NASA To Bring Four Astronauts Home Early In First-Ever Medical Evacuation Of ISS
IFLScience••science
Key Points:
- A crew member from the ISS Crew-11 mission experienced a medical situation on January 7, 2026, and is currently stable; NASA decided to bring the entire crew back to Earth earlier than planned as a precaution.
- The affected astronaut's identity and the severity of the condition have not been disclosed, but officials confirmed the issue is medical, unrelated to operations or the canceled spacewalk, and not an emergency.
- NASA emphasized that while the ISS has medical capabilities and trained astronauts for emergencies, some diagnoses require ground-based facilities, prompting the early return for comprehensive evaluation.
- The Crew-11 mission, originally set to conclude in early February 2026, will now end sooner, with the crew returning together on the SpaceX Crew Dragon
