In one pioneering leap for medical science, the University of Nebraska's Space Mira, a small but powerful robotic surgical assistant, made history on the International Space Station 250 miles above. Saturday was the first time that a surgical robot in space was controlled by surgeons on Earth to perform simulated surgical activities. At a device no larger than a microwave, a two-hour simulated surgery unfolded successfully with six surgeons operating Mira's robotic arms to dissect synthetic tissue. A Nebraska-based colorectal surgeon was the first to take Mira's controls, saying, quote, you have to wait a little bit for the movement to happen. It's definitely slower than you're used to in the operating room. Unlike traditional surgical robots, like the Da Vinci system, which can be the size of a small car, Mira is remarkably compact, measuring just over 30 inches in length and weighing around 2 pounds. This breakthrough not only opens doors for managing surgical emergencies during long-term space travel. It's creators say it promises to revolutionize healthcare back on Earth. In the US, one-third of counties currently face a shortage of local surgeons, a gap that could widen to 30,000 surgeons within the next decade. So on Earth, remote surgery could be very powerful. It's a ways off in the future, but you can imagine so many hospitals in Nebraska where a specialist or a specialized surgeon isn't available. And if you could have someone dial in from a distance and assist with the surgery, we know if you get people to stay home and get better access to the care they need where they live. Mira's developers say that the technology hasn't been approved for commercial use yet, but believe long-term, it could change the future of surgery.