Crew-11 Returns After First ISS Medical Evacuation
NASA conducted its first medical evacuation from the International Space Station after an astronaut fell ill on Jan. 7; four crew members splashed down near San Diego and were taken to a hospital.
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Overview
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said four Crew-11 members—Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov—splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego on Thursday after a medical evacuation prompted by an illness on Jan. 7.
NASA and SpaceX said the unexpected early return ended a mission that began in August and cancelled a planned spacewalk on Jan. 8, leaving the station temporarily understaffed, according to mission statements.
Isaacman said the ill astronaut was "fine" and undergoing medical checks, and NASA officials declined to identify the crewmember citing medical privacy while Roscosmos did not confirm Platonov's travel plans, officials said.
NASA called the return the agency's first medical evacuation from the ISS and confirmed the recovery ship had medical experts and the crew spent one night in a San Diego hospital, officials confirmed.
NASA and SpaceX said they will attempt to advance the Crew-12 launch, currently targeted for mid-February, to restore station staffing and said the incident will not delay the Artemis moon rocket rollout, officials added.
Analysis
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