The Crew-8 mission includes NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, whose return was initially scheduled for the summer but was extended to assist with Boeing's failed crewed test flight.

During their extended stay aboard the ISS, the Crew-8 astronauts have conducted hundreds of scientific experiments.

NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free emphasized the importance of the Crew-8 mission for understanding human behavior in space, which is critical for future lunar exploration.

The Crew-8 mission's undocking has been postponed due to poor weather conditions, now scheduled for no earlier than 9:05 p.m. EDT on Tuesday.

The Florida region has experienced weeks of severe weather, including hurricanes and nor'easter-like conditions, leading to rough seas and coastal flooding.

Planned landing attempts were rescheduled following the hurricane due to continued rough seas and high winds.

The SpaceX Crew-8 mission crew is currently awaiting suitable weather conditions for the Dragon capsule's splashdown, which has faced multiple delays due to adverse weather.

Hurricane Milton, which impacted Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 3 storm, has caused further delays in planned landing attempts.

NASA announced that the earliest possible splashdown off the Florida coast will not occur before October 22, primarily due to rough seas and windy conditions.

If weather conditions improve, the earliest splashdown opportunity for the Crew-8 mission could be around 12:55 p.m. on Tuesday near Panama City, Florida.

The hurricane passed over the Kennedy Space Center, causing minor damage but not affecting operations at the International Space Station (ISS).

Despite the hurricane, the ISS currently hosts 11 crew members and has seen no operational disruptions.