IEEE OJEMB - Healthcare for Space, Space for Healthcare

Guest-edited by Ilaria Cinelli for the IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology, this Special Issue — "Healthcare for Space, Space for Healthcare" — explores the deep and reciprocal connection between space exploration and human health.

"Healthcare for Space" covers initiatives designed to protect and study human health in space environments, including space medicine, space biology, and the development of medical capabilities for crews operating beyond Low Earth Orbit — increasingly independent from ground support as missions venture further from Earth.

"Space for Healthcare" examines how space assets, satellite technology, and simulations of space environments generate innovations that benefit health on Earth — from disaster management and public health to digital platforms, virtual reality, and low-cost biomedical tools.

The Special Issue brings together research spanning telepharmacy, exergames, brain activity in simulated Moon gravity, biomedical hardware regulation, and the legal frameworks needed to support space medicine. A landmark contribution to a field that is rapidly shaping the future of both exploration and healthcare.