By Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - A NASA astronaut was hospitalized following the return of the Crew-8 mission from the International Space Station, the agency reported Friday.
"The one astronaut who remains at Ascension is in stable condition under observation as a precautionary measure. To protect the crew member’s medical privacy, specific details on the individual’s condition or identity will not be shared," said NASA.
The Crew-8 mission successfully splashed down off the Florida coast early Friday after spending nearly eight months in space. NASA confirmed that the SpaceX Dragon capsule achieved a normal re-entry and splashdown, and the recovery of the crew and spacecraft went smoothly.
"During routine medical assessments on the recovery ship, the additional evaluation of the crew members was requested out of an abundance of caution," said the agency.
Astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, were transported to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola for medical evaluation.
While three of the crew members were discharged after assessment and have returned to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, one astronaut remains in the hospital for precautionary observation, said the agency.