In this NASA handout, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin (L) NASA astronauts Michael Barratt (second L) Matthew Dominick (second R) and Jeanette Epps (R) are seen inside the Space X Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the Space X recuperation ship MEGAN quickly after having actually landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coastline of Pensacola, Florida on October 25, 2024.
Joel Kowsky|NASA|Getty Images
Three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut were required to a clinical center “out of an abundance of caution” on Friday after going back to Earth from a virtually eight-month objective on the International Space Station, NASA stated, without supplying more information.
NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin “were taken to a local medical facility for additional evaluation,” NASA stated in a declaration adhering to the team’s 3:29 a.m. ET splashdown off Florida’s Gulf Coast in their Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The team had their common clinical assessments upon leaving the craft, NASA stated, however included, “out of an abundance of caution, all crew members were flown to the facility together” for the extra assessments.
NASA, which is typically tight-lipped on astronaut clinical concerns, decreased to state what triggered the wealth of care or define the team’s problem. Russia’s area firm did not right away return an ask for discuss Grebenkin’s problem.
In this NASA handout, Support groups function around the Space X Dragon Endeavour spacecraft quickly after it landed with NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin aboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coastline of Pensacola, Florida on October 25, 2024.
Joel Kowsky|NASA|Getty Images
Space X preserves a fleet of multiple-use spacecraft and has actually flown to the ISS 44 times. The Elon Musk- possessed firm stays the only united state choice for NASA astronaut journeys to and from the ISS. Boeing’s Starliner, meant as a 2nd united state adventure, has actually been hobbled by years of development issues
Marking 235 days precede, the Crew -8 astronauts’ keep aboard the ISS, a football field-sized scientific research laboratory 250 miles in orbit, was longer than the regular six-month astronaut objectives on the terminal. It additionally noted the lengthiest objective up until now for Space X’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which debuted in 2020.
The team’s return had actually been postponed for weeks as a result of 2 typhoons that brushed up via the united state southeast near Crew Dragon’s anticipated splashdown areas.
But on Wednesday mid-day the Crew Dragon spacecraft securely undocked from the ISS and reentered Earth’s environment early Friday early morning, releasing parachutes prior to putting right into the Gulf of Mexico.
At a post-splashdown information rundown, a NASA authorities stated “the crew is doing great” and made no reference of any type of concerns with the astronauts, however kept in mind 2 drawbacks with Crew Dragon’s parachute implementation.
Richard Jones, replacement supervisor of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, stated Crew Dragon’s first collection of stopping parachutes endured some “debris strikes” which among 4 parachutes in a succeeding collection took longer than anticipated to spread out.
Neither occasion influenced team safety and security, Jones stated, calling the splashdown weather condition “ideal” for the team’s recuperation.
The team’s multiple-use Crew Dragon spacecraft got on its 5th trip, logging 702 days in orbit considering that its very first objective, Space X’s vice head of state of trip dependability, William Gerstenmaier, a previous elderly NASA authorities, informed press reporters throughout the press conference.
