A SpaceX capsule carrying a four-member crew home from orbit in an emergency return to earth necessitated by an undisclosed serious medical condition affecting one of the astronauts splashed down safely early this morning in the Pacific Ocean off California.
The Crew Dragon capsule carrying two US NASA astronauts, a Japanese crewmate and a Russian cosmonaut undocked from the space station and began its descent from orbit yesterday evening.
The capsule dubbed Endeavor parachuted into the sea following a return flight of about ten-and-a-half-hours, capped by a fiery re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, concluding a 167-day mission.
The plan to bring all four members of Crew-11 home a few weeks ahead of schedule was announced 8 January, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman saying one of the astronauts faced a “serious medical condition” that required immediate medical attention on the ground.
This marks the first time NASA has cut short the mission of an ISS crew because of a health emergency.
NASA officials have not identified which of the four crew members was experiencing a medical issue or described its nature, citing privacy concerns.
The crew consists of US astronauts Zena Cardman, 38, and Mike Fincke, 58, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, 55, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, 39.