The robot, named SpaceMIRA, took part in an experimental simulated surgery developed by the medical technology company Virtual Incision (VIC) in collaboration with the University of Nebraska.
The robot was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX rocket piloted by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara.
The experiment was carried out on February 14, 2024, controlled remotely from Virtual Incision’s headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The procedure lasted about two hours, with six surgeons operating the robot, which was equipped with a camera and two articulated arms.
According to Virtual Incision, the surgeons tested standard surgical techniques such as grasping, manipulating, and cutting tissue.
The “tissues” were made from rubber bands.
In a video shared by the company, viewers can see one robotic arm gripping and stretching a rubber strand while the other arm performs a cut—simulating a surgical incision.
A key challenge for the team was the 0.85-second communication delay between Earth and the ISS. For comparison, a parallel control experiment was conducted alongside the device on Earth.
The mission is considered a significant breakthrough for both medical technology and artificial intelligence, with promising applications for emergency medical care during long-duration crewed missions—such as future journeys to Mars.
The technology may also advance remote robotic surgery on Earth, benefiting isolated or hard-to-reach regions.
In a statement, Virtual Incision reported that all participating surgeons and researchers viewed the experiment as a major success, noting minimal or no malfunctions.
NASA, which provided partial financial support for the project, stated that as space missions become longer, the need for emergency care will increase—from simple suturing to more complex surgical procedures.