Space.com has a post they've been updating as the day goes by with the latest news on the ISS astronaut medical evacuation. The preparations for the Crew Dragon have begun, and everything takes place between this Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning or Jan. 14 and 15. For convenience (or laziness), I copied the schedule they've printed and just posted it as graphic.
"Mission managers continue monitoring conditions in the recovery area, as undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors," NASA wrote in an update. "NASA and SpaceX will select a specific splashdown time and location closer to the Crew-11 spacecraft undocking."
The return will be livestreamed - as it generally is - but not continually through the 5PM undocking and departure until 2:15 AM beginning of coverage.
Crew-11: left to right: Russia's Oleg Platonov, NASA's Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and Japan's Kimiya Yui on the right. (Image: © SpaceX)
Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman are the two who were scheduled for the Jan. 8 Spacewalk that was cancelled and led to the station evacuation, so one of those two is the one with the condition that caused the mission evacuation.
Seems reasonable. It's SpaceX, so, well, boring is good. As to the reason, I wonder if the female astronaut has popped positive for a pregnancy, or is showing symptoms thereof? Which is definitely a reason to deorbit her as the ISS isn't the best radiation environment for a pregnancy or a fetus. Not to mention the unknown issues with low-to-no gravity and pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteI too thought the reason is pregnancy. The moral considerations of subjecting a fetus to that environment seals it, mother must be deorbited.
ReplyDeleteLike a dummy I typed moral. I meant ethical.
DeletePregnancy explains the lack of information on who and what. The adherence to privacy is, in fact, mission critical per NASA directives.
DeleteYup. I was re-reading the post 2 days ago about the upcoming deorbit and it hit me. An appendicitis attack or gall bladder or other 'normal' emergency would be within normal parameters and be announced. A pregnancy or, God forbid, a stroke or heart attack would be one of those privacy things. And if it was a stroke or heart attack or other 'big' emergency, then a snap-kick emergency deorbit Right-the-Frack-NOW!!! would have happened.
DeleteThus, privacy and lots of unknown issues and... pregnancy comes to mind. Will be interesting but not life-critical to find out.
I'm betting they're happy that Mr. Musk's company is involved.
ReplyDeleteI've been wondering if it isn't something like Measles, etc........
ReplyDeleteAs someone pointed out, the doctors are obligated by HIPAA to not say anything so nobody that has official standing and can talk with the doctors are likely to say anything, either.
DeleteI know nothing about what the astronaut corps goes through to qualify for the job, just the mythology of supermen/test pilot astronauts back in '60s. I just imagine the protocols would have all astronauts vaccinated against pretty much everything, reducing the chances of something like measles. If nothing else, I'd expect them to protect that they're working in a really high status job and not do things that might compromise their job. It also might be that they may be doing this as a surprise test of the crew's ability to respond and evacuate the ISS in a timely manner. Since they were expecting to do it about once every three years, but have never done it once.
One of the claimed advantages of the X 38 and the various other space planes was that you could return without wearing a pressure suit, prone, even on a gurney, and onto a runway with a hospital nearby.
ReplyDeleteSierra Space should bring that up.