NASA is ending Crew-11 astronauts’ mission a month early

NASA has decided to convey the Crew-11 astronauts dwelling a month sooner than initially deliberate because of a “medical concern” with one in all them. That is the primary time in its historical past that the area company is reducing a mission brief because of a medical subject, but it surely didn’t establish the crew member or expose the precise state of affairs and its severity. The company is focusing on a return date no sooner than January 14, with the precise schedule relying on the climate. If NASA’s unique plan pushes by way of, the crew will splash down off the coast of California at roughly 3:40 AM on January 15.

The company beforehand postponed an Worldwide House Station (ISS) spacewalk scheduled for January 8, citing a medical concern with a crew member that appeared the day earlier than. NASA’s chief well being and medical officer, James “JD” Polk, mentioned the affected astronaut is “completely secure” and that this isn’t a case of an emergency evacuation. The ISS has a “strong suite of medical {hardware}” onboard, he mentioned, however not sufficient for an entire workup to find out a prognosis. With out a correct prognosis, NASA doesn’t know if the astronaut’s well being may very well be negatively affected by the atmosphere aboard the ISS. That’s the reason the company is erring on the facet of warning.

Crew-11 left for the area station on August 1 and was supposed to come back again to Earth on or round February 20. After they go away the station, solely three individuals will stay: Two cosmonauts and one astronauts who’ll be in command of all of the experiments presently being performed on the orbiting lab. The crew’s substitute, Crew-12, was supposed to go to the ISS mid-February, however NASA is contemplating sending the astronauts to the station sooner than that.

Replace, January 10, 2025, 5:15AM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate Crew-11’s tentative return date.