NASA astronauts returning early from ISS due to medical issue

Four NASA astronauts will return from the International Space Station (ISS) more than a month early. This decision follows an undisclosed medical issue experienced by one of the crew members.

NASA has not disclosed the nature of the problem, citing privacy concerns, but confirmed the affected astronaut is in stable condition. Dr. James Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, explained that while the ISS features robust medical hardware, it lacks the full capabilities of a hospital emergency room.

“In this particular incident, we want to complete that workup. The best way to do that is on the ground,” Polk said.

The returning team, SpaceX Crew-11, includes NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced that the crew will return home within ‘days.’ To ensure adequate staffing levels, the agency plans to expedite the launch of the Crew-12 mission. This mission was originally scheduled for mid-February. In the meantime, NASA astronaut Chris Williams will be the only U.S. representative on the orbiting laboratory. He will be working alongside his Russian colleagues.

NASA’s postponement of a spacewalk on Wednesday first suggested a medical issue aboard the International Space Station. Addressing health concerns in space is uniquely challenging, given the harsh environment and limited diagnostic resources. This event underscores a consistent practice of maintaining health privacy in spaceflight. For instance, in October 2024, a Crew-8 member’s hospitalization upon return was due to an undisclosed issue. NASA kept the details of this incident private.