A Historic First: The First X-Ray in Space Is Here

Fram2 mission completed successfully with return to Earth

NORTHBROOK, Ill. (April 4, 2025) — The FRAM2 crew is back from space! The spacecraft successfully splashed down shortly after noon EST Friday, April 4.

In a post on X shortly after midnight EST Wednesday, April 2, 2025, Fram2 Mission Commander Chun Wang shared the first medical X-ray image taken in space. Featuring a hand with a ring, it mirrors the first ever X-ray image accidentally captured over a century ago by Wilhelm Roentgen.

The X-rays are part of the SpaceXray project, one of the 22 scientific studies selected to be part of Fram2, the first polar-orbit human spaceflight mission designed to explore the polar regions of Earth.

The pioneering research initiative aims to validate the feasibility of acquiring high-quality diagnostic radiographs in microgravity, a crucial step toward ensuring astronaut health on deep-space missions.

The first image released has been widely celebrated among the SpaceXray team.

“We're grateful to the crew and immensely proud that life in space will be safer and better because of this technology. Let's make life on Earth better because of it, too,” said Sheyna Gifford, Principal Investigator of the study.

“We are incredibly excited and honored to be a part of this historic first! Proving it is possible to provide medical X-ray imaging capabilities beyond our gravitational boundaries opens doors for this technology to be used anywhere there is a need,” said Jeanne Walter, Vice President, Marketing and Sales of MinXray.

“The first X-ray in space is an incredible achievement, one that pushes the boundaries of medical imaging and human exploration, and its impact goes beyond space,” said Karim S. Karim, CTO of KA Imaging.

“The same technology that enables astronauts to monitor their health can also revolutionize imaging in remote and underserved areas on Earth. Advancing science in space should always mean progress for all of humanity,” said Amol Karnick, president and CEO of KA Imaging.

To learn more about the diagnostic imaging equipment to be used during the flight, visit www.minxray.com, or contact MinXray at 800-221-2245 or at info@minxray.com.