Overview

• The Crew-8 mission, consisting of three NASA astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut, splashed down near Pensacola, Florida, after an extended 235-day stay on the ISS.
• Delays were caused by technical issues with Boeing's Starliner and Hurricane Milton, making this the longest crewed SpaceX mission to date.
• NASA's reliance on SpaceX has increased due to recurring problems with Boeing's Starliner, which returned empty from a recent test flight.
• Stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore remain on the ISS, with their return postponed to February 2025 due to safety concerns.
• SpaceX plans to move future splashdowns to the California coast in 2025 to improve weather conditions and reentry safety.