NASA Astronaut Hospitalized After Successful SpaceX Crew-8 Mission Return

NASA astronauts from the SpaceX Crew-8 mission safely returned to Earth on October 25, concluding a nearly eight-month stay aboard the International Space Station. The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian astronaut Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos, landed in the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. Eastern Time.

Following the splashdown, the astronauts were taken to a hospital in Pensacola as a precautionary measure. While three of the crew members were later released and returned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, one astronaut remained hospitalized due to a medical issue. The hospitalized astronaut is in stable condition and under observation.

The Crew-8 mission was extended by approximately two months due to delays caused by issues with Boeing‘s Starliner spacecraft and unfavorable weather conditions, including Hurricane Milton. Despite these challenges, the undocking and splashdown procedures were executed smoothly.

The mission marked the eighth operational flight conducted by SpaceX for NASA and included 235 days in space, with 232 days spent on the International Space Station conducting scientific research.

NASA has not disclosed the identity of the hospitalized astronaut or specific details regarding the medical concern to protect the crew member’s medical privacy.