One unidentified astronaut hospitalized after return to Earth today
Though NASA has released very little information, including the indentity of the astronaut, one of the four crew who were brought back to Earth early today has ended up in the hospital.
NASA said Friday one its astronauts is in a hospital in Florida for medical observation after a “normal” predawn splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico inside a SpaceX capsule.
The mission’s other three crew members were cleared to return to their home base at Johnson Space Center in Houston after their own medical evaluations, NASA said.
The hospitalized astronaut “is in stable condition and under observation as a precautionary measure,” a NASA spokesperson said in a statement. The agency did not identify the astronaut or provide any more details about their condition, citing medical privacy protections.
That the other three astronauts returned to their home base at Johnson in Houston strongly suggests the hospitalized astronaut is the one Russian, Alexander Grebenkin, Normally Russians head back to Russia relatively quick after landing.
This remains speculation. We will have to wait for more information.
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Though NASA has released very little information, including the indentity of the astronaut, one of the four crew who were brought back to Earth early today has ended up in the hospital.
NASA said Friday one its astronauts is in a hospital in Florida for medical observation after a “normal” predawn splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico inside a SpaceX capsule.
The mission’s other three crew members were cleared to return to their home base at Johnson Space Center in Houston after their own medical evaluations, NASA said.
The hospitalized astronaut “is in stable condition and under observation as a precautionary measure,” a NASA spokesperson said in a statement. The agency did not identify the astronaut or provide any more details about their condition, citing medical privacy protections.
That the other three astronauts returned to their home base at Johnson in Houston strongly suggests the hospitalized astronaut is the one Russian, Alexander Grebenkin, Normally Russians head back to Russia relatively quick after landing.
This remains speculation. We will have to wait for more information.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Assuming there’s an actual medical problem, it wouldn’t appear to be anything contagious or the whole crew would presumably have been quarantined. If it turns out to be the Russian who is in the hospital, perhaps it will also turn out that his “illnesss” is that he’s sick of Russia and wants to defect.
My money is on the crew member acquiring a bout of seasickness. Capsules shaped like that will rock and roll robustly in even mildly choppy water. My hope is it’s/was something simple like that.
You might have acknowledged my heads-up, but that’s okay. Hope it’s not too serious.
Always a risk for medical difficulties after a long term in microgravity, and this crew spent more than the usual term by a few weeks.
But as you say, it’s speculation. Astronaut privacy does make this sticky, and if it *is* the Russian, that would make it a whole lot stickier, for obvious reasons.
I read another speculation that the crewman in question was Astronaut Epps. I watched the capsule debarkation on the Recovery Ship and she looked the most shaky, tipping over once as they stood her up to get on the gurney.
As everyone says, don’t know for sure, but in any case wishing all four of Crew 8 all the best on their return home to Earth.
Richard M: My readers are making a lot of wild speculations, but let’s use Occam’s Razor. When astronauts return from six-plus month long missions, they are very weak. Often they cannot walk unaided.
It could simply be that he had a bad reaction to returning to Earth, and needed a few days of IV and recovery. This has happened before.
Patrick Underwood: You have my apologies. I always try to give credit where credit is due, but this time I forgot.
Minor edit in title: “after return to Earth…”
Andi: Fixed, along with another typo in the first line. Thanks.
Not to add to the speculation, but can you imagine how if it was the Russian, and the “emergency” was for the purpose of defection, how it would put NASA in a terrible bind?!
Roscosmos posted a photo of Grebenkin on Telegram saying he was fine. Medical issues after an extended on-orbit stay are not unheard of. The return to 1G after 6+ months is challenging for any astronaut/cosmonaut.
Now, is it just me, or have any of you noticed an uptick of anti-space articles beyond the usual poison pens?
Jeff, like this? (Meet the depressed transcript)
KRISTEN WELKER:
“Senator, finally, I have to ask you about some developments related to Elon Musk. The Wall Street Journal reporting this week that Musk is, of course, a major government contractor, someone who has security clearance that gives him access to highly classified information, has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin for the past two years. My question for you, is it appropriate for Elon Musk, a Trump supporter, to have these secret contacts with Vladimir Putin, and what, if anything, do you think the Biden administration can and should do about it?”
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS:
“No, I don’t think it’s appropriate. Look, Musk is a very smart, aggressive guy. He is the wealthiest person in the world. And what really interests me is, if, God forbid, Trump would win, whether it would be Elon Musk running the government and Trump working for him, or the other way around. But the idea that you have somebody like Musk who has massive amounts of federal contracts, campaigning hard, putting huge amounts of money into Trump’s campaign – man, if there’s ever been a conflict of interest, that’s it.“
https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/meet-press-october-27-2024-n1310907
I would point out the irony of the guy who loves Russia so much that he takes his new bride there for a honeymoon in the most beautiful place on earth? He loves Cuba equally as well.
“access to highly classified information”
He’s not like Joe Biden who access his information, takes it home, and sells it to China and other nations then leaves it in his garage or in the trunk of his Corvette…
Elon musk is classified in his physical person! the classified information comes out of his brain which generates it! Accessing Russian technology to enhance his capabilities is a threat to the liberals?
It makes you want to ask, who is Elon musk‘s friend and who is his enemy?
The last thing he says is what it all boils down to…
“the idea that you have somebody like Musk who has massive amounts of federal contracts, campaigning hard, putting huge amounts of money into Trump’s campaign – man, if there’s ever been a conflict of interest, that’s it.”
Conflict of who’s interest? Does his party have a lock on every billionaire? Or are they all afraid of them and musk is going to ruin a great thing?
Zuckerberg is keeping a low profile, Jeff Bezos won’t let The Washington post duck Camola, Gates has donated $50 million to Camola but only after European Union European Union indicted him…
You can almost picture Bernie Sanders kicking and hitting the floor yelling it’s not fair it’s not fair. Our new world order and economic forum will not tolerate this! How dare they reset the great reset? We control all media outlets, we tell them what and how to think, how dare they reject us?
Max;
Good stuff!
Max,
Yes, good stuff. I am reporting on this new full court press against Musk today, and will use these and other quotes. I also may quote your last paragraph, unless you object.
No objection, although I am embarrassed I didn’t proofread before posting. I’ve been at work since 5 AM and had a moment to scan the news before having to operate my equipment.
Elon musk is getting a lot of replay the national radio media. The other quote that went viral was “abortion after the baby is viable outside the womb is murder!”
That strikes at the heart of Kamala’s campaign. The denial of a absolute right to sacrifice their children. (Then eventually, your children) He’s called her bluff, apparently he has enough aces up his sleeve, or he doesn’t care anymore… in for a penny, in for a pound (or 40 billion) What else can they do to him? he’s so public with a great argument followed up by real results that they could never win in the public arena.
As one guy said this morning, trumps fiddle might be out of tune but it plays all the notes correctly… Unlike Kamala Harris who has only one string on her fiddle without a bow… She’s playing it with her teeth! Making mouth noises Calling it a masterpiece.
Speaking of Kamala, she’s been referring people to her new website which says nothing! It’s appears to be written by Computer AI.
Everyone should know it was space plague.
Wild speculation, you say? I don’t think so.