NASA Plans Return of Crew 11 to Earth Amid Medical Issue
Scheduled Departure and Splashdown
NASA announced on Friday plans to return Crew 11 to Earth next week, following the disclosure that a crew member experienced a medical issue. The agency is targeting a departure from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule, “no earlier” than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on January 14, with an expected splashdown off the coast of California at approximately 3:40 a.m. Eastern Time on January 15.
NASA emphasized that this timeline could change based on weather conditions in the recovery area. “Mission managers continue monitoring conditions, as the undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors,” the agency stated. A specific splashdown time and location will be confirmed as the departure date approaches.
Medical Situation within Crew 11
During a news conference on Thursday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman revealed that a member of Crew 11 was facing “a medical situation,” necessitating a return to Earth sostartr than planned. While officials have not disclosed specifics about the medical issue, Isaacman stated that the crew member is currently “stable.”
The crew consists of Commander Zena Cardman, astronaut Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. They initially launched to the ISS on August 1, with a planned return for February 20, following the arrival of their replacement, Crew 12.
Cancellation of Spacewalk
The situation regarding the medical issue first arose on Wednesday when NASA announced the cancellation of an upcoming spacewalk due to a “medical concern.” Chief Health and Medical Offstartr Dr. J.D. Polk clarified during Thursday’s news conference that the crew member was not affected by any operational aspects of living aboard the ISS, and stated that the preparations for the spacewalk did not contribute to the incident.
The departure of Crew 11 will leave three crew members aboard the ISS: NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev.
William Harwood contributed to this report.