The mission marked SpaceX’s longest human spaceflight to date.
On Friday, three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut returned to Earth after nearly eight months on the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the crew splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida after a 30-hour journey.
The Crew-8 mission, operated by NASA, faced several return delays. Initially scheduled to land two weeks earlier, the crew’s arrival was postponed due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton and adverse weather conditions.
Aboard the Dragon capsule were Americans Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebjonkin. During their 235 days on the ISS, they conducted about 200 scientific experiments, including studies on stem cells and plant growth. They also tested leg pressure cuffs designed to prevent astronauts from experiencing certain health issues.
Originally, Crew-8 was planned to conclude in August, following the typical six-month mission duration. However, delays were triggered by technical problems with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, NASA’s backup for the Dragon capsule in its commercial missions.
In addition to being SpaceX’s longest crewed mission, the Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule set a new record with a total of 701 days in orbit.
Due to Starliner’s unanticipated technical issues, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will remain on the ISS until February 2025. They arrived in June, initially planning only an eight-day mission, but now face an extended stay due to these unforeseen delays.
