Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Barry Wilmore have been stuck at the International Space Station for six months due to a malfunctioning spacecraft. Their rescue mission has been further delayed as NASA announced a delay in the return flight on SpaceX's Crew-9 Dragon capsule. They are now expected to spend close to ten months in space, raising concerns about their health as astronauts require twice as many calories in space due to changes in their metabolism. NASA's Commercial Crew Programme Manager has commended the SpaceX team for their efforts in preparing a new spacecraft for the mission.
An unnamed NASA astronaut was flown to a hospital on Friday after returning to Earth from a record-breaking 235-day stay on the International Space Station. The crew of four, which included US astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, splashed down off the coast of Florida early Friday morning, marking the longest stay in orbit for SpaceX's reusable Crew Dragon spacecraft. The crew's return was delayed due to hurricanes in the expected splashdown zones, and the cause of the astronaut's medical issue remains undisclosed.
NASA has announced plans to resume spacewalks on the International Space Station in 2025, following a suspension of activities in June due to a leaky spacesuit. The agency's operations and integration manager confirmed the decision during a press conference after the successful completion of SpaceX's Crew-8 mission. The need for spacewalks is determined by a schedule that considers spacecraft arrivals and departures, as well as astronaut research activities. The June incident involving a coolant leak did not pose any immediate danger to the astronauts or the ISS.