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NASA Schedules Astronauts’ Early Departure from ISS Amid Medical Concerns

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NASA has announced plans to return four astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) earlier than initially scheduled due to a crew member’s health issue encountered in orbit.

According to a statement released by NASA late Friday, the undocking from the ISS is set to take place by 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, weather permitting at the designated splashdown site off California’s coast.

This marks the first occasion in the 25-year history of the ISS that a mission has been interrupted due to a medical incident in space.

While NASA confirmed a medical issue arose earlier this week, specific details regarding the crew member’s condition or identity have not been disclosed, citing medical privacy regulations.

During a news conference on Thursday, agency officials reassured that the situation is stable, and the decision for early departure is a precautionary measure rather than an emergency evacuation.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated, “After consulting with Chief Medical Officer Dr. J.D. Polk and agency leaders, we concluded that it’s best for the astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of schedule.”

The returning crew includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Finke, Japanese astronaut Kamiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Crew-11 was initially slated to reach the ISS in early August and remain in the laboratory until late February.

The astronauts will return in the same SpaceX Dragon capsule that transported them to the ISS. If all goes as planned, undocking will occur Wednesday night, with an expected splashdown in the Pacific Ocean around 3:40 a.m. Thursday.

NASA and SpaceX will provide further updates on the precise landing time and location as it gets closer to the undocking.

Post Crew-11’s departure, NASA will maintain one astronaut aboard the ISS to oversee U.S. scientific experiments and operations. Flight engineer Chris Williams launched aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft on November 27th and will be joined by Russian cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev.

The next crew is scheduled to launch to the ISS in mid-February, with NASA considering enhancements to this mission, known as Crew-12.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

NASA schedules live coverage of SpaceX Dragon departure from space station on Wednesday

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The SpaceX Dragon Cargo Mission

The SpaceX Dragon cargo ship approaches the International Space Station while orbiting 461 miles above Indonesia’s sub-sea coastline on the company’s 29th commercial resupply mission to NASA. Credit: NASA

After a series of delays due to bad weather, NASA and SpaceX are currently targeting until 5:05 p.m. EST Wednesday, Dec. 20, for the company’s 29th Dragon Commercial Supply Service Mission undocking from the International Space Station (ISS). The integrated team continues to assess weather conditions as the cold front passes through the splashdown zone off the coast of Florida to determine optimal opportunities for autonomous shore departure. Coverage of Wednesday’s Dragon departure begins at 4:45 p.m. on the NASA+ streaming service, NASA app, NASA Television, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through various platforms including social media. After re-entering the atmosphere, the spacecraft will fly off the coast of Florida, but the event will not be broadcast on NASA TV.

The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft, developed by SpaceX, represents a major advancement in commercial spaceflight. The spacecraft is designed to transport cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and return cargo to Earth. The Dragon spaceship has two versions: Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon (Dragon 2). Cargo Dragon, in particular, is an unmanned vehicle that plays a key role in resupply missions. The Dragon spacecraft is known for its ability to carry critical payloads, with a pressurized capsule for sensitive scientific experiments and an unpressurized “trunk” for additional cargo. It is one of the few spacecraft capable of returning to Earth large amounts of cargo essential for ISS research and experiments. Due to Dragon’s versatility and reusability, it plays a critical role in maintaining a continuous flow of supplies and scientific research within the ISS.

The International Space Station (ISS) is a marvel of modern space technology and international cooperation. As the Space Environment Research Institute, scientific research is conducted in areas such as astrobiology, astronomy, meteorology, and physics. The ISS is a joint project with NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). The ISS, which orbits the Earth approximately every 90 minutes, serves as a microgravity and space environment laboratory where crew members conduct experiments in fields such as biology, human biology, physics, astronomy, and meteorology. The space station is also suitable for testing spacecraft systems and equipment needed for long-term missions to and from the moon and Mars. The ISS has been continuously occupied since November 2000 and represents the pinnacle of human achievement, both in terms of international cooperation and humanity’s continued presence in space.


Source: scitechdaily.com