Four astronauts are being evacuated from the International Space Station after a crew member experienced a significant medical issue. Footage captured the four members of Crew-11 entering the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft before the space station hatch was sealed. In an unusual move, NASA is abbreviating a mission on the International Space Station following the medical incident.
The crew, consisting of NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov, arrived at the space station in August for a planned six-month stay. Due to the health issue, they are set to return to Earth earlier than scheduled, with their spacecraft expected to splashdown at 8:41 am UK time.
This marks the first evacuation from the space station in 25 years due to a health concern. The astronauts undergo thorough medical evaluations before space travel. The evacuation has led to the cancellation of NASA’s first spacewalk of the year, a task initially assigned to Fincke and Cardman.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the swift actions taken to ensure the astronauts’ safety. Currently, three astronauts remain aboard the space station, including NASA’s Chris Williams and Russia’s Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov. They are slated to return home in the summer after an eight-month stay.