Fresh Crew of Four Astronauts Joins International Space Station, Taking Over NASA Duties

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The International Space Station (ISS) regained its full operational capacity on Saturday with the arrival of four new astronauts. These newcomers are stepping in to fill the void left by their predecessors, who had to leave prematurely due to health concerns.

SpaceX successfully transported a team of astronauts from the U.S., France, and Russia to the ISS one day after their departure from Cape Canaveral.

In an unprecedented event last month, NASA conducted its first medical evacuation in 65 years of human space exploration. One of the astronauts launched by SpaceX last summer faced a significant health issue, necessitating an unexpected return to Earth. This left the space station with only three crew members—one American and two Russians—leading NASA to suspend spacewalks and scale back research activities.

The new crew, set to reside on the station for eight to nine months, includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, French astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev. Meir, a marine biologist, and Fedyaev, a retired military pilot, are familiar faces on the ISS. Meir made history during her 2019 mission by participating in the first all-female spacewalk.

Adenot, a skilled military helicopter pilot, marks a significant milestone as the second French woman to venture into space. Joining her is Hathaway, a captain in the U.S. Navy, bringing his expertise to the international team.

“Bonjour!” Adenot called out once the capsule docked to the space station 277 miles (446 kilometers) up.

A couple of hours later, the hatches swung open and the seven space travelers hugged and exchanged exuberant high-fives. “Let’s get rolling,” Meir said.

NASA has refused to divulge the identity of the astronaut who fell ill in orbit on Jan. 7 or explain what happened, citing medical privacy. The ailing astronaut and three others returned to Earth more than a month sooner than planned. They spent their first night back on Earth at the hospital before returning to Houston.

The space agency said it did not alter its preflight medical checks for their replacements.

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