CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — In their first public appearance since returning from the International Space Station on October 25, NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, refrained from revealing which of them had been hospitalized shortly after their return. The trio’s time in orbit lasted nearly eight months, longer than planned due to delays with Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule and adverse weather conditions, including Hurricane Milton.
After their SpaceX capsule successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, the crew was taken to a hospital in Pensacola, Florida. NASA reported that an undisclosed medical issue required one of the Americans to be hospitalized overnight, but specifics were withheld to maintain medical privacy. During a news conference on Friday, the astronauts declined to identify who was affected by the medical issue.
Michael Barratt, who is experienced in space medicine, emphasized the unpredictability of space travel, stating, “Spaceflight is still something we don’t fully understand. We’re finding things that we don’t expect sometimes. This was one of those times and we’re still piecing things together on this.”
While the returning astronauts remain tight-lipped about the specifics, the mission highlighted ongoing challenges in space exploration. Meanwhile, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who served as test pilots for Boeing’s Starliner, continue their mission aboard the space station and are scheduled to return via SpaceX in February after Starliner made its uncrewed return in September.
This mission underlines both the complexities and potential health implications inherent in long-term spaceflight, sparking continued investigation into the subject by NASA and affiliated space agencies.
Original Story https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/nasa-astronauts-sick-after-months-space-115655966
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