NASA, Google Testing AI for Medical Care in Space

NASA and Google are working on an AI-powered medical assistant to assist astronauts in diagnosing and treating health issues far from Earth, where doctors are unavailable, according to “Space.com.”

The initiative, unveiled on August 8, is part of NASA’s attempt to support human spaceflight through the NASA-led Artemis lunar exploration program.

The Crew Medical Officer Digital Assistant (CMO-DA) is a proof-of-concept Clinical Decision Support System that will allow astronauts autonomy over medical treatment during long voyages.

Google representatives stated in a statement that the AI system, which was trained on spaceflight literature, combines state-of-the-art machine learning and natural language processing techniques to safely deliver real-time analysis of crew performance and health.

According to preliminary findings, the system can accurately diagnose patients based on their symptoms.

Doctors are collaborating with Google and NASA to test and improve the model.

Deep-space missions, including future trips to the moon and Mars, face long communication delays.

Signals can take up to 45 minutes to travel between Earth and Mars, making real-time consultations impossible.

In those conditions, returning home quickly is not an option.

An onboard AI doctor could bridge this critical gap. Beyond space, the technology could also support remote areas on Earth where access to medical professionals is limited.