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- Ailing astronaut returns to Earth from space station early in NASA’s first medical evacuation (pbs.org)
Astronauts Make Early Return to Earth in NASA’s First Medical Evacuation
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Four astronauts, including one with a serious medical condition, successfully returned to Earth on Thursday, marking the premature end of their International Space Station mission and NASA’s first-ever medical evacuation. The SpaceX capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego in the middle of the night, less than 11 hours after the crew departed the orbiting laboratory.
Upon their return, the astronauts were immediately transported to a hospital for overnight observation. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed the early return was due to a serious medical condition, but assured the public that the affected astronaut is “fine right now, in good spirits and going through the proper medical checks.” Citing medical privacy, officials have not disclosed the identity of the astronaut or the nature of the illness or injury, which developed last week on January 7.
This unexpected conclusion to a mission that began in August leaves the space station with a reduced crew of one American and two Russian cosmonauts. NASA and SpaceX are now working to expedite the launch of a new four-person crew, currently targeted for mid-February.
The returning crew included NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. While the ailing astronaut was stable in orbit, NASA prioritized their return to Earth for comprehensive medical care and diagnostic testing. Officials noted that the entry and splashdown procedures required no special modifications, and the recovery ship was equipped with its standard medical staff.
Within an hour of splashdown, the astronauts emerged from the capsule, assisted onto reclining cots, and then whisked away for medical evaluations, waving to cameras as they went. Administrator Isaacman and the crew’s families monitored the operation from Mission Control in Houston.
In preparation for the return, NASA had arranged for the entire crew to be taken directly to a San Diego-area hospital and even conducted practice helicopter runs from the recovery ship. The astronaut with the medical condition will undergo in-depth checks before flying back to Houston with the rest of the crew on Friday, assuming they are well enough. Platonov’s return to Moscow remains unconfirmed.
NASA repeatedly emphasized throughout the past week that this situation was not an emergency. The incident on January 7 led to the cancellation of a spacewalk scheduled for the following day by Cardman and Fincke, ultimately prompting the early return. This marks the first time NASA has cut short a spaceflight for medical reasons, though Russian space programs have done so in decades past.
Isaacman clarified that spacewalk preparations were not connected to the medical situation, but cautioned against drawing premature conclusions regarding the cause. He also stated that it is unknown whether a similar event could have occurred on Earth.
The space station has previously operated with three or even two astronauts. However, NASA confirmed that spacewalks, even in an emergency, will be suspended until the arrival of the next crew, which includes two Americans, one French, and one Russian astronaut.
Looking ahead, Isaacman stated it is too early to determine if the launch of space station reinforcements will take precedence over the agency’s upcoming lunar mission with astronauts, the first in over half a century. The moon rocket is scheduled to move to the launchpad this weekend at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, with a fueling test planned for early next month.
A launch date for the moon flyaround, which could potentially take off as early as February 6, cannot be confirmed until these steps are completed. For now, NASA is running both missions in parallel, with limited overlap of personnel.
“If it comes down to a point in time to where we have to deconflict between two human spaceflight missions, that is a very good problem to have at NASA,” Isaacman told reporters.