Astronaut says crew in good shape after medical issue, but calls early return to Earth "bittersweet"
CBS News••science
Key Points:
- NASA is bringing Crew 11 back to Earth early due to a medical issue reported by an unidentified crew member, marking the first time in NASA history a mission was cut short for medical reasons.
- Astronaut Mike Fincke, commander of the International Space Station and Crew 11 member, stated that he and his crewmates are stable, safe, and well cared for, emphasizing NASA's cautious and deliberate decision.
- The crew plans to undock from the ISS Wednesday evening and splash down in the Pacific Ocean early Thursday morning, followed by medical evaluations and transport back to Houston.
- Crew 11 will hand over station command to cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, leaving him and his Soyuz crewmates alone on the ISS
