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NASA astronaut from Syracuse heads back to Earth after 7 months in space

WRVO | By Ava Pukatch
Published October 23, 2024 at 7:09 PM EDT
(June 17, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps works on the Materials Science Laboratory (MSL), a component of the Destiny laboratory module's Materials Science Research Rack. The MSL is a research facility used to discover new applications for existing materials and new or improved materials.
NASA
(June 17, 2024) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps works on the Materials Science Laboratory (MSL), a component of the Destiny laboratory module's Materials Science Research Rack. The MSL is a research facility used to discover new applications for existing materials and new or improved materials.

A NASA Astronaut from Syracuse, Jeanette Epps, is headed back to Earth after spending more than seven months in space. The NASA SpaceX Crew-8 mission undocked from the International Space Station at 5:05 p.m. on Wednesday.

Epps, who is originally from Syracuse, was part of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission that blasted into space back in March. The crew of four left Earth on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

iss071e006723 (April 10, 2024) --- Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps smiles for a portrait abaord the International Space Station's Columbus laboratory module. She had finished conducting a HAM radio session with Italian students who asked Epps several questions about living and working in space.
(April 10, 2024) --- Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps smiles for a portrait abaord the International Space Station's Columbus laboratory module. She had finished conducting a HAM radio session with Italian students who asked Epps several questions about living and working in space.
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NASA
iss071e006723 (April 10, 2024) --- Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps smiles for a portrait abaord the International Space Station's Columbus laboratory module. She had finished conducting a HAM radio session with Italian students who asked Epps several questions about living and working in space.
(March 14, 2024) --- Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps prepares tubes to collect samples from the crew for the Immunity Assay investigation. Immunity Assay looks at the impact of spaceflight on cellular immune functions in blood samples, tests that could only previously be conducted on Earth.
NASA
(March 14, 2024) --- Expedition 70 Flight Engineer and NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps prepares tubes to collect samples from the crew for the Immunity Assay investigation. Immunity Assay looks at the impact of spaceflight on cellular immune functions in blood samples, tests that could only previously be conducted on Earth.

During her time in space, Epps and the crew conducted scientific research like surveying for antibiotic-resistant organisms, studying how spaceflight affects immune function and bioprinting human tissues.

Hurricane Milton and other unfavorable weather conditions had delayed the Crew-8 astronauts' return to Earth.

Targeted splashdown is set for approximately 3:29 a.m. Friday off the coast of Florida. Follow Dragon's progress back to Earth here.

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Ava Pukatch
Ava Pukatch joined the WRVO news team in September 2022. She previously reported for WCHL in Chapel Hill, NC and earned a degree in Journalism and Media from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC, Ava was a Stembler Scholar and a reporter and producer for the award-winning UNC Hussman broadcast Carolina Connection. In her free time, Ava enjoys theatre, coffee and cheering on Tar Heel sports. Find her on Twitter @apukatch.
See stories by Ava Pukatch