• Posted January 12, 2026

Astronaut Crew Returning Early From Space Station Due to Medical Issue

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is undertaking its first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station.

The evacuation of four astronauts — two from the U.S., and one each from Russia and Japan — is a safety precaution, NASA said. 

One astronaut has developed an undisclosed medical issue and is in stable condition, officials said. The crew is returning roughly a month earlier than originally planned as a result.

This is a “controlled medical evacuation,” NASA officials said.

“I’ve come to the decision that it’s in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of their planned departure,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.

The astronauts are part of Crew-11, which arrived at the International Space Station in August aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

The crew includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Michael Fincke; Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui; and Russian astronaut Oleg Platonov.

NASA did not share details about which astronaut is affected or the nature of the health issue, citing medical privacy laws. However, Dr. James Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, said the astronaut’s condition is “absolutely stable.”

Because the space station has limited medical resources, “it leaves that lingering risk and lingering question as to what that diagnosis is,” Polk told The New York Times. “That means there’s some lingering risk for that astronaut on board. And so always, we err on the side of the astronaut’s health and welfare.”

This is the first time in the space station’s 25-year history that a crew is returning early due to a medical issue.

The return was originally scheduled for next month, after arrival of the next crew. Now, Crew-11 expected to splash down off the coast of California on Thursday morning, NASA said. 

After Crew-11 leaves, three astronauts will remain aboard the space station. NASA said the smaller crew can continue operating the station, though some work activities may be limited.

Earlier last week, NASA postponed a planned spacewalk because of the medical issue. Officials said the health concern is not related to spacewalk duties or station operations.

Isaacman said NASA and SpaceX are now exploring whether the next crew, known as Crew-12, can be launched earlier than planned. 

He added that the early return of Crew-11 would not affect NASA’s upcoming Artemis II mission, which is scheduled to send astronauts around the moon next month.

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SOURCES: The New York Times, Jan. 8, 2026; International Space Station, NASA, Jan. 9, 2026