Leveraging Artificial Intelligence for Autonomous Space Healthcare: An Overview of Approaches for Deep Space Exploration

Abstract

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various domains and holds significant potential for space medicine. As astronauts venture deeper into space, ensuring crew health and safety with minimal reliance on Earth-based support becomes critical. Methods: A structured literature review was conducted using databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Keywords included 'artificial intelligence', 'space medicine', 'astronaut health', and 'autonomous healthcare'. Articles were selected based on relevance to AI applications in monitoring, diagnostics, imaging, and radiation exposure. Results: AI-based technologies can support predictive models, real-time monitoring vital signs, biofluid analysis and radiation dose assessment. AI can also assist in the acquisition and interpretation of medical images. Conclusion: AI has strong potential to support autonomous healthcare in deep-space missions by enabling continuous physiological monitoring, assisting in predictive diagnostics, and augmenting clinical decision-making. These capabilities could contribute to earlier detection of health alterations and more informed treatment strategies in environments where medical resources are constrained. However, rather than fully replacing telemedicine, AI is more realistically expected to complement it. As communication delays beyond low Earth orbit limit real-time interaction with Earth-based medical experts, AI-driven decision-support systems may help bridge this gap, while delayed telemedical input and human oversight will likely remain important components of medical care during exploration-class missions.