Future nanomedical devices and systems will have strong potential to enable a broad range of aerospace and space applications. With further dimensional reductions in conjunction with the increased capabilities of nanoelectronics and artificial intelligence (AI), nanomedicine may facilitate the development of a wide array of advanced nanomedical diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities dedicated to the health and well being of future astronauts and space pioneers, the inhabitants of future Lunar and Mars colonies, and deep space explorers. These nanomedical innovations may form the core elements of advanced extravehicular space suits that have numerous advantages, such as continuous real-time health monitoring, virtually instantaneous in situ diagnostics, the auto-administration of therapeutics, and the capacities to address serious accidental circumstances and performance of emergency interventions.

These capabilities would contribute significantly to ensuring optimal astronaut health and the provision of quick responses to practically any health-associated issues that may occur when astronauts don their space suits to conduct space walks. Further out, they will have considerable utility in the support of potentially extended exploratory terrestrial missions on the Moon and Mars. The integration of dynamic nanomedical suites on board spacecraft will also have substantial advantages, as envisaged nanomedical platforms will represent the ultimate in terms of being extremely compact and lightweight for space travel. Yet, they will be “highly sophisticated, dynamic, and medically powerful with practical utility to rapidly and effectively address virtually any conceivable medical issue or emergency.” (excerpt from Chapter 16 – F. Boehm, Nanomedical Device and Systems Design: Challenges, Possibilities, Visions).

Image Credit:  NASA

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