Telemedicine will always be vital for space travel, with astronauts needing to access treatment from a doctor thousands of kilometres away on earth. In 2018, recent developments in telemedicine for astronauts will also help people on earth.
The first widespread use of telemedicine was during the 1988 Armenian earthquake, in which expert consultations were provided remotely by military and civilian medical centres from the United States and the then-Soviet Union. Since then, many more applications have emerged; many of which are funded by investment from space agencies.
Telemedicine in space has a long history. The first telemedicine link from space was set up as part of a ten-day Spacelab mission in the 90s, when, for the first time, doctors could study images of an astronaut’s heart from mission control.
Today, due to improvements in satellite communications and connectivity, space agencies have expanded its applications. The practice is now a key component of astronaut medical care and offers preventative, therapeutic and diagnostic help for humans in space. Tele-diagnostics using ultrasound is a proven tool for diagnosing and informing management plans from Earth for patients in space.
Innovations in space medicine are also being augmented by commercialisation via new space companies such as Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. In August 2017, SpaceX transported Techshot’s ADvanced Space Experiment Processor, which houses regenerative medicine experiments, to the International Space Station (ISS).
The ISS is an important test bed for experiments that can enhance our understanding of telemedicine. Astronauts are now undergoing longer missions aboard the space station, which are providing important data on the physiological effects of long periods in microgravity. But similar research is also taking place on terrestrial analogue platforms, which replicate space conditions. On earth, crews at the Concordia station in Antarctica are taking part in experiments that will help us manage the healthcare of human settlements in places such as Mars.
Due to its inaccessibility, altitude and low light levels, Concordia are often referred to as “White Mars”. Crews there are completely isolated due to the extreme conditions – temperatures there fall to below -80°C and 105 days a year are without daylight – and the fact that no aeroplanes are able to land there for nine months out of 12.
The base is used by the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop telemedicine technology for the physical care of researchers living there – the base doctor uses the technology for specialist advice and remote guidance. But it also provides insights into the psychological effects on crews who know they cannot evacuate, even in an emergency.
This research will translate into new technologies and procedures for space. In 2017, if an astronaut has a medical problem on the ISS it is possible to evacuate them in a matter of hours. However, as we look at travelling further into the reaches of space, this will no longer be possible. As part of our preparation for deep-space missions, scientists are developing technologies and telemedicine techniques to manage potential emergencies should they arise.
Telemedicine’s development is an excellent example of a spinoff technology that can also be used in a wide range of terrestrial settings. These include providing remote healthcare to people in areas in which they would not otherwise be able to access treatment – during natural disasters or conflicts, for example, or to those who, because of their condition, cannot travel to receive specialist care.
Ultrasound telemedicine technology is already being made available in parts of the world where access to imaging and specialist advice would otherwise be unavailable. Projects include the World Interactive Network Focused on Critical UltraSound (WINFOCUS), which has been developed to improve access to care in Earth’s remote regions.
Earlier in 2017 in Geneva, the United Nations, the World Health Organization and other space agencies held a summit, Strengthened Space Co-operation for Global Health, to agree with further ways of working together to meet modern challenges. In 2018, we will see a continuation of research in telemedicine over ever-greater distances. This will allow us to continue our exploration of space, at the same time, and improve the healthcare of people here on earth.
