GE HealthCare’s updated Vivid iq cardiovascular ultrasound system has arrived aboard the International Space Station, replacing a predecessor that had been in orbit since 2011.

The device was delivered via NASA’s NG CRS-23 commercial resupply mission, carried by a Northrup Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center on September 14. It docked with the ISS on September 18.

The Chicago-based company developed a space-customized version of the Vivid iq to support ongoing astronaut health assessments and research led by NASA’s Human Research Program. The device is being used for general diagnostic imaging and for studies on cardiovascular and venous function during extended space missions.
Ultrasound imaging plays a key role in monitoring physiological changes during long-duration flights. NASA also sees value in the system’s capabilities for refining diagnostic protocols that could benefit care on Earth.

GE HealthCare said the new unit went through hardware qualification and acceptance testing prior to launch. The Vivid iq, roughly the size of a laptop, offers a suite of advanced imaging and quantification tools. It includes the LOGIQ View feature, which stitches images together to evaluate anatomical structures that extend beyond a single frame, a function previously introduced on the earlier Vivid q.

The new system continues the company’s involvement in space-based medical imaging, which began with the deployment of the original Vivid q 14 years ago.

“Vivid iq exemplifies GE HealthCare’s commitment to innovation,” said Kurt Page, vice president and general manager, federal health systems. “We’re proud to deliver exceptional technology that meets the extraordinary demands of human spaceflight.”

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