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 contained in the Space X Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the Space X recuperation ship MEGAN shortly after having truly landed within the Gulf of Mexico off the shoreline of Pensacola, Florida on October 25, 2024.
Joel Kowsky|NASA|Getty Images
Three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut have been required to a scientific middle “out of an abundance of caution” on Friday after going again to Earth from a nearly eight-month goal on the International Space Station, NASA acknowledged, with out supplying extra data.
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 acknowledged in a declaration adhering to the crew’s 3:29 a.m. ET splashdown off Florida’s Gulf Coast of their Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The crew had their widespread scientific assessments upon leaving the craft, NASA acknowledged, nonetheless included, “out of an abundance of caution, all crew members were flown to the facility together” for the additional assessments.
NASA, which is often tight-lipped on astronaut scientific issues, decreased to state what triggered the wealth of care or outline the crew’s downside. Russia’s space agency didn’t instantly return an ask for focus on Grebenkin’s downside.
In this NASA handout, Support teams operate across the Space X Dragon Endeavour spacecraft shortly after it landed with NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin aboard within the Gulf of Mexico off the shoreline of Pensacola, Florida on October 25, 2024.
Joel Kowsky|NASA|Getty Images
Space X preserves a fleet of multiple-use spacecraft and has truly flown to the ISS 44 occasions. The Elon Musk- possessed agency stays the one united state selection for NASA astronaut journeys to and from the ISS. Boeing’s Starliner, meant as a 2nd united state journey, has truly been hobbled by years of development issues
Marking 235 days precede, the Crew -8 astronauts’ maintain aboard the ISS, a soccer field-sized scientific analysis laboratory 250 miles in orbit, was longer than the common six-month astronaut aims on the terminal. It moreover famous the lengthiest goal up till now for Space X’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which debuted in 2020.
The crew’s return had truly been postponed for weeks on account of 2 typhoons that brushed up by way of the united state southeast close to Crew Dragon’s anticipated splashdown areas.
But on Wednesday mid-day the Crew Dragon spacecraft securely undocked from the ISS and reentered Earth’s surroundings early Friday early morning, releasing parachutes previous to placing proper into the Gulf of Mexico.
At a post-splashdown data rundown, a NASA authorities acknowledged “the crew is doing great” and made no reference of any kind of issues with the astronauts, nonetheless saved in thoughts 2 drawbacks with Crew Dragon’s parachute implementation.
Richard Jones, substitute supervisor of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, acknowledged Crew Dragon’s first assortment of stopping parachutes endured some “debris strikes” which amongst 4 parachutes in a succeeding assortment took longer than anticipated to unfold out.
Neither event influenced crew security and safety, Jones acknowledged, calling the splashdown climate situation “ideal” for the crew’s recuperation.
The crew’s multiple-use Crew Dragon spacecraft received on its fifth journey, logging 702 days in orbit contemplating that its very first goal, Space X’s vice head of state of journey dependability, William Gerstenmaier, a earlier aged NASA authorities, knowledgeable press reporters all through the press convention.
