First human X-rays in space to take place during upcoming SpaceX mission
The first ever human X-rays are set to take place on SpaceX’s upcoming Fram2 mission on March 31.
MinXray—an Illinois-based manufacturer of portable X-ray generators and digital imaging equipment—announced that its Impact System will be carried aboard the Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft during the mission. During the flight, which is expected to take 3 to 5 days, crew members will conduct research into Earth’s poles, in addition to studying the impact of spaceflight on the human body using X-rays.
This will be done using portable imaging equipment developed by MinXray, KA Imaging and prominent academic institutions. The Impact System is lighter in weight, requires less power to operate and can acquire radiographs using a fraction of the radiation dose astronauts are accustomed to being exposed to while in space.
The SpaceXray team includeds experts from UC San Diego, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Mayo Clinic Rochester, MinXray and KA Imaging. While aboard the mission, the team will work to develop protocols for acquiring diagnostic radiographs while in a microgravity and radiation environment.
“This first X-ray in space will open the door for additional research and travel with the assurance that diagnostic imaging systems can operate during a space flight,” Jeanne Walter, MinXray’s VP of marketing and sales, said in the announcement. “Bone density loss is a significant concern in zero-gravity conditions, with astronauts losing 1-2 percent of the density in their hip and spine per month. The Fram2 mission marks the first step toward researching and overcoming this hurdle to longer and further space exploration.”
“Ultrasound has been used as the primary imaging modality in space,” Amol Karnick, co-founder and CEO of KA Imaging, added “However, both X-ray and ultrasound serve distinct purposes, and the opportunity to finally integrate spectral X-ray technology into a spacecraft represents a significant step forward in expanding advanced medical capabilities beyond our planet.”
The mission is set to take flight on March 31 from the LC-39A launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.