NASA's Crew-11 astronauts are set for an unprecedented medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS). The mission's abrupt end comes due to an undisclosed medical concern affecting one of the astronauts, prompting an early return to Earth. The crew, originally scheduled for a six-month stay, is now preparing for a hasty departure. The hatch closure is set for approximately 3:30 p.m. EST (2030 GMT) today, followed by undocking at 5:05 p.m. EST (2305 GMT).
NASA's decision to cut short the mission was made after concerns about a medical situation arose ahead of a planned spacewalk on January 8. The crew's early return was announced by NASA administrator Jared Isaacman during a press conference on the same day as the canceled EVA. The astronauts, including Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov, will now face an 11-hour deorbit trajectory, with a splashdown expected off the coast of California in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, January 15, at 3:41 a.m. EST (0841 GMT).
The mission's abrupt end leaves a skeleton crew of three aboard the ISS, including Roscosmos' Sergey Kud-Sverchov, Sergei Mikaev, and NASA astronaut Chris Williams. Crew-12, which was set to replace Crew-11, is now scheduled to launch no earlier than February 15. The undocking will be broadcast on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube, as well as on Space.com, allowing the public to witness this extraordinary event.
