SpaceX's Crew-11 is seen in a video as they get ready to head back home ahead of schedule.

      NASA has decided to shorten the mission due to a medical issue concerning one of the astronauts.

      **International Space Station Change of Command Ceremony**

      SpaceX’s Crew-11 is returning early from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a medical concern regarding one of its astronauts. This marks the first known instance in which NASA has opted to bring a crew member back early due to a health problem.

      Crew-11 includes Americans Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. They reached the ISS in August of last year and were scheduled to return to Earth next month.

      NASA has not disclosed any specifics about the medical issue and has not identified the affected astronaut. However, the newly appointed NASA chief, Jared Isaacman, characterized the situation as a “serious medical condition,” noting that he was the one who made the decision to end the mission prematurely. NASA has stated that the astronaut’s condition is “stable.”

      All four astronauts participated in a livestream on Monday for the change-of-command ceremony prior to their return trip aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule.

      During the livestream, all seven inhabitants of the ISS spoke, with Cardman recognizing the unusual circumstances.

      “Our timing for this departure is unexpected,” said Cardman, who is on her first orbital mission, during the livestream. “However, it was not surprising to me how well this crew came together like a family to support and care for each other, which extends to our ground teams — you have been an incredible support throughout this entire expedition.”

      NASA and SpaceX are aiming for the Crew Dragon to undock from the space station at 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, January 14. If they adhere to this schedule, the crew is expected to splash down off the coast of California at approximately 3:40 a.m. ET on Thursday, January 15.

      NASA mentioned that it is monitoring the weather conditions at the splashdown site and will adjust the timing if adverse weather is predicted.

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      Not long ago, Trevor relocated from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)...

      **‘Serious medical condition’ prompts NASA to bring ISS crew home early**

      This is the first instance in NASA’s history that an astronaut mission has been abbreviated under such circumstances.

      NASA has made the rare decision to cut short a crewed mission to the ISS. An undisclosed medical issue concerning an unnamed crew member has led NASA to plan the early return of SpaceX's Crew-11 in the upcoming days, as announced during a press conference on Thursday.

      This decision followed news on Wednesday that NASA had canceled a spacewalk that was set for early Thursday, citing "a medical situation aboard the International Space Station involving a single crew member who is stable."

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      **NASA reveals why it called off its first spacewalk in eight months**

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      In the weeks leading up to this, NASA had been preparing for two spacewalks at the ISS, the first in eight months. However, just hours before astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were scheduled to start the first of these walks on Thursday, NASA announced its postponement due to a “medical concern with a crew member that arose Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex.”

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      Look to the sky for excellent views at the beginning of 2026.

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