New Delhi: The forecast conditions has improved for the departure of the SpaceX Crew 8 Dragon from the International Space Station. NASA and SpaceX originally planned to undock the Crew 8 spaceship from the International Space Station on 10 October, but the Category Five Hurricane Milton forced delays in the operations. Weather conditions in the multiple splashdown zones off the coast of Florida did not turn favourable for the return of the four astronauts for a week. The latest forecast indicates that the conditions are improving, with NASA looking to undock the spaceship at 21:05 hours EDT on 21 October, with the earliest spashdown opportunity around 12:55 PM EDT on 22 October.
NASA will take a final call on the departer at 9:00 hours EDT on 21 October. Unfavourable weather conditions have repeatedly pushed the launch to 13, 18 and 20 October. Three NASA astronauts, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barratt and Jeanette Epps will be returning on the SpaceX Crew 8 Dragon, along with Roscosmos Cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. The crew of four have been prepared to depart from the International Space Station for over a week now, and have been helping out with operations on the orbital platform, in station maintenance activities and conducting scientific experiments.
The Crew 8 Dragon is no longer a lifeboat
Before the arrival of the Crew 9 Dragon on 30 September, the Crew 8 Dragon was outfitted as the emergency life boat for Boeing Starliner crew members Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. The SpaceX Crew Shuttle can actually accomodate a crew of six in a pinch, a contingency that NASA has prepared twice for, but never actually used. The Crew 8 Dragon was outfitted with the extra seats before the undocking of the Boeing Starliner, and were then subsequently removed after the docking of the Crew 9 Dragon. Williams and Wilmore have now completely moved to the Crew 9 Dragon, which is now both their primary and emergency ride home.
