After eight months in space, the four members of SpaceX's Crew-8 mission returned to Earth. However, one of the astronauts remained under observation in the hospital for an entire night. However, a certain vagueness surrounds this hospitalization even though the return apparently went smoothly.
A turbulent return, but without problems
Let us first recall that the Crew-8 mission from the SpaceX firm is a manned flight of the Crew Dragon Endeavor spacecraft. Launched on March 4, 2024 from the LC-39A launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center, the mission involved four members of Expeditions 70 and 71 of the International Space Station (ISS). The crew consisted of Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps (NASA) as well as Aleksandr Grebionkine (Roscosmos).
As on the outward journey, the Endeavor spacecraft made the journey to Earth without problem on October 25, 2024, after 232 days aboard the ISS. According to a NASA press release, the capsule completed its descent into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida (United States), after being slowed by four parachutes. If it was a fairly eventful return for the crew members, no technical problem does not seem to have been a source of disturbance.
A hospitalization that questions
“The recovery of the crew and spacecraft was uneventful. During routine medical examinations aboard the recovery vessel, additional assessment of crew members was requested as a precautionary measure.we can read in the press release.
After the capsule landed, the four astronauts were transported to a hospital. According to NASA, this hospitalization would be the result of an excess of caution. However, if three of the four members of the crew returned to the space center after a few hours, the last astronaut, whose identity has not been communicated, spent the night under observation. In its press release, NASA assures, however, that the astronauts are well and that all are following normal post-flight reconditioning.
The fact is that the space agency still remains very vague regarding the reasons for this hospitalization, especially since the images of the return of the capsule in no way indicate the existence of any problem. It even seems that NASA is not really aware since it claimed to want soon to conduct an internal investigation before revealing additional information to the public.
