A NASA astronaut was hospitalised for a medical concern after returning from an almost eight-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The space agency reported this news on October 25 but did not disclose the specific issue. The astronaut’s condition was said to be stable, and the hospitalisation was described as a precaution, as per the Associated Press.
The astronaut returned to Earth earlier in the week aboard a SpaceX capsule with three fellow crew members, including two more Americans and one Russian. Following its undocking from the ISS, their capsule touched down in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the coast of Florida.
After splashdown, the crew was retrieved, and a recovery team performed routine medical checks. Soon after, the NASA astronaut showed signs of a health issue and was taken to a Pensacola hospital for further evaluation as a cautionary step, AP added.
NASA has not disclosed the astronaut’s identity or any condition details, citing the individual’s right to privacy. Meanwhile, the other three astronauts were cleared and have returned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The astronauts were originally scheduled to return two months earlier, but their journey was delayed. Technical issues with Boeing’s new Starliner capsule prevented its use for the mission, and Hurricane Milton, followed by rough seas and high winds, further postponed the homecoming.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the team, which included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Russia’s Alexander Grebenkin, in March.
Barratt, a seasoned astronaut, later expressed gratitude to the support teams for adapting to unexpected changes and helping them handle the mission’s challenges.
The space station now operates with its typical seven-member crew comprising four Americans and three Russians.
Possible health issues for astronauts
Returning to Earth after months in space is tough on the body. Without gravity, muscles and bones weaken in space, causing problems like weak muscles, low blood pressure, and poor balance when astronauts return.
Vision can blur, and they often feel tired. Doctors help them recover, but it takes weeks for them to fully adjust to Earth’s gravity.
