NASA and SpaceX will bring four Crew‑11 astronauts back to Earth earlier than planned after an unexpected medical concern involving one crewmember aboard the ISS. The individual is not being identified and is reported stable; NASA says the move is precautionary rather than an emergency. Dragon Endeavour is set to undock Jan. 14 at 5:05 p.m. ET and splash down off California on Jan. 15 at about 3:40 a.m. ET. Remaining ISS crew will complete their mission and await Crew‑12, due to launch in February.
NASA, SpaceX Bring Four Crew‑11 Astronauts Home Early After On‑Board Medical Concern — First ISS Medical Evacuation
Crew-11 astronauts in the International Space Station. (NASA)
NASA and SpaceX announced that four astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will return to Earth earlier than planned following an unexpected medical concern involving one crew member.
On Jan. 8, NASA said it would cut the SpaceX Crew‑11 mission short because of a “medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory.” The affected crewmember has not been identified in keeping with medical privacy rules; NASA said the individual is in stable condition.
NASA Chief Medical Officer James Polk emphasized the decision was precautionary. “It’s not an emergent evacuation,” he said at a news conference. “But we are erring on the side of caution for the crew member and in their best interest.”
The four astronauts — NASA’s Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov — are scheduled to depart the ISS aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule on Jan. 14 at 5:05 p.m. ET and are expected to splash down off the coast of California on Jan. 15 at approximately 3:40 a.m. ET.
The International Space Station. (NASA)
According to an updated mission overview, Dragon will perform a series of departure burns to move away from the station, conduct multiple orbit‑lowering maneuvers, jettison its trunk, and re‑enter Earth’s atmosphere for splashdown. NASA and SpaceX recovery teams will retrieve the capsule and crew from the Pacific Ocean and return them to California, where more extensive medical diagnostics and care are available.
Historic First: NASA described the operation as the first‑ever medical evacuation of astronauts from the ISS. Meanwhile, Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud‑Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev and NASA astronaut Chris Williams will remain on the station to complete their six‑month mission, which began in November.
Those remaining aboard will await the arrival of the next crew, SpaceX Crew‑12, which is scheduled to launch in February. Crew‑12 includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev for a planned nine‑month research mission.
In a LinkedIn post, outgoing mission commander Mike Fincke said the crew is doing well and that the early return was a deliberate, carefully considered decision to ensure the affected crewmember receives full diagnostic care on the ground. “First and foremost, we are all OK. Everyone on board is stable, safe, and well cared for,” Fincke wrote, adding that the choice was “the right call, even if it’s a bit bittersweet.”
“This photo was taken as we prepared our spacesuits for return — a normal, methodical step in getting ready to come home, and a reminder that this decision was made calmly and carefully, with people at the center.” — Mike Fincke
Fincke also formally handed command of the ISS to Sergey Kud‑Sverchkov during a change‑of‑command ceremony. NASA and international partners will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
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