WASHINGTON / NEW YORK — The U.S. space agency NASA has announced it will bring a four-member crew home early from the International Space Station after one astronaut experienced a medical situation.
NASA said the U.S.–Japanese–Russian crew will return to Earth in the coming days, earlier than originally planned, as a precautionary measure. The agency confirmed the affected crew member is stable and emphasized there was no onboard emergency. Details about the astronaut’s identity and the medical issue were not released, citing patient privacy.
As a result of the situation, NASA cancelled its first scheduled spacewalk of the year. The spacewalk had been planned to prepare the station for a future rollout of new solar panels aimed at boosting power capacity.
The crew returning to Earth includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. They arrived at the orbiting laboratory aboard a SpaceX spacecraft in August for a mission expected to last at least six months.
NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr. James Polk said the agency is “erring on the side of caution” to ensure crew safety. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised the rapid coordination across the agency in responding to the situation.
Three other astronauts remain aboard the space station and are continuing normal operations. NASA has previously announced plans to safely deorbit the space station over the ocean by the early 2030s, marking the end of its operational life.
NASA officials reiterated that astronaut safety remains the agency’s top priority as mission timelines are adjusted accordingly.