SpaceX’s Crew-8 mission returned four astronauts safely to Earth on Friday morning after an extended seven-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The crew, which included NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin from Roscosmos, splashed down off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. ET, marking the conclusion of a 235-day mission—the longest duration for a U.S. crewed vehicle to date.
Crew-8, aboard the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, undocked from the ISS on Wednesday, embarking on a 34-hour journey back to Earth after several delays. Originally scheduled to return in August, their mission was extended due to a series of issues with NASA’s Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which encountered technical difficulties and was ultimately returned to Earth without its crew. Additional weather disruptions from Hurricane Milton and other inclement conditions further delayed Crew-8’s landing.
After splashdown, the crew exited the Dragon capsule for standard medical evaluations and was subsequently transported to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola for additional checks as a precaution, according to NASA’s Cheryl Warner.
During their mission, the Crew-8 team conducted over 200 scientific experiments focused on areas like stem cell research, the effects of microgravity on plants, and health studies in space environments. Their mission marks SpaceX’s 13th crewed flight.
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