To bridge that gap, NASA is partnering with Google to test an A.I. medical assistant for long-duration missions. Known as the Crew Medical Officer Digital Assistant (CMO-DA), the multi-modal tool is designed to diagnose conditions, analyze symptoms and recommend treatments when contact with Earth-based medical experts isn’t possible.

An international crew of four astronauts launched toward the International Space Station from Florida on Friday aboard a SpaceX rocket, embarking on a routine NASA mission that could be the first of many to last a couple months longer than usual.