Seamless communication, data exchange, and access to medical services are vital in health systems and applications, making connectivity through Satcom crucial for modern healthcare delivery and management. This became especially highlighted during and post the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 had a devastating impact on an unprepared health sector. However, the pandemic propelled its digitization at an unprecedented rate, notably through tele-consultations and digital analytics solutions. By utilizing telemedicine, patients could access a wide range of healthcare services without being limited by location or physical constraints. These connective solutions are relevant for remote regions which have limited medical professionals, specialists, and inadequate or no internet access.
The pandemic-driven shift toward telemedicine and digitisation has also paved the way for further widespread adoption of digital self-monitoring devices and applications. Digitisation of this type and connectivity can effectively manage chronic illnesses in real-time, such as tele-cardiology.
Meanwhile, ESA is expanding medical research through their expertise in human spaceflight and robotics. This research is enriching health applications, fostering technological advances in fields like tissue engineering and cancer research in microgravity environments. These developments showcase the relationship between space technology and medical research.
However, space plays more roles than just connectivity and digitisation. Monitoring for environmental health conditions (pollution, pollen, population movement, etc.) through space technology provides vital information for real-time up to date health management, as well as for preventative measures. This is a core principle in ‘One Health’, an approach by the WHO to balance and optimize the health of people, animals and the environment.
One Health is essential for understanding the effects of environmental changes, such as deforestation and extensive farming, on animal and human health, especially for water-borne and vector-borne diseases. The combination of shared datasets and AI will lead to improved scientific collaborations and enhanced abilities in disease monitoring, tracking, screening, mapping, and modelling.
Join our newsletter to never miss new reports!
At this week’s Council Meeting at Ministerial Level (CM25) in Bremen, ESA Member States formally approved the new ACCESS programme, ensuring that European businesses will continue to benefit from the...
The ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) are Europe’s premier commercialisation network for supporting space start-ups. Operating in 36 centres across 23 European countries and with over 100 locations, ESA...
The ESA Rising Stars initiative, led by the ESA Commercialisation Directorate, aims to identify the most promising European space start-ups and scale-ups within its ecosystem Now in its third edition,...
The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a Letter of Intent with GEOSAT, marking an important milestone in advancing Europe’s space commercialisation landscape. Through ESA’s Partnership Initiative for Commercialisation (EPIC),...
The recently launched ScaleUp Book celebrates various pioneers advancing space commercialisation across Europe. It offers critical insights into the evolving space industry, emphasising entrepreneurship and the role of diversity in...
