NASA carried out its first medical evacuation from orbit returning the ailing astronaut to Earth in a mission testing the agency’s emergency procedures and underlining the growing intricacy of human spaceflight.
He was brought back after the doctors identified a medical issue that could not be managed safely on the International Space Station.
According to NASA, this decision was made after consultations between ground based flight surgeons and the orbiting crew prioritizing the health of the astronaut over mission schedules.
The evacuation marks a milestone for the US space agency. While astronauts have returned early from missions this is the first time NASA has formally described a return as a medical evacuation.
It reflects both the longer durations crews now spend in space and the increasing age and diversity of astronauts flying to orbit.
According to NASA the return used an already docked crew spacecraft allowing a rapid but controlled departure from the station.
The capsule landed safely and the astronaut was then transferred to medical care for further assessment.
NASA hasn’t provided details of the condition citing medical privacy but said the astronaut is expected to recover.
The International Space Station is constantly manned and equipped to deal with various health problems from minor injuries to serious illnesses.
The astronauts are provided with comprehensive health care and facilities for diagnosis and treatment are available on the station.
Still there are some health problems which due to the nature of microgravity are not adequately treated there, especially when some sort of monitoring is involved.
The matter arises at a critical time for the space travel industry. NASA is increasingly turning to commercial spacecraft for transporting its astronauts to and from orbit.
The agency has also announced plans for extended space missions to the moon and Mars.
These plans have sparked concerns about adequate medical preparedness for any emergency situations when evacuations to Earth will not be possible.
Specialists in space medicine in Australia have paid very close attention to this development.
Australia does send astronauts to the ISS but contributes to international missions in terms of research and technology.
Findings from this evacuation will inform future talks on space health standards insurance during space missions as well as space vessel design.
In terms of policies, there could be evaluations of medical screening protocols in relation to long duration missions.
As missions become longer, an individual will have more chances of being affected by missions that entail exposure to radiation, bone loss or cardiac issues.
This factor becomes important when governments spend billions of dollars in space missions.
In fact, as the regularity and scope of human exploration of space increase the return of an ill astronaut to home soil is a potent reminder that, despite all the advancements made space is still a challenging and unpredictable environment.
