NEWS Human Spaceflight
Small holes in the heart will not stop Artemis astronauts from moonwalks, NASA medical panel rules
A panel of NASA medical experts concluded in August 2026 that most patent foramen ovale heart findings do not disqualify astronauts from spacewalks, that no universal screening is warranted, and that crews with large PFOs should be informed and offered closure, while calling for clearer guidance on painkillers that can mask decompression sickness symptoms.