Four astronauts of the International Space Station (ISS) Crew-11 mission returned to Earth approximately one month earlier than scheduled following a medical concern involving one crew member. The controlled early return, which concluded on January 15, 2026, marks the first medical evacuation of a crew from the ISS in its history of continuous human occupation.
Overview of the Evacuation
The decision to conclude the Crew-11 mission early was made by NASA leadership after a medical issue arose with one of the four astronauts. While the astronaut was reported to be in stable condition, NASA determined that thorough medical evaluation and treatment capabilities available on Earth were necessary. The nature of the medical issue and the identity of the affected astronaut were not disclosed, citing medical privacy protocols. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman characterized the condition as "serious," and Dr. James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer, described it as a "lingering risk" with an "unanswered diagnostic question."
Timeline of Events
- January 7, 2026: A medical issue arose with one of the Crew-11 members.
- January 8, 2026: NASA announced the decision for the crew's early return and canceled a spacewalk originally scheduled for that day. A second spacewalk planned for the following week was also canceled.
- January 12, 2026: NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, the Expedition 74 commander, officially transferred control of the ISS to Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov in a change-of-command ceremony.
- January 13, 2026: Mission managers provided final approval for undocking.
- January 14, 2026: The hatch between the ISS and the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule was closed at 3:30 p.m. EST. The capsule undocked from the ISS at 5:05 p.m. EST (2205 GMT).
- January 15, 2026: The Crew Dragon Endeavour splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California at 3:41 a.m. EST (0841 GMT), approximately 10 hours and 36 minutes after undocking.
- January 16, 2026: The crew arrived in Houston, Texas, to begin post-flight reconditioning and evaluations.
- January 21, 2026: A post-flight news conference is scheduled at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Crew Details and Preparations
The four-person Crew-11 mission consists of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The mission launched on August 1, 2025, from Florida's Kennedy Space Center aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, and the crew arrived at the ISS in August 2025. The mission was originally slated to last between six and eight months.
Leading up to their departure, the astronauts performed several preparations, including:
- Packing personal items.
- Testing their SpaceX Dragon pressure suits for operability.
- Conducting final scientific experiments, such as one focused on blood vessel function in space.
- Zena Cardman powered down two NASA spacesuits that had been intended for the canceled spacewalks.
- Kimiya Yui shared images of Earth and the ISS from orbit.
Mike Fincke, who had participated in nine previous spacewalks, would have made his tenth during the canceled activity, a milestone for an American astronaut. For Zena Cardman, this would have been her inaugural spacewalk. The affected astronaut was reported to be in stable condition and did not require special assistance during the return journey.
Impact on ISS Operations
The early departure of Crew-11 leaves a reduced crew of three on the ISS: NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. This reduced crew size is expected to last for approximately one month until the launch of the Crew-12 mission. NASA and SpaceX are working to accelerate the launch of Crew-12, which is scheduled no earlier than February 15, 2026.
A reduced crew complement will necessitate a focus on station maintenance, potentially leading to the postponement or temporary decrease of scientific activities on the ISS. NASA has also announced a temporary suspension of routine and emergency spacewalks, as these operations require backup from additional crew members. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed that the medical evacuation and acceleration of Crew-12 are not expected to impact the Artemis 2 lunar mission, which remains on track for an early February launch.
The Crew-11 mission concluded after 167 days in space, during which the crew traveled approximately 71 million miles and completed over 2,670 orbits around Earth.
Historical Context and Medical Preparedness
This event marks the first instance in NASA's history that a medical issue has prompted an early end to an ISS space mission, and the first medical evacuation of a crew from the ISS since continuous human occupation began in 2000. It is also noted as the first instance in 65 years of human spaceflight where NASA shortened a mission due to an astronaut's illness. Computer modeling had previously predicted a medical evacuation from the space station every three years.
The ISS, continuously inhabited since November 2000 (after initial assembly began in 1998), is equipped with specialized medical resources adapted for microgravity, including first aid equipment, suture tools, pharmaceutical treatments, and dental instruments. Astronauts and cosmonauts undergo extensive medical training prior to missions, and each crew has a designated Crew Medical Officer. Ground teams and flight surgeons provide guided assistance for onboard medical procedures, including telemedicine consultations with specialists on Earth.
While this specific type of evacuation is new for the ISS, the station has handled various medical issues on orbit, ranging from routine ailments like toothaches to more complex conditions such as a blood clot in an astronaut's jugular vein, which was treated with an anti-clotting drug administered in space under ground guidance. Historical precedents from the Soviet space program include cosmonaut Vladimir Vasyutin's early return from the Salyut 7 space station in 1985 due to a urological issue, and Aleksandr Laveykin's early departure from the Mir space station in 1987 due to a heart arrhythmia.