Which Crew-8 Astronaut Was Hospitalised After 235 Days In Space, And Why? NASA Will Tell After 'Piecing Things Together'

Three NASA astronauts were briefly hospitalised after returning from ISS. Details of their condition remain confidential, but they assure they are well.

NASA News: Four NASA astronauts were briefly hospitalised after the Crew-8 mission returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) two weeks ago, leading to much speculation about their health. The astronauts, Michael Barrett, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps, held a press conference in Houston on Friday, assuring reporters that they were “in good health” following the medical checkups and reconditioning. However, NASA has not disclosed details about the incident, saying they are “still piecing things together” regarding what exactly happened.

The crew members, who splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on October 25 aboard a SpaceX capsule, had spent 235 days in orbit. Pilot Michael Barrett, who is also a medical doctor specialising in space medicine, indicated that space flight remains unpredictable, sometimes presenting medical challenges that researchers don’t fully anticipate. “In the fullness of time, we will allow this to come out,” Barrett said, citing medical privacy laws.

It may be recalled that Barrett and his crewmates returned to Earth after a series of postponements of their mission, first for two due to the Boeing Starliner crisis that left astronauts Sunita Wiliams and Butch Wilmore stranded in space, and then for another two weeks due to Hurricane Milton threatening to disrupt landing.  

The Crew-8 mission was extended by two months after Starliner, a new crewed spacecraft that took Williams and Wilmore to ISS as part of a 10-day test mission, developed technical issues and it was decided to bring it back uncrewed. A SpaceX capsule finally brought back the Crew-8 members on October 25.

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'It’s Rather Uncomfortable'

Shortly after their landing in October, all four crew members, including Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, were transported to Ascension Sacred Heart hospital in Pensacola as a precautionary measure. NASA confirmed that one crew member was briefly detained at the hospital but released soon after, resuming the standard post-flight reconditioning that helps astronauts readjust to gravity.

During their first public appearance since the mission, astronauts Michael Barrett, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps shared experiences about their physical recovery, discussing the challenges of readapting to Earth. Dominick described the discomfort of sitting on hard surfaces again, a sensation he hadn't felt in 235 days. “It’s rather uncomfortable,” he admitted, adding that he once resorted to lying on a towel to ease the strain.

Reflecting on the prolonged stay and delays, Dominick said, “You’re like, are we going home tomorrow? You call your wife, like, hey, we’re coming home tomorrow, and then we’re not, and then we’re coming home, no, next week. Maybe.” He, however, said it was "definitely great to spend bonus time in space".

Cosmonaut Grebenkin was not present at the press conference held at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.