NASA medical care on the I.S.S. relies on crew training and ground support.

Astronauts on the International Space Station receive basic medical care from crew trained in emergency procedures and from NASA doctors on the ground; the station carries equipment such as an ultrasound and a defibrillator but does not have X-ray or MRI machines.

NASA manages medical care for astronauts aboard the International Space Station through a combination of crew medical training, onboard supplies and remote consultation with physicians on Earth. Crew members learn emergency procedures and some are trained to perform tasks such as starting IVs, giving intravenous drugs and suturing. The station carries diagnostic and emergency tools but lacks large imaging systems like X-ray and MRI. Planning for longer missions beyond low Earth orbit has raised questions about how to handle medical needs when quick return and real-time communications are not possible. Key facts: - Crew medical training includes emergency procedures similar to paramedic skills, as described by retired astronaut Scott Kelly. - Onboard equipment noted in the article includes a defibrillator, an electrocardiogram monitor, an intubation kit and an ultrasound machine; X-ray and MRI machines are not present on the station. - The medical kit aboard contains medicines such as aspirin, antibiotics, antipsychotics and opioids. - NASA physicians on the ground provide diagnosis and treatment guidance and can consult outside experts when needed. - A 2020 report in The New England Journal of Medicine described an astronaut’s jugular vein blood clot that was managed with remote expert guidance and available blood thinners; the astronaut completed the six-month mission. - Physician-astronauts sometimes serve on missions, but there is not always a doctor aboard; the article notes that Dr. Jonny Kim left the station when his mission ended in December. Summary: Medical care on the I.S.S. combines crew training, onboard supplies and ground-based medical consultation, which has enabled crews to treat injuries and some serious conditions while in orbit. For missions to the moon or Mars, the inability to return quickly and communication delays make medical planning more complex, and experts have said that including a trained medical doctor on long-duration crews might be needed.