NASA Crew-11 astronauts returning early from ISS after medical issue

NASA introduced plans Thursday to carry Crew-11 house from the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) forward of schedule after a crew member skilled a medical subject. NASA careworn that the astronaut is secure and that the transfer is a precaution, not an emergency evacuation.

The early return marks an uncommon however managed transfer by NASA, timed to attenuate disruption to the house station’s operations.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman mentioned the choice adopted session with company management and medical officers.

“In these efforts, together with the 25 years of steady human presence aboard the Worldwide Area Station, the well being and well-being of our astronauts is and all the time can be our high precedence,” he mentioned. “Yesterday, January 7, a single crew member on board the station skilled a medical scenario and is now secure.

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The Worldwide Area Station as seen from the NASA Area Shuttle Endeavor after the station and shuttle started relative separation after undocking in 2011. (NASA through Getty Pictures)

“After discussions with Chief Well being and Medical Officer Dr. James Polk and company management, I’ve decided that it’s in the very best pursuits of our astronauts to return Crew-11 previous to their scheduled departure within the coming days,” Isaacman added.

“The Dragon Endeavor spacecraft will depart the Worldwide Area Station together with Commander Zena Cardman, Pilot Mike Fincke, Kimia Yui of JAXA and Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos and return them safely to Earth.”

Isaacman mentioned the company expects to offer an replace on the anticipated timeline for disconnection and re-entry inside the subsequent 48 hours.

Over the previous 5 months, Crew-11 has accomplished most of its mission targets, supporting house station operations and conducting scientific analysis.

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NASA has introduced plans to return Crew-11 from the ISS forward of schedule after a medical subject, stressing that the astronaut is secure and the transfer is a precaution. (NASA YouTube)

NASA mentioned Crew-12 will launch in mid-February, with the company evaluating whether or not an earlier launch is feasible, whereas NASA astronaut Chris Williams will stay aboard the station to keep up the U.S. presence and help ongoing operations.

Affiliate Administrator Amit Kshatriya mentioned flight controllers and astronauts adopted established procedures and known as the response a textbook instance of NASA’s coaching for sudden occasions.

“Each dialogue over the previous 24 hours, as we have now assessed the scenario, crew security has all the time remained our high precedence,” Kshatriya mentioned. “We by no means take shortcuts. We by no means compromise with regards to defending our astronauts.”

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NASA SpaceX Crew-11 crew members Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos, left; pilot Mike Fincke from the US; US Commander Zena Cardman; and mission specialist Kimiya Yui of Japan’s JAXA stand outdoors the Operations and Checkout Constructing on the Kennedy Area Heart for transport to Launch Complicated 39-A in Cape Canaveral, Florida, August 1, 2025. (Reuters/Steve Nesius)

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Polk mentioned the choice was pushed by limitations in conducting a full diagnostic examine aboard the house station.

Polk mentioned the astronaut is secure, however diagnostic uncertainty in microgravity prompted NASA to make the error of returning the crew member to Earth.

“As a result of the astronaut is completely secure, it’s not an emergent evacuation. We aren’t instantly disembarking and taking the astronaut down,” Polk mentioned. “However it leaves out that lingering threat and the lingering query of what that analysis is. And so we all the time err on the facet of the astronaut’s well being and well-being.”

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The announcement comes as members of Crew-11 had been scheduled to embark on a 6.5-hour spacewalk on Thursday to put in {hardware} outdoors the ISS.

Astronauts usually keep aboard the ISS for six to eight months and are geared up with primary medical tools and medication in case of emergency.

The crew launched from Florida in August and was scheduled to return to Earth in Might.

Spacewalks are very strenuous and require months of coaching.

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Final yr, NASA canceled a deliberate spacewalk after an astronaut reportedly skilled “house swimsuit discomfort.” In 2021, American astronaut Mark Vande Hei’s spacewalk was canceled as a result of a pinched nerve.

Fox Information Digital’s Julia Bonavita contributed to this report.