Surgeons have controlled a surgical robot located in space from Earth, a first. This represents a new step for the development of surgery in space, which could become necessary during future missions.
It could also help develop remote surgery on Earth, benefiting remote areas lacking surgeons. The robot, developed by the company Virtual Incision and the University of Nebraska, is called spaceMIRA. It took off for the International Space Station at the end of January, aboard a cargo carried by a SpaceX rocket. It was placed inside a microwave-sized box, making it easy to transport.