Astronauts say space station’s ultrasound machine was critical during medical crisis
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronauts was evacuated from last week International Space Station They say a portable ultrasound machine is “super convenient” during a medical crisis.
In their first public appearance since returning to Earth, the four astronauts refused Wednesday to say which of them needed medical attention and for what reason. This was NASA’s first medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight.
NASA’s Mike Fincke said the crew was using the onboard ultrasound machine when the medical problem arose on Jan. 7, a day before the planned spacewalk was abruptly canceled. Astronauts had already used the device a lot to routinely check for changes in their bodies while living in weightlessness; “Therefore, when we faced this emergency, the ultrasound machine came in very handy.”
It was so useful that Fincke said all future space flights should have one. “It really helped,” he said.
“Of course, we didn’t have any other large machines that we had on planet Earth,” he added. “We try to make sure before we fly that everyone is really not too prone to surprises. But sometimes things happen and surprises happen, and the team was ready…preparation was key.”
NASA’s Zena Cardman, who led the crew’s early return flight with SpaceX, said the space station was set up as well as possible for medical emergencies. He said NASA “made all the right decisions” by canceling what would have been the first spacewalk and prioritizing the well-being of the crew.
Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui said he was surprised at how well pre-flight training worked in dealing with health problems.
“We can handle any difficult situation,” Yui said. “This is actually a very, very good experience for the future of human spaceflight.”
They were joined by Russia’s Oleg Platonov on what turned out to be a 5 1/2-month mission, less than a month ahead of schedule. They set off from Florida last August and landed in the Pacific off the coast of San Diego last week.
Welcoming them back in Houston were the reserves, who were not expected to start until mid-February. NASA and SpaceX are working to advance the flight.
“We were hoping to embrace them in space, but on Earth we embraced them,” Fincke said.
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