NASA officials said they plan to bring the crew aboard the International Space Station home early due to what the space agency called a "medical concern" with an unidentified crew member.
They said the astronaut's condition is stable and it is not an emergency evacuation, but they want to err on the side of caution and bring them home for additional testing. Crew 11 is expected to depart on the Crew Dragon Endeavour and return to Earth in the next few days. NASA officials said this is the first controlled medical evacuation in the space station's 25-year history.
The agency stressed Thursday that in the event of an emergency de-orbit, it would have the ability to bring astronauts home within a matter of hours.
The announcement Thursday evening came after NASA scrapped a planned spacewalk earlier in the day.
NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr. James D. Polk said the ISS is equipped with a "robust suite of medical hardware," but it is lacking all the tools that would be needed for a more "complete workup" of a patient. He said the medical issue rose to the level where NASA would prefer to "complete that workup on the ground."
NASA previously said it was looking into "all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew 11's mission." NASA did not specify a timetable for when a new crew would ascend to the ISS but said it was looking into possible earlier dates to launch Crew 12 to the space station.
NASA said it would not be identifying the astronaut in question or giving further details on the medical issue, but earlier said "the matter involved a single crew member who is stable."
Currently aboard the ISS are commander Mike Fincke, flight engineer Zena Cardman, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
The crew was scheduled to remain aboard the ISS until mid-February.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Latest details after ICE officer kills woman in Minneapolis shooting
Video shows moments before ICE officer fatally shoots Renee Good in Minneapolis
Protesters gather after ICE shoots and kills woman in Minneapolis
latest_posts
- 1
Forum Dvorah demands clear support for women in combat as IDF gender debate escalates - 2Who is Artemis? Meet the Greek goddess who inspired NASA's return to the moon
- 3Delta flight bound for Atlanta makes emergency landing after engine issue
- 4Turkey’s intel chief lays out country’s vision for Middle East, world
- 5The Best Web-based Courses for Ability Advancement
- 1st-ever disease gene fix, Alzheimer's blood test: 7 medical breakthroughs in 2025
- Crew-11 astronauts undock in 1st-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station (video)
- More parents refusing this shot that prevents serious bleeding at birth
- Von der Leyen: Paris meeting sends signal of unity for Ukraine
- The Rhythms of the Street: Shipping's Tune in the Economy's Symphony
- Eleven arrested over mass shooting in South Africa tavern
- 6 Fledgling Cameras for 2024: Ideal for New Photographic artists
- Vaccine exemptions for religious or personal beliefs are rising across the U.S.
- Modern surgery began with saws and iron hands – how amputation transformed the body in the Renaissance
