### Astronauts to Discuss Their 235-Day Space Mission After Hospital Stay

Three astronauts who were unexpectedly hospitalized following their return from the International Space Station (ISS) in late October are preparing to talk about their recent mission during a NASA news conference. This event is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. ET Friday at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps will be available to answer questions. Their fourth crewmate, Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, will not participate due to his travel commitments, according to a NASA announcement.

The crew, which included Barratt, Dominick, Epps, and Grebenkin, spent 235 days aboard the ISS. They returned to Earth via a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, landing off the coast of Florida on October 25. According to NASA, the capsule's entry and splashdown were executed perfectly, and the astronauts appeared in good spirits as they left the vehicle aboard a recovery ship.

However, hours after their return, all four astronauts were taken to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola hospital as a precautionary measure. NASA later disclosed that one astronaut had experienced a medical issue and remained at the hospital overnight. The agency did not specify which astronaut was affected or the nature of the issue, only stating that the individual was in stable condition and under observation.

Routine medical checks are standard after long missions, but astronauts are usually transported directly to Houston rather than being diverted to a nearby hospital. The Crew-8 astronauts launched on March 3 and stayed in space longer than planned due to various scheduling issues, including delays related to the Boeing Starliner spacecraft and weather conditions.

Although their extended mission was slightly longer than usual, it was not an unprecedented stay on the ISS. Astronauts sometimes remain in space beyond their original plans due to unforeseen events. For instance, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio spent a record 371 days in space during a mission that ended in September 2023 after his return vehicle, a Russian Soyuz capsule, experienced a coolant leak.