For Dr. Mehzeb Chowdhury, living with ME/CFS is a debilitating reality that severely limits physical movement. It is a daily requirement to navigate chronic illness while striving to maintain rigorous intellectual and creative work.
From this experience emerged The Solivaga, a validated deep-space mission-control simulation. Scheduled for launch on May 12, 2026—coinciding with World ME/CFS Awareness Day—The Solivaga is more than a technical achievement; it is a digital memorial.
The simulation serves as a powerful metaphor for the solitary, decades-long voyage experienced by patients whose physical worlds have shrunk due to chronic conditions like ME/CFS and Long Covid. It is a testament to the fact that while a physical body may be confined by a disabling condition, the mind retains the boundless capacity to explore the cosmos.