CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The International Space Station returned to full operations Saturday as four new astronauts arrived to replace colleagues who evacuated early due to health concerns.
SpaceX launched American, French and Russian astronauts from Cape Canaveral and returned them to Earth a day later.
Last month’s medical evacuation was the first in NASA’s 65 years of manned spaceflight. One of four astronauts launched by SpaceX last summer developed what officials said was a serious health problem, prompting a hasty return. That leaves just three astronauts — one American and two Russians — to keep the place running, prompting NASA to suspend spacewalks and cut back on research.
NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Ardnott and Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev will stay for eight to nine months. Marine biologist Meir and former military pilot Fedyaev previously lived there. During her first visit to the space station in 2019, Meir participated in the first all-female spacewalk.
Adeno, a military helicopter pilot, was the second French woman to fly in space. Hathaway is a captain in the United States Navy.
“Hello!” Adenot called as the capsule docked with the space station 277 miles (446 kilometers) above the ground. Mel added: “It’s great to come on board and we’re ready to get to work.”
NASA has declined to identify the astronaut who fell ill in orbit on January 7 or explain what happened, citing medical privacy. The ailing astronaut and three others returned to Earth more than a month ahead of schedule. They spent their first night back on Earth in the hospital and then returned to Houston.
The space agency said it would not change the preflight medical exams for replacement crew members.
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