#Alexander Grebenkin

[tatmanblue]

KSC-20240223-PH-SPX01_0002 by NASA Kennedy Via Flickr: SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is mated to the company's Falcon 9 rocket at SpaceX’s hangar at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin are slated to launch to the International Space Station no earlier than 12:04 a.m. EST on March 1, 2024. Photo credit: SpaceX NASA image use policy.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Crew-8 Astronauts Return to Earth

After seven months of living and working onboard the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station), astronauts of NASA’s eighth rotational SpaceX crew mission (Crew-8) splashed down safely off the coast of Florida. The mission, which is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, included NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. During their mission on station, the three NASA astronauts supported dozens of research investigations sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory®.

These investigations spanned many areas, including in-space production applications(Abbreviation: InSPA) InSPA is an applied research and development program sponsored by NASA and the ISS National Lab aimed at demonstrating space-based manufacturing and production activities by using the unique space environment to develop, test, or mature products and processes that could have an economic impact., life and physical sciences, and technology development, all aimed at bringing value to humanity and enabling a robust market in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles. (LEO).

Below highlights a few of the ISS National Lab-sponsored projects the Crew-8 NASA astronauts worked on during their mission.

Several investigations focused on in-space production applications, an increasingly important area of emphasis for the ISS National Lab and NASA.

A project from Cedars Sinai Medical Center aims to establish methods to support the in-space manufacturing of stem cells, which can be matured into a wide variety of tissues. These methods will be used for future large-scale in-space biomanufacturing of stem cell-derived products, which could lead to new treatments for heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and many other conditions.

Redwire Corporation partnered with Eli Lilly and Company and Butler University on a series of investigations leveraging Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a platform to crystallize organic molecules in microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment.. Results from this research could lead to improved therapeutics to treat an array of conditions. These projects continue Eli Lilly’s space journey, as the company has launched multiple investigations to the orbiting laboratory over the years for the benefit of patient care on Earth.

The astronauts supported the third experiment in a series of projects from the University of Notre Dame to improve ultra-sensitive biosensors. The biosensors can detect trace substances in liquids, including early cancer biomarkers. By using laser heating to control bubble formation in microgravity, the team improved particle collection—a key step in boosting sensor sensitivity. This research, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, could transform early and asymptomatic cancer detection and other medical diagnostics.

The crew conducted phase two of a technology development project from Sphere Entertainment to test Big Sky—the company’s new ultra-high-resolution, single-sensor camera—on the space station. In the first phase of the project, which launched in November 2022, astronauts tested a commercial off-the-shelf camera on the ISS to collect baseline information. During the second phase, the astronauts tested Big Sky to validate the camera’s function, operations, and video downlink capabilities in microgravity. Big Sky is being developed by Sphere Entertainment to capture content for Sphere, the next-generation entertainment medium in Las Vegas.

In the final days before their departure from the space station, the Crew-8 astronauts supported projects that recently launched on NASA’s ninth rotational crew mission (Crew-9).

One is a student-led project from Isabel Jiang, a recent high school graduate from Hillsborough, CA, who is now in her first year at Yale. Jiang is the winner of the 2023 Genes in Space student research competition, founded by Boeing and miniPCR bio and supported by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs. Jiang’s experiment investigates the effect of radiation and the space environment on mechanisms for gene editing. Results could help develop methods to better protect astronauts and shed light on genetic risks for certain diseases during spaceflight.

Another is an investigation from the U.S. Air Force Academy and Rhodium Scientific to compare the root growth of Arabidopsis plants, a member of the mustard family, at two different orbital altitudes. Plants grown on the space station in LEO for four to six days will be compared with similar plants grown on the recent Polaris Dawn mission, which flew in the same type of vehicle at a higher orbit for approximately the same amount of time. Results could provide insights into the production of crops for long-duration space missions and in high-radiation environments.

IMAGE: SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts (top to bottom) NASA's Jeanette Epps, Mike Barratt & Matthew Dominick, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin onboard the ISS. Credit NASA

[michaelgabrill]

NASA Invites You to Share Excitement of Agencys SpaceX Crew-8 Launch

NASA is inviting the public to take part in virtual activities for the launch of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and Jeanette Epps, mission specialist; along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, mission specialist, will fly to the space station aboard SpaceX’s Dragon […] from NASA https://ift.tt/S5mCDAw

[beardedmrbean]

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX and NASA on Sunday successfully launched their joint Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station from the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Together, NASA and SpaceX launched a crew of four to the ISS in the Dragon spacecraft, marking SpaceX’s eighth crew rotation mission to the ISS within NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Sunday's launch was the third attempt, after it was scrubbed twice before because of bad weather.

Engineers determined that a small crack on the hatch seal wouldn't present enough of an issue to abort the launch, and the mission achieved liftoff at 10:53 p.m. Mission crew members on the ground cheered when the first-stage booster separated and Dragon proceeded toward space shortly before 11 p.m.

The NASA astronauts are commander Matthew Dominick, pilot Michael Barratt, mission specialist Jeanette Epps and Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, who is also acting as mission specialist. It is the first mission to the ISS for all except Barratt, who is making his third visit.

The Dragon spacecraft was launched by the Falcon 9 rocket, which SpaceX describes as a “reusable, two-stage rocket,” making it the first reusable rocket of its kind. Once it detaches from Dragon, it will land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

The crew, set to return in the fall, will spend six months at the ISS. Days ago, administrators revealed they had found a small air leak at the space station.

“It’s not an impact to Crew-8, but I didn’t want anybody to be surprised,” ISS Program Manager Joel Montalbano said at a Crew-8 mission briefing. He said that managers don’t believe the leak will affect crew safety but that “teams are watching it.” 

While aboard the ISS, often referred to as a “floating laboratory," the crew will perform more than 200 science experiments as part of the long-term mission to prepare humanity for long-term stays in space. 

Some of the experiments include taking stem cells to space to study their effects on degenerative disease, as well as looking at the cellular impact of microgravity and ultraviolet radiation on plants, with hopes that plants can remain an increasingly important part of nourishment during such lengthy stays.

The crew will also experiment with pressure cuffs on legs to see whether they alleviate health problems, including fluid shifts in astronauts in space experiencing weightlessness. With no gravity on the ISS, fluids in the body tend to shift upward toward the head, which can cause health problems with eye and head pressure — something astronauts are all too familiar with. 

Spirulina, often used in smoothies down on Earth, is also being sent to space on the Crew-8 mission. The astronauts look to see whether microalgae could help to remove CO₂ from the air, providing both food and oxygen for astronauts. 

It has been a busy year for SpaceX, which undertook almost 100 launches within the past year.

Asked about the seemingly routine nature of the increasingly busy launch schedule, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson cautioned against letting guards down. 

“Spaceflight is hard. Spaceflight is risky. ... You never want to get into the frame of mind that it is so routine,” he said. “Every time we launch, it’s white-knuckle time, and especially if humans are on top.”

[mansijadav]

NASA’s Crew-8 Mission Delayed by Severe Florida Weather

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is currently delayed in returning to Earth. Severe weather in Florida’s splashdown zones has forced this delay. Consecutive hurricanes, Helene and Milton, have caused disruption and danger.

Hurricanes Impacting Return

Hurricane Helene struck Florida two weeks before Hurricane Milton. Helene was massive, with storm surges and winds affecting areas over 500 miles inland. It resulted in over 230 fatalities across several states and caused widespread destruction. Hurricane Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico on October 5, 2024. It rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane. This made it the second-most intense Atlantic hurricane recorded. Milton’s peak winds exceeded 253 km/h, creating dangerous sea conditions in the splashdown zone.

SpaceX Crew-8 Mission Details

Crew-8 includes four astronauts: NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. They arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2024. Their mission involved a seven-month scientific expedition. The crew is tasked with returning important research to Earth. The original undocking was scheduled for October 7, 2024. However, due to Hurricane Milton, this was postponed. NASA and SpaceX prioritized safety, waiting for the hurricane to pass.

Current Plans for Undocking

On October 22, 2024, weather forecasts remain uncertain for undocking. NASA and SpaceX are aiming for a possible undocking time of 6:35 am on October 23, 2024, if conditions improve.

Other Astronauts on the ISS

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are also on the ISS. They launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024. Their mission was initially planned for eight days but has been extended due to technical issues. The Starliner spacecraft encountered problems, including helium leaks and issues with its control thrusters. As a result, it had to return without its crew for safety reasons. Williams and Wilmore now expect to spend around 240 days in space, continuing their research aboard the ISS.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

The Crew-8 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. This initiative aims to transport astronauts to and from the ISS using commercial spacecraft. The program enhances collaboration with private companies, facilitating more frequent access to space. The delays caused by the hurricanes highlight the challenges faced by space missions. Safety remains the top priority for NASA and SpaceX as they navigate these unpredictable weather conditions.

website: popularscientist.com

#NASA 

#Crew8 

#SpaceMission

 #FloridaWeather

#LaunchDelay KennedySpaceCenter

#WeatherAlert SpaceExploration 

#AstronautSafety MissionPostponed

[recentlyheardcom]

NASA astronaut is released from hospital after returning from space

A NASA astronaut who was briefly hospitalized after returning from space has been released, the space agency said Saturday. NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps, and Russia’s Alexander Grebenkin were flown to the hospital for additional medical checks Friday after parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast aboard a SpaceX capsule. Three were released and…

[jentelmx-blog]

La nave Dragon de SpaceX trae de vuelta a la Tierra a la tripulación de la misión Crew-8

Después de 236 días en el espacio, los astronautas de la Nasa Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt y Jeanette Epps, así como el cosmonauta de Roscosmos Alexander Grebenkin, regresaron esta mañana desde la Estación Espacial Internacional (ISS).

Agencias Después de 236 días en el espacio, los astronautas de la Nasa Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt y Jeanette Epps, así como el cosmonauta de Roscosmos Alexander Grebenkin, regresaron esta mañana desde la Estación Espacial Internacional (ISS) a la Tierra a bordo de la nave Dragon Endeavour de SpaceX en la misión Crew-8 de la Nasa. La nave espacial Dragon completó su combustión de…

[head-post]

NASA astronauts return from space station on SpaceX capsule

A SpaceX capsule with four astronauts on board has detached from the International Space Station (ISS) and is returning to earth after several delays caused by unfavourable weather conditions, US space agency NASA said on Wednesday.

The SpaceX capsule carrying the crew parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico near the Florida coast after undocking from the space station in the middle of the week before dawn. Rescuers have to lift the capsule with the crew out of the water using a hydraulic lifting device.

The three Americans and one Russian were supposed to return two months ago. But their return was hampered by problems with Boeing’s new Starliner astronaut capsule, which returned empty in September because of safety issues.

Then Hurricane Milton intervened, followed by another fortnight of high winds and rough seas.

SpaceX launched four people – NASA employees Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps and Russian Alexander Grebenkin – in March.

Mr. Barratt, the only space industry veteran on the mission, said support teams back home who had to “rebuild, reconfigure and kind of rework everything with us … helped us through all of those challenges.”

They were replaced by two Starliner test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, whose mission lasted between eight days and eight months, and two astronauts launched by SpaceX four weeks ago. The four will remain on the station until February.

After months of overcrowding, the space station has returned to its usual crew of seven – four Americans and three Russians.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft launched to the ISS on March 4. The launch was made from the site of the John F. Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Read more HERE

[netmassimo]

A little while ago, SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft concluded its Crew-8, or SpaceX Crew-8, mission for NASA by landing without problems. On board were astronauts Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, and Jeanette Epps and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, who had reached the International Space Station on March 5, 2024, and were part of Expedition 70/71/72. The four of them finished the 8th regular crewed mission of SpaceX in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida. The Crew Dragon departed the Station about 34 hours earlier.

[gazetadoleste]

Missão da SpaceX bate novo recorde e prepara volta para casa

A Nasa (Agência Espacial dos Estados Unidos) vai transmitir ao vivo, nesta sexta-feira (25), a reentrada na Terra e o pouso da Crew Dragon Endeavour, da SpaceX. Você pode assistir pelo canal NASA+, na internet. A nave espacial retorna para casa trazendo os astronautas Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt e Jeanette Epps, além do cosmonauta Alexander Grebenkin. Ela traz consigo também um novo recorde…

[talkoftitusville]

Crew-8 Waiting For Weather To Improve For Landing Off Florida Coast

Crew 8 Arriving At Kennedy Space Center in February, 2024. Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT NASA astronauts Jeanette Epps, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin will continue to stay aboard ISS through the week as they await better weather in the Crew Dragon landing zones off of the Florida coast. “Weather conditions near the multiple splashdown sites off…

[news-buzz]

The best way to watch Crew-8 depart the house station on Sunday

NASA and SpaceX are getting ready to convey dwelling three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut from the Worldwide Area Station (ISS). On Sunday, NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, will fly dwelling aboard the identical Crew Dragon capsule that they arrived in again in March. The 4 ISS inhabitants spent a lot of their…

[michaelgabrill]

NASAs SpaceX Crew-8 Concludes Space Station Scientific Mission

NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin are returning to Earth after months aboard the International Space Station conducting scientific experiments and technology demonstrations for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. The four launched on March 3 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. […] from NASA https://ift.tt/0xcnOYX

[spacenutspod]

The Soyuz MS-25/71S spacecraft carrying commander Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson undocked from the International Space Station early Monday as the two spacecraft were passing 260 miles above eastern Mongolia. Image: NASA Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, now the world’s most experienced spaceman, first-time flier Nikolai Chub and NASA veteran Tracy Dyson undocked from the International Space Station and returned to Earth Monday, closing out a record-setting mission with a picture-perfect landing in Kazakhstan. With the Soyuz crew back home, NASA and SpaceX are gearing up to launch astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov to the station aboard a Crew Dragon capsule on Thursday, weather permitting. Liftoff from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is targeted for 2:05 p.m. EDT. Hague and Gorbunov plan to join Starliner astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams aboard the lab, along with newly-arrived cosmonauts Alexsey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner and NASA’s Donald Pettit. Four other station crew members — Crew 8 commander Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin — are nearing the end of their own six-month tour of duty and plan to return to Earth aboard another Crew Dragon spacecraft in early October. But first, the Russians needed to bring Kononenko, Chub and Dyson back to Earth after a marathon mission. The Soyuz MS-25/71S spacecraft undocked from the station at 4:36 a.m. EDT Monday. Plunging back into the discernible atmosphere along a southwest-to-northeast trajectory, the spacecraft descended through a cloudless blue sky under a large red-and-white parachute, touching down on the steppe of Kazakhstan at 7:59 a.m. EDT (4:59 p.m. local time). After a fiery plunge back into the lower atmosphere, the Soyuz crew module descended smoothly to touchdown on the steppe of Kazakhstan at 7:59 a.m. EDT (5:59 p.m. local time). Image: NASA Russian recovery crews and flight surgeons, including NASA support personnel, were on the scene within minutes to help the returning station fliers out of the cramped Soyuz descent module for initial medical checks and satellite phone calls home to family and friends. With landing in Kazakhstan, Dyson logged 184 days in orbit since launch last March 23. Kononenko and Chub, launched aboard a different Soyuz last Sept. 15, put in more than a full year in space — 374 days — the longest stay yet aboard the International Space Station. Including four earlier trips to the lab, Kononenko’s cumulative time in space now totals 1,111 days, 233 days more than the 878-day mark set by the previous record holder, cosmonaut Gennady Padalka. Returning to the uncomfortable tug of gravity after an ISS-record 374 days in space, Kononenko was all smiles as he was pulled from the crew cabin and then carried to a nearby recliner for routine medical checks. Image: NASA All station fliers exercise extensively, on a daily basis, to maintain muscle mass and bone density in the weightless environment of space. But returning long-duration fliers typically need several weeks or more to fully re-adapt to the effects of gravity. Even so, all three Soyuz crew members appeared healthy, flashing broad smiles after being pulled from the descent module and carried to nearby recliners. Dyson, who flew to the station with a different crew last March, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by her former commander, Oleg Novitskiy, much to her obvious surprise and delight. Oleg Novitskiy, commander of the Soyuz that carried Dyson to orbit last March, presented his former crewmate with a bouquet of flowers, much to her obvious surprise and delight. Image: NASA During a change-of-command ceremony Sunday, Kononenko, the outgoing station commander, turned the outpost over to Williams, who arrived at the lab June 6 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. She served as commander of the ISS the last time she was aboard the lab in 2012. Williams and Wilmore are spending an unexpected eight-and-a-half months aboard the station because of helium leaks and thruster issues that prompted NASA to bring the Boeing spacecraft back to Earth Sept. 7 without its crew. “Expedition 71 has taught all of us a lot about flexibility,” Williams told her crewmates, referring to the Starliner and its impact on station operations. “You adopted Butch and I even though that was not quite the plan. But here we are as part of the family. … We appreciate it.” To Kononenko, she said “Oleg, we’ll miss your hundreds of stories around the dinner table. But I guess that’s what you get for having over 1,000 days in space, you get those stories, right?” She told Chub the station crew will “miss your precision, your professionalism, but I guess that’s what you get when you sign up for your rookie flight (for) over a year in space. And Tracy, we’re going to miss your … organization, and your ability to make order out of chaos. So we thank you, all three of you, for that.” The addition of the Starliner’s crew to the space station roster threw a wrench into a carefully orchestrated sequence of planned Soyuz and SpaceX Crew Dragon flights to and from the station intended to replace the lab’s seven full-time crew members. The official portrait of the International Space Station’s Expedition 72 crew. At the top (from left) are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin, NASA astronaut and space station Commander Suni Williams, and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore. In the middle row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Don Pettit. In the bottom row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Nick Hague. Image: NASA/Bill Stafford and Robert Markowitz NASA originally intended to start the latest crew rotation by launching the next Crew Dragon flight in August, sending Crew 9 commander Zena Cardman, Stephanie Wilson, Hague and Gorbunov to the lab to replace Dominick and his crewmates. But the Crew 9 flight was held up, and the Crew 8 mission extended, while NASA managers debated whether Boeing’s Starliner capsule, launched June 5 on the ship’s first piloted test flight, could safely bring Wilmore and Williams home. Playing it safe, agency managers decided on Aug. 24 to keep the Starliner astronauts on board the station for an extended stay and to bring the Boeing spacecraft back to Earth by remote control. That left the Crew Dragon as the only ship available to take Wilmore and Williams back to Earth. To free up two seats for the Starliner crew, NASA bumped Cardman and Wilson from the Crew 9 roster. In the meantime, four days after the Starliner’s unpiloted return to Earth on Sept. 7, the Russians launched Ovchinin, Vagner and Pettit to replace Kononenko, Chub and Dyson. Hague and Gorbunov are now scheduled for launch Thursday afternoon from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The four Crew 8 fliers — Dominick, Barratt, Epps and Grebenkin — plan to return to Earth around Oct. 4. Hague, Gorbunov, Wilmore and Williams are now expected to come home around Feb. 22 aboard the Crew 9 Dragon.

[mansijadav]

NASA’s Crew-8 Mission Delayed by Severe Florida Weather

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission is currently delayed in returning to Earth. Severe weather in Florida’s splashdown zones has forced this delay. Consecutive hurricanes, Helene and Milton, have caused disruption and danger.

Hurricanes Impacting Return

Hurricane Helene struck Florida two weeks before Hurricane Milton. Helene was massive, with storm surges and winds affecting areas over 500 miles inland. It resulted in over 230 fatalities across several states and caused widespread destruction. Hurricane Milton formed in the Gulf of Mexico on October 5, 2024. It rapidly intensified from a Category 1 to a Category 5 hurricane. This made it the second-most intense Atlantic hurricane recorded. Milton’s peak winds exceeded 253 km/h, creating dangerous sea conditions in the splashdown zone.

SpaceX Crew-8 Mission Details

Crew-8 includes four astronauts: NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. They arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2024. Their mission involved a seven-month scientific expedition. The crew is tasked with returning important research to Earth. The original undocking was scheduled for October 7, 2024. However, due to Hurricane Milton, this was postponed. NASA and SpaceX prioritized safety, waiting for the hurricane to pass.

Current Plans for Undocking

On October 22, 2024, weather forecasts remain uncertain for undocking. NASA and SpaceX are aiming for a possible undocking time of 6:35 am on October 23, 2024, if conditions improve.

Other Astronauts on the ISS

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are also on the ISS. They launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024. Their mission was initially planned for eight days but has been extended due to technical issues. The Starliner spacecraft encountered problems, including helium leaks and issues with its control thrusters. As a result, it had to return without its crew for safety reasons. Williams and Wilmore now expect to spend around 240 days in space, continuing their research aboard the ISS.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

The Crew-8 mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. This initiative aims to transport astronauts to and from the ISS using commercial spacecraft. The program enhances collaboration with private companies, facilitating more frequent access to space. The delays caused by the hurricanes highlight the challenges faced by space missions. Safety remains the top priority for NASA and SpaceX as they navigate these unpredictable weather conditions.

website: popularscientist.com