Featured Image Credit: Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images
Topics: Health, International Space Station, NASA, Science, Space
Callum Jones
Topics: Health, International Space Station, NASA, Science, Space
An astronaut has been left hospitalized and ‘under observation’ after spending a whopping 235 days in the stars.
Back in March, The Crew-8 mission headed to the International Space Station with NASA's Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick and Michael Barratt, as well as Russia’s Alexander Grebenkin all on board.
The group spent a staggering 236 days out in space, before successfully splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday (25 October).
The astronauts thankfully landed safe and sound, embarking on a medical evaluations once they were back on the ground.
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However, it was quickly discovered one of the astronauts had a medical issue, with all four flown to Pensacola’s Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital for further tests as a precaution.
Three crew members were sent home fairly quickly to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, NASA says, but one astronaut still remains in hospital at this stage.
The space agency has not detailed the identity of the astronaut.
NASA news chief Cheryl Warner said in a statement: "To protect the crew member's medical privacy, specific details on the individual's condition or identity will not be shared.
"The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure."
A NASA spokesperson added: "We’re grateful to Ascension Sacred Heart for its support during this time, and we are proud of our team for its quick action to ensure the safety of our crew members.
"NASA will provide additional information as it becomes available."
Despite the apparent medical issues now, all four crew members were seen smiling and waiving as they exited the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Florida.
During a news briefing, prior the hospital admission, NASA's deputy manager of the Commercial Crew Program, Richard Jones, said: "Right now the crew is doing great.
"They are going to spend a little bit of time on the recovery vessel going through their medical checks.
"They'll soon be on their way back to Houston after all of those are done."
The astronauts aboard Crew-8 were initially meant to be back on Earth two months ago, but problems with Boeing's Starliner capsule and Hurricane Milton battering Florida delayed their progress.
"[Crew-8 was] the longest duration in space for a US crewed vehicle at 235 days," Jones added.
NASA says it will provide updates on the astronauts health in due course.