From Space to Hospital! Mystery Surrounds the Condition of Four Astronauts After Returning to Earth
A crew of four astronauts was recently taken to the hospital without any explanation regarding the cause after their return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s “Dragon” capsule.
After spending over 200 days on the International Space Station, the Crew 8 astronauts made their splashdown off the coast of Florida in the early hours of October 25.
NASA disclosed that one astronaut received medical attention upon return, but by Monday it became apparent that all members of Crew 8—Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Janet Epps, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin—were hospitalized, according to Space.com.
NASA officials stated at a press conference post-landing that this was done “out of an abundance of caution.”
One crew member was kept overnight, described as being “in stable condition, under observation as a precautionary measure.” However, no further details were provided about the nature of the
medical issue or whether it was related to their return to Earth or their extended stay in space.
In the wake of this mysterious incident, NASA’s Safety Council has instructed SpaceX to focus on
crew safety in preparation for future manned missions to the International Space Station.
During a meeting of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel on October 31, former astronaut and
panel member Kent Rominger mentioned a series of “recent issues” with SpaceX’s Falcon 9
rocket and the Dragon spacecraft, stating that these incidents serve as a reminder to remain
vigilant as the company increases its mission pace.
He added, “Both NASA and SpaceX must maintain a focus on safe Crew Dragon operations and
not take any operations for ‘normal’ as a given.”
The Crew 8 mission launched towards the International Space Station on March 3, with an initial
expectation of returning in August. However, a series of delays pushed their return to early
October, extending what was supposed to be a 180-day stay on the ISS to 235 days.
A typical long-duration stay on the ISS lasts six months, or about 182 days.
Numerous studies have linked living on the International Space Station with negative health
impacts on astronauts, including issues like bone and muscle density loss, vision problems,
kidney stones, and circulatory issues. Thus, the longer their stay in space, the higher the likelihood of encountering these health problems.
NASA has not released any information regarding the reason for the astronauts’ hospitalization,
so it’s unclear if their extended stay on the ISS was the cause.
It’s also possible that something went wrong during the Dragon capsule’s return to Earth.
While the reasons behind the hospitalization of the Crew 8 astronauts remain unclear, the
incident highlights the challenges associated with long-duration space missions and underscores
the importance of maintaining astronaut safety amidst an accelerating pace in space exploration.
Source: Daily
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