NASA’s Crew-8 astronauts underwent medical checks after their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. The crew included three NASA astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut.
The capsule splashed down at 3:29 a.m. ET on Friday. NASA confirmed the safe recovery of all four astronauts.
Instead of flying directly to Houston, the crew went to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola, a medical facility in Florida. NASA called the move “an abundance of caution.”
One astronaut stayed hospitalized for a “medical issue,” while the others got clearance to travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center. NASA declined to reveal the astronaut’s condition or identity, citing privacy concerns.
“To protect the crew member’s privacy, details regarding their condition or identity will not be released,” said Cheryl Warner, NASA’s news chief.
Crew-8’s Extended Mission and Delayed Return
The Crew-8 team spent 235 days aboard the International Space Station, marking the longest mission for a U.S. crewed vehicle. Their return faced multiple delays caused by weather and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft issues.
Crew-8 included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. The team’s mission was part of SpaceX’s routine rotation to the International Space Station.
All four astronauts smiled and waved after leaving the Crew Dragon capsule. They underwent medical checks on the recovery vessel before heading to the medical facility.
“The crew is doing great. They’ll spend time on the recovery vessel for medical checks before heading to Houston,” said Richard Jones, NASA’s deputy manager for the Commercial Crew Program.
NASA’s medical checks are standard for long missions to ensure astronauts’ health. The extended mission required extra precautions due to health impacts from long-term exposure to microgravity.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was deemed unsafe for a crewed return, forcing NASA to reassign astronauts to SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission. This change delayed Crew-8’s departure. Weather issues further postponed their return until late October.