Produced by: Tarun Mishra
NASA’s Crew-8 mission successfully splashed down off the coast of Florida early Friday, marking the end of an eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The four-member team returned safely via a SpaceX Dragon capsule, completing a standard re-entry and splashdown.
Credit: NASA
Upon recovery, the crew underwent routine medical checks on the recovery vessel. During these assessments, additional medical evaluations were advised for one astronaut, conducted out of “an abundance of caution,” according to NASA.
Credit: NASA
The Crew-8 team included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, who all returned together aboard the Dragon capsule.
After initial recovery steps, all four crew members were flown to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola in Florida. The hospital received the astronauts for standard medical review following their extended stay in microgravity.
Three crew members were released from the hospital shortly after routine evaluations. However, one NASA astronaut remained hospitalized “under observation as a precautionary measure.”
NASA has not disclosed specific details regarding the astronaut’s medical condition, emphasizing the importance of privacy for crew members’ health. NASA stated it will provide updates only as available.
NASA confirmed that the hospitalized astronaut is in stable condition, and the agency is closely monitoring their health. The space agency reaffirmed its commitment to the safety and well-being of all crew members throughout the recovery process.
Credit: NASA