For the first time in the International Space Station’s (ISS) 25-year history, NASA ended a mission early and brought all four Crew-11 astronauts back to Earth due to a medical emergency. The crew, which included NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, returned safely early Thursday morning, January 15, 2026, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 3:41 a.m. ET after a nearly 11-hour journey aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour.
NASA has not disclosed the identity of the affected astronaut, nor the specific nature of the medical issue, citing privacy concerns. However, officials confirmed that the individual is in stable condition and “doing fine” following their return. The agency emphasized that the incident did not involve any injury sustained during station operations.
First Medical Evacuation in ISS History
The decision to cut short the mission was made after the medical issue was deemed serious enough to require treatment on the ground, according to statements from NASA and mission commander Jared Isaacman. The crew had spent 167 days in orbit after launching last August and were originally scheduled to remain on the ISS for another month. The medical concern prompted NASA to cancel a planned spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke, which has now been postponed to a future mission.
While NASA’s modeling suggests a medical evacuation from the ISS might be needed once every three years, this is the first such event in over six decades of U.S. spaceflight and the first for the ISS. The only similar precedent dates back to 1985, when Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Vasyutin was evacuated from the Salyut 7 space station due to illness.
Looking Ahead: Medical Challenges for Deep Space Missions
Onboard medical equipment can address many issues, but NASA officials stressed that a full suite of diagnostic tools and treatments is only available on Earth. After splashdown, the astronauts underwent preliminary medical checks and will be flown to a hospital for more comprehensive evaluation. The event has reignited discussions about medical preparedness for future missions to the moon and Mars, where rapid evacuation to Earth won’t be possible.
As the space community awaits further updates from NASA, the safe and swift return of Crew-11 underscores both the risks of human spaceflight and the importance of constant readiness for the unexpected—even in orbit.
