NASA Announces Medical Evacuation of ISS Crew-11 Astronauts

NASA will return four astronauts from the International Space Station early on January 14, 2026, marking its first medical evacuation of a space crew. The Crew-11 mission will conclude with a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft undocking at 3 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) and splashdown expected at 3:40 a.m. EST (0740 GMT) off California.

The evacuation involves commander Zena Cardman, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonaov.

The medical issue prompting the return is non-injury-related, aligning with past protocols such as in-space blood clot treatment in 2025. NASA has not disclosed specific diagnostic details, citing privacy policies.

The remaining ISS crew will consist of three members: NASA’s Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov. The Artemis 2 moon mission timeline remains unaffected by this operational adjustment.

Post-landing procedures include a press conference at 5:45 a.m. EST January 15. Former astronauts have publicly endorsed NASA’s decision-making process on social media platforms.

Institutional statements emphasize procedural adherence to safety protocols while maintaining operational continuity for ongoing research aboard the ISS.