NASA’s Crew-11 returned to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, concluding their six-month space mission earlier than planned due to a crew member’s undisclosed medical issue. The SpaceX capsule carrying the astronauts splashed down in the Pacific near San Diego in the middle of the night, shortly after their departure from the space station.
The returning crew members, including Cardman, NASA’s Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov, were not identified by officials regarding the health problem experienced by one of them last week. Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator, assured that the affected astronaut is recovering well and that updates on their health will be provided in due course.
Isaacman highlighted the success of the Crew-11 mission, emphasizing the research conducted on bone loss, microgravity effects, and cryogenic food storage in space. NASA officials confirmed that the health issue did not impact the undocking procedures, and the crew members are expected to undergo standard observation and medical checks after an overnight hospital stay in San Diego before heading to NASA headquarters in Houston.
Dr. Farhan Asrar from Toronto Metropolitan University’s school of medicine noted the unprecedented nature of the mission’s early termination for medical reasons in the history of the ISS. While medical issues have occurred before on the ISS, this instance led to a unique early return scenario. The decision to bring back the crew was made to ensure proper medical evaluation and treatment, as the space station’s medical facilities are limited compared to those on Earth.
Despite the premature return, three crew members will remain on the ISS, while Crew-12, comprising NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, is scheduled to launch on Feb. 15. In addition, preparations are underway for NASA’s Artemis II mission, involving Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen and other astronauts, set to orbit the moon starting Feb. 6.
Asrar underlined the significance of prioritizing crew safety in space missions, acknowledging the challenges space presents while recognizing the commitment to ensuring astronaut health and well-being above all else.