NASA astronauts return: SpaceX prepares to return four crew from ISS to Earth after medical emergency - when will they begin journey home?
Crew-11 astronauts will return to Earth within days after a medical emergency aboard the International Space Station.
It marks the first time in the station’s 25-year history that a mission has been cut short for health reasons. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Thursday that a single crew member experienced a medical situation aboard the station on 7 January and is now stable.
However, after consultations with medical and agency leadership, he ordered the early return of the crew. "For over 60 years, NASA has set the standard for safety and security in crewed space flight," Isaacman said during a news conference Thursday. "The health and the well-being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority."
Isaacman said the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft would bring Crew-11 back to Earth within the coming days, ahead of their planned return later this year. The crew arrived at the ISS in August and was set to spend six to eight months there.
The crew includes Commander Zena Cardman, pilot Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. SpaceX is now preparing to return four Crew-11 astronauts to Earth for NASA.
Crew-11 commander Zena Cardman, pilot Mike Fincke (both of NASA) and mission specialists Kimiya Yui of Japan and Oleg Platonov of Russia will return to Earth on the Dragon Endeavour capsule on Thursday 15 January.
But their journey begins a half day earlier on 14 January when they'll undock from the ISS. NASA officials have said the weather forecast currently looks favorable for the return to Earth, but both NASA and SpaceX will continue to monitor conditions.
Weather conditions and rough seas can influence whether SpaceX and NASA commit to undock from the ISS and target a specific splashdown site. NASA is not naming the astronaut due to medical privacy concerns.