NASA astronauts depart space station after weather delays
Three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut left the space station on Wednesday, after weeks of delays due to bad weather, including Hurricane Milton.
After weeks of delays due to inclement weather, three astronauts and a cosmonaut left the International Space Station on Wednesday, wrapping up an almost eight-month stint in orbit.
NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin departed the space station at 5:05 p.m. ET, undocking from the orbiting outpost in their SpaceX Dragon capsule.
Their return flight had been delayed multiple times. First, an undocking attempt Oct. 7 was called off because of Hurricane Milton, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 3 storm.
NASA and SpaceX have multiple designated splashdown zones for return flights, but all are located off the coast of Florida.
From left, mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin, pilot Michael Barratt, commander Matthew Dominick and mission specialist Jeanette Epps at Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Fla., on Oct. 12, 2023.SpaceXAfter the hurricane passed, the journey back to Earth was postponed several more times because of unfavorable weather at the splashdown sites, according to NASA. Stormy conditions and choppy seas not only pose problems for the capsule when it splashes down in the water but can also be dangerous for the rescue teams who retrieve the astronauts and their spacecraft.
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