Produced by: Manoj Kumar
After splashdown on October 25, the Crew-8 astronauts were taken to a hospital instead of Houston. One crewmate stayed overnight, sparking curiosity about the mysterious medical issue.
NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick shared the unexpected challenges of Earth’s gravity, like discomfort from sitting in a hard chair, after 235 days of weightlessness in space.
Dominick recounted his readjustment difficulties, including lying on a towel during a family dinner because his chair felt too uncomfortable, adding a lighthearted note to the hardships.
Jeanette Epps described gravity’s surprising toll, sharing that she feels the urge to lay down frequently. Despite the fatigue, daily exercise is crucial to regain muscle and bone strength.
Michael Barratt, a doctor on the crew, cited “medical privacy” as the reason they won’t disclose which astronaut was hospitalized, hinting that the mystery will be revealed in due time.
Crew-8’s mission stretched longer than planned due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner, which was grounded, forcing Crew-8 to wait until SpaceX Crew-9’s arrival.
Extended stays are not unusual on the ISS. Crew-8’s mission wasn’t record-breaking but ran a few weeks longer, with weather delays also pushing the return to late October.
Post-mission medical checkouts are standard, but it’s rare for astronauts to be hospitalized right after splashdown. NASA’s decision hints at heightened caution for Crew-8’s health.
Extended ISS missions are par for the course—astronaut Frank Rubio recently spent 371 days in space after his ride’s coolant leak, showing the unpredictability of space missions.