Three NASA astronauts who returned from the International Space Station two weeks ago have revealed they are all in good health after a medical ordeal. The astronauts, Michael Barrett, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps, spoke to reporters at Nasa headquarters about their experience.
According to Nasa, the astronauts were diverted to a Florida hospital as “an abundance of caution” soon after landing on Earth. One of the crew members was briefly detained but released in good health. The medical team is still piecing together what happened, citing privacy laws that prevent further details from being disclosed.
“We’re finding things that we don’t expect sometimes – this was one of those times,” said Barrett, a medical doctor and space medicine expert. “Space flight is still something we don’t fully understand.”
The astronauts discussed their readjustment to life on Earth, including experiencing dizziness and disorientation upon returning from 235 days in space. They also shared stories about the challenges they faced during their return to Earth, including weather-related delays.
Despite the setbacks, the astronauts expressed relief at finally being back home with their families. “It’s rather uncomfortable,” said Dominick, describing sitting down after prolonged periods of weightlessness. “You’re like, are we going home tomorrow? You call your wife, like, hey, we’re coming home tomorrow, and then we’re not, and then we’re coming home, no, next week.”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/nov/08/astronauts-hospital-nasa-international-space-station