NASA’s Crew-11 astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) could return to Earth as soon as Thursday, following a medical incident that prompted an early conclusion to their mission, the agency confirmed.
“NASA and SpaceX are targeting Crew-11’s undocking from the ISS no earlier than 5 p.m. ET on January 14, with splashdown off the California coast expected early January 15, contingent on weather and recovery conditions,” the agency said.
Officials offered few details about the medical situation, which marks the first such evacuation in ISS history, emphasizing that it was not due to an onboard injury. The crewmember involved is reportedly stable and does not require emergency evacuation.
The four-member Crew-11 team Americans Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov has been aboard the station since August 1.
Their mission, originally slated to conclude in the coming weeks, is part of a typical six-month expedition. American astronaut Chris Williams will remain on the ISS to maintain a US presence.
NASA officials also noted that the next US mission to the ISS could be launched ahead of schedule, though details were not provided.
Since its first crewed flight in 2000, the ISS has been continuously inhabited and serves as a vital laboratory for long-duration space research and future deep-space missions, including Mars exploration.
The station is slated for decommissioning after 2030, with its orbit gradually lowered until it disintegrates over Point Nemo, a remote Pacific Ocean spacecraft graveyard.
