ISS returns to full crew capacity after health-related evacuation; new astronauts arrive

The International Space Station (ISS) has returned to full crew capacity following the arrival of four new astronauts on Saturday, replacing colleagues who returned to Earth early due to health concerns.

The astronauts – representing the United States, France and Russia – were delivered to the station by a SpaceX launch from Cape Canaveral the previous day.

Last month’s medical evacuation marked NASA’s first in 65 years of human spaceflight. One of four astronauts sent to the ISS last summer suffered a serious health issue, prompting an early return. This left just three crew members aboard – one American and two Russians – forcing NASA to pause spacewalks and reduce research activities.

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The new crew, set to spend eight to nine months aboard the station, includes NASA’s Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, France’s Sophie Adenot, and Russia’s Andrei Fedyaev. Meir, a marine biologist, and Fedyaev, a former military pilot, are returning to the station, while Adenot, a military helicopter pilot, becomes only the second French woman in space. Hathaway is a captain in the U.S. Navy.

“Bonjour!” Adenot called out as the capsule docked 277 miles (446 kilometres) above Earth. Hours later, the hatches opened and the seven astronauts on board greeted each other with hugs and high-fives. “Let’s get rolling,” Meir said.

NASA has declined to disclose the identity of the astronaut who fell ill on 7 January or provide details about the condition, citing medical privacy. The affected astronaut and three others returned to Earth more than a month ahead of schedule, spending their first night back at a hospital before returning to Houston.

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The space agency confirmed that preflight medical checks for the replacement crew remained unchanged.