NASA has successfully carried out the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station in nearly 30 years. The Crew-11 mission returned to Earth earlier than planned after a crew member developed a serious medical condition.
The Dragon Endeavour spacecraft undocked from the ISS on January 15, 2026, at 3:30 am IST. It later splashed down safely near San Diego early on January 15, marking a significant moment for space safety and emergency response planning.
Crew-11 was launched in August and was originally scheduled for a 6-month mission. However, the timeline changed after a medical issue was identified on January 7. Following the incident, NASA decided to bring the entire crew back to Earth together. As a result, a planned spacewalk was cancelled.
NASA confirmed that the astronaut who required medical attention is stable. The space agency has not disclosed the individual’s identity, citing privacy reasons.
All 4 Crew-11 astronauts returned aboard Dragon Endeavour. The crew included Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke from NASA, Kimiya Yui from JAXA, and Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos. Their safe return highlights the role of commercial spacecraft in supporting emergency missions in low Earth orbit.
Following the early return, 3 astronauts remain on board the International Space Station. NASA stated that they are safe and continuing their mission as scheduled, with no impact on station operations.
The event underscores NASA’s ability to respond quickly to medical emergencies in space and reinforces the importance of flexible mission planning. It also marks a rare but critical use of evacuation protocols designed to protect astronaut health during long-duration missions.
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