack, arrhythmia or other cardiac events.[4] 

VisualDx Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) for Ultrasound

An ultrasound system with clinical decision support software integrated to enable point-of-care ultrasounds that can be conducted by non-specialists with limited ultrasound training.  The CDSS analyses the ultrasound images, comparing them to the library of diagnostic images using AI, to provide feedback on patient diagnoses and treatment [5,6].

Space medicine is at the forefront of improving our understanding of human health in extreme environments, ensuring astronauts can thrive beyond Earth’s atmosphere. From radiation to microgravity, the human body undergoes profound changes in space, both psychological and physical, making the maintenance and treatment of human health essential. As we push forward toward the Moon and the greater galaxy, the need for innovative healthcare solutions grows. However, space medicine comes with its unique challenges that require further exploration to tackle.

Space medicine research requires both terrestrial and in-space testing to take place. For example, it is necessary to overcome the negative effects of microgravity which arise from long-term space flight [9]. Below are the main challenges posed by space medicine research:

Overcoming Microgravity 

• Microgravity can create issues with blood analysis in space by causing ‘fluid shifts’ that concentrate blood in the upper body which can decrease the amount of blood in the heart and blood vessels. This negatively impacts cardiovascular (heart) function.

• Microgravity increases red blood cell destruction (space anaemia) and decreases red blood cell production.

• Microgravity causes bone demineralisation and muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass).

• Microgravity causes increased susceptibility to infection due to dysregulating (making it harder for the body to control) the immune system.

Cosmic Radiation

• Exposure increases the risk of developing cancer.

• Can damage tissues leading to premature aging and cataracts (clouding of the eye lens that can impair vision).

• Can lead to changes in gene expression.

Medications

• Medications used on Earth may have differential effectiveness and shelf life in space due to different storage conditions.

• Medicines can degrade faster in space due to radiation exposure, potentially inducing toxicity [8].

Confinement

• Long term spaceflight can cause psychological stress and depression due to confinement & isolation.

Fatigue

• This typically results from the heavy workloads and shifting schedules associated with astronauts.

Space Medicine is a field dedicated to understanding and mitigating the effects of spaceflight on the human body to allow for more extensive research beyond the terrestrial plane. Research has uncovered many key findings that are crucial to astronaut health during long tern spaceflight.

In addition, our understanding of health in space has aided the development and usage of technologies on Earth. For example, our knowledge that microgravity can lead to bone demineralisation and muscle deterioration can provide further insight into how conditions such as osteoporosis (bone loss), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (muscle weakness) and age-related conditions develop and the optimal treatment methods [12].

Artificial intelligence (AI) can revolutionise space medicine. It can be used to improved crew self-reliance and enhance healthcare delivery while in space. Furthermore, AI underpins clinical decision support systems, enhancing medical expertise in situations whereby it is sparse, e.g. in the absence of a medical professional onboard an aircraft [7].

Useful applications of AI in space medicine include [7]:

• AI chatbots designed to prevent mental health conditions

• Automated medical imaging analysis

• Closed loop communication systems – integrate behavioural monitoring and real-time feedback to mitigate psychological and mental conditions caused by isolation in space – e.g. The Crew Interactive Mobile Companion system (CIMON)

• The CIMON is a 3D printed sphere that tests human-machine interaction in space

• Closed-loop systems for hemodynamic optimization (a strategy used during surgery to maintain the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to tissues by optimising blood flow - recycling air, water and waste)

• Prediction of personalised risks and responses towards radiation exposure

In the future, AI and machine learning will continue to augment the scope of space medicine by providing solutions that optimise healthcare delivery in the hostile environment of space. Moreover, the field of space medicine will continue to develop, with new technologies and ideologies being formulated to not only advance our understanding of human health in space but also augment the development of innovation that better medicine and healthcare on Earth.