SpaceX Crew-8 Astronauts to Share Mission Details After Mystery Hospitalization

After a long stint on the International Space Station, three NASA astronauts from the SpaceX Crew-8 mission are set to talk about their experience in a NASA news conference. Dr. Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps will answer questions from reporters. The fourth crew member, Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, won't be there due to travel plans. The crew spent 235 days in space before returning to Earth in late October. Their trip was delayed by issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft and bad weather. Even though their journey was a bit longer than usual, it wasn’t the longest space mission ever. NASA astronauts typically return to their home base in Houston after splashdown. But this time, all four crew members were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution. One astronaut had a medical issue and stayed overnight. NASA didn’t say who or what the problem was, only that the astronaut was stable. Visits to the hospital after long space missions are not uncommon. Astronauts need time to readjust to Earth’s environment. The unusual part this time was transporting the crew to the hospital instead of directly to Houston. The Crew-8 mission was launched in March. They stayed in space longer than planned because of issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. Astronauts often have their stays extended due to unexpected situations in space. For example, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio stayed in space for a record 371 days after his original ride had technical issues.