BREAKING: NASA has confirmed that the Crew 11 astronauts will return to Earth earlier than planned due to a medical issue affecting one crew member. Commander Mike Fincke announced via LinkedIn that he and his fellow astronauts are “stable, safe and well cared for,” following the decision to cut their mission short.
In a poignant update, Fincke expressed gratitude to NASA for prioritizing crew health, stating, “This was the right call, even if it’s a bit bittersweet.” Fincke, along with Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov, is expected to undock from the International Space Station at 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday, with splashdown scheduled in the Pacific Ocean at 3:40 a.m. EST on Thursday.
The astronauts were initially set to return around February 20, 2025, but NASA made the decision last Friday after a crew member reported a medical situation. The specific astronaut and details surrounding the medical issue remain undisclosed due to privacy policies, but Fincke assured the public that the situation is not debilitating.
“This was a deliberate decision to allow for the right medical evaluations to happen on the ground,” Fincke noted, emphasizing that the crew is “looking forward to coming home soon.” They will undergo medical checks aboard a SpaceX recovery ship before being transported to shore by helicopter for a flight back to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
James Polk, NASA’s chief medical officer, indicated that this marks the first time in the agency’s history that a crew mission has been shortened due to a medical concern. “Even in this case, we’re erring on the side of caution,” he stated.
Fincke will transfer command of the ISS to cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov during a brief ceremony on Monday. “What stands out most to me is how clearly NASA cares about its people,” he said, praising the ground teams for their professionalism and support.
With Crew 11’s early return, the station will be temporarily under the command of Kud-Sverchkov and his Soyuz MS-28 crewmates until Crew 12 arrives, currently scheduled for launch on February 15, 2025.
Stay tuned for further updates as the situation develops. The health and safety of the astronauts remain a top priority for NASA and the global space community.
