In a groundbreaking development, a surgical robot was successfully controlled by surgeons on Earth to perform simulated surgical activities in outer space. The small surgical robot, named Mira and developed by Virtual Incision, arrived at the International Space Station in February aboard a SpaceX rocket. This momentous achievement marks the first time that a surgical robot in space has been operated remotely by surgeons on Earth.
Virtual Incision, the company responsible for Mira, provided exclusive video footage of the event, which took place on Saturday. Six surgeons located at the company's headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska took turns navigating and operating the robot while it was powered up by NASA astronauts, who were orbiting approximately 250 miles above Earth. The surgeons experienced a mix of exhilaration and nerves as they controlled Mira from such a great distance.
