spaceMIRA, developed by MIRA, is the first surgical robot on the Space Station through a-inch-long and 2-pound partnership with the University of Nebraska and NASA. During a simulation in 2024, the 30-inch-long, 2-pound device, developed by the startup Virtual Incision, meticulously performed various surgical procedures on artificial tissues. The robot utilizes two arms to replicate a surgeon's actions, a left arm for grasping and a right arm for cutting. This cutting-edge technology has been in development for 20 years.

The robot blasted off Jan. 30 from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a SpaceX rocket carrying a Northrop Grumman cargo vehicle. Following successful testing on the ISS, all six participating surgeons were able to complete the required procedures effectively.

One of the primary challenges of remote surgery is latency, the delay between when a signal is sent from Earth and when it reaches the robot. Dr. Michael Jobst, a colorectal surgeon who participated in the spaceMIRA demonstration, reported a delay of approximately 0.85 seconds.