Astronaut Remains Hospitalised After Extended ISS Mission Return
Science/Medical/Technology
Saturday 26th, October 2024
An astronaut who recently returned to Earth from a prolonged mission on the International Space Station (ISS) was taken to hospital shortly after splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. NASA, maintaining the astronaut's privacy, has not disclosed the individual’s identity or the medical issue, but confirmed they remain hospitalised as a precautionary measure.
The astronaut is being observed at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola hospital in Florida, where the entire Crew-8 team was initially taken following their re-entry and splashdown. The space agency stated, “The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure”. Three of the four-person team have since been discharged and have returned to Houston.
The multinational Crew-8 team consisted of astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. The crew’s return to Earth followed several delays, prolonging their stay aboard the ISS to 235 days-making it the longest mission undertaken by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft since its first mission in 2020.
Crew-8's return was initially scheduled for two months prior, but various setbacks led to their delayed homecoming. Boeing’s Starliner astronaut capsule, which was intended to serve as a secondary mode of transport for US astronauts, was grounded earlier in the year due to safety concerns, with its September return flight coming back empty. Further delays were caused by Hurricane Milton, followed by two weeks of turbulent weather in the region, ultimately pushing back the team’s re-entry until this week.
Despite these challenges, the Crew Dragon spacecraft undocked from the ISS on Wednesday, smoothly re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, and deployed parachutes before a safe splashdown early on Friday morning. The re-entry and landing, however, were not without minor technical difficulties. NASA’s Richard Jones, deputy manager of the Commercial Crew Programme, confirmed that “the crew is doing great” but noted that debris had struck the first set of braking parachutes during re-entry. Additionally, one of the four parachutes in a subsequent set took longer to unfurl than expected. Neither of these incidents, Jones emphasised, posed any risk to the crew’s safety, calling the splashdown conditions "ideal" for recovery.
The Crew-8 astronauts spent over seven months aboard the ISS, a science lab orbiting approximately 400 kilometres above Earth and roughly the size of a football field. During their mission, the team conducted numerous scientific experiments and helped maintain the ISS’s facilities. NASA typically assigns six-month durations for ISS missions, making Crew-8’s 235-day stay notably lengthy.
NASA’s cautious approach to medical matters involving astronauts is standard, with the agency typically limiting information on health issues unless they directly impact mission operations. Russia’s space agency has also refrained from commenting on the health status of cosmonaut Grebenkin.
Since 2020, SpaceX has maintained its position as the sole provider of crewed transport to and from the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme. To date, the company has completed 44 missions to the ISS, with reusable spacecraft that have proven to be both cost-effective and efficient. Boeing’s Starliner, initially intended as an additional transport option, has faced significant development challenges, preventing it from regularly transporting astronauts.
NASA’s choice of SpaceX has significantly reduced its dependency on international providers. The space agency has invested in the Commercial Crew Programme as part of an ongoing strategy to advance US-based space transport options, particularly in light of the ambitious Artemis lunar missions planned for the coming decade.
The astronaut is being observed at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola hospital in Florida, where the entire Crew-8 team was initially taken following their re-entry and splashdown. The space agency stated, “The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure”. Three of the four-person team have since been discharged and have returned to Houston.
The multinational Crew-8 team consisted of astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. The crew’s return to Earth followed several delays, prolonging their stay aboard the ISS to 235 days-making it the longest mission undertaken by SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft since its first mission in 2020.
Crew-8's return was initially scheduled for two months prior, but various setbacks led to their delayed homecoming. Boeing’s Starliner astronaut capsule, which was intended to serve as a secondary mode of transport for US astronauts, was grounded earlier in the year due to safety concerns, with its September return flight coming back empty. Further delays were caused by Hurricane Milton, followed by two weeks of turbulent weather in the region, ultimately pushing back the team’s re-entry until this week.
Despite these challenges, the Crew Dragon spacecraft undocked from the ISS on Wednesday, smoothly re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, and deployed parachutes before a safe splashdown early on Friday morning. The re-entry and landing, however, were not without minor technical difficulties. NASA’s Richard Jones, deputy manager of the Commercial Crew Programme, confirmed that “the crew is doing great” but noted that debris had struck the first set of braking parachutes during re-entry. Additionally, one of the four parachutes in a subsequent set took longer to unfurl than expected. Neither of these incidents, Jones emphasised, posed any risk to the crew’s safety, calling the splashdown conditions "ideal" for recovery.
The Crew-8 astronauts spent over seven months aboard the ISS, a science lab orbiting approximately 400 kilometres above Earth and roughly the size of a football field. During their mission, the team conducted numerous scientific experiments and helped maintain the ISS’s facilities. NASA typically assigns six-month durations for ISS missions, making Crew-8’s 235-day stay notably lengthy.
NASA’s cautious approach to medical matters involving astronauts is standard, with the agency typically limiting information on health issues unless they directly impact mission operations. Russia’s space agency has also refrained from commenting on the health status of cosmonaut Grebenkin.
Since 2020, SpaceX has maintained its position as the sole provider of crewed transport to and from the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme. To date, the company has completed 44 missions to the ISS, with reusable spacecraft that have proven to be both cost-effective and efficient. Boeing’s Starliner, initially intended as an additional transport option, has faced significant development challenges, preventing it from regularly transporting astronauts.
NASA’s choice of SpaceX has significantly reduced its dependency on international providers. The space agency has invested in the Commercial Crew Programme as part of an ongoing strategy to advance US-based space transport options, particularly in light of the ambitious Artemis lunar missions planned for the coming decade.
