First-Ever X-Rays Taken in Orbit Pave Way for Lunar Medical Care

The private Fram2 Crew Dragon mission conducted a novel medical experiment in March 2025: astronauts used a portable X-ray device in orbit to capture the first medical X-ray images ever taken in space. The results were published July 14 in the journal Radiology.

During the 3.5-day orbital mission, four first-time astronauts — none of whom were medical professionals — received just four hours of training before successfully imaging a hand, abdomen, pelvis, and chest. The digital X-rays could be reviewed immediately without film processing.

Back on Earth, three independent medical experts compared the in-orbit X-rays with pre-flight baseline images. While ground-based images were of higher quality, the space-based X-rays were judged sufficient for diagnosing injuries such as broken bones.

For much of the space age, astronauts have relied primarily on ultrasound for medical diagnosis. Unlike ultrasound, which requires a medium for sound waves to travel through, X-rays can operate in a vacuum. However, traditional X-ray machines are bulky, power-hungry, and sensitive to vibration — making them ill-suited for spaceflight. Portable X-ray technology has advanced significantly on Earth, now used at sporting events, in remote clinics, and in disaster response.

The study was led by Dr. Sheyna Gifford, an assistant professor of aerospace medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The next step, she said, is to make the systems even smaller and more rugged. Beyond astronaut health, portable X-rays could be used to inspect spacesuit damage, diagnose malfunctioning satellite electronics, or even be mounted on lunar rovers to analyze surface materials. On Earth, the same technology could bring diagnostic imaging to rural communities far from major hospitals.

First-Ever X-Rays Taken in Orbit Pave Way for Lunar Medical Care

First-Ever X-Rays Taken in Orbit Pave Way for Lunar Medical Care

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