Four Astronauts begin 8 months mission, bringing ISS back to full strength

The International Space Station (ISS) has returned to full operational strength with the arrival of four new astronauts, restoring normal crew levels after a rare medical evacuation forced several crew members to return to Earth earlier than planned.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft docked with the ISS on Saturday, a day after lifting off from Cape Canaveral, carrying astronauts from the United States, France and Russia . Prior to their arrival, only three astronauts, one American and two Russians were aboard the station following the emergency return of four crew members last month. With the addition of the new arrivals, the ISS crew strength has now risen to seven astronauts , which is the station’s standard operating capacity.

The medical evacuation marked NASA’s first in 65 years of human spaceflight . One astronaut who launched aboard SpaceX last summer reportedly developed a serious medical condition in orbit on January 7 , prompting officials to order an early return to Earth for the entire crew. Their mission ended more than a month ahead of schedule.

During the period of reduced staffing, NASA paused spacewalks and scaled back scientific research , concentrating instead on essential maintenance and safety operations aboard the orbiting laboratory.

The newly arrived astronauts will spend eight to nine months aboard the ISS. The team includes Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway of NASA, Sophie Adenot of France, and Andrei Fedyaev of Russia.

Meir , a marine biologist and veteran astronaut, previously lived aboard the ISS in 2019 and took part in the world’s first all-female spacewalk . Hathaway is a captain in the US Navy and is beginning his first long-duration mission on the station. Adenot, a military helicopter pilot , becomes only the second French woman to travel to space . Fedyaev, a former military pilot , is returning to orbit after a previous space mission.

NASA has declined to identify the astronaut who became ill or disclose details of the condition, citing medical privacy rules . The affected astronaut and three crewmates spent their first night back on Earth in hospital care before returning to Houston.

The space agency said it did not change its preflight medical screening procedures for the replacement crew, expressing confidence in existing safety protocols.

With the ISS now back to full staffing, normal scientific research and routine spacewalks are expected to resume in the coming weeks.