Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
International Business Times
International Business Times
Science
AFP News

Space Surgery: Doctors On Ground Operate Robot On ISS For First Time

Students from the University of Nebraska work on a small surgical robot called spaceMIRA, before its test on the ISS (Credit: AFP)

Earth-bound surgeons remotely controlled a small robot aboard the International Space Station over the weekend, conducting the first-ever such surgery in orbit -- albeit on rubber bands.

The experiment, deemed a "huge success" by the participants, represents a new step in the development of space surgery, which could become necessary to treat medical emergencies during multi-year manned voyages, such as to Mars.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.