TL;DR
NASA postponed a scheduled ISS spacewalk and announced an early return for the Crew-11 team after an unnamed astronaut developed a medical issue. The agency says the affected crewmember is stable and will provide a target return date in the coming days.
What happened
On Jan. 7, NASA disclosed that a medical issue affecting one member of the International Space Station's Crew-11 prompted the agency to delay a planned spacewalk and to accelerate the crew's return. The medical issue was not publicly identified; NASA confirmed the individual is in stable condition but declined to name them or share further details. The postponed extravehicular activity had been scheduled for Jan. 8 at 8 a.m. ET to continue preparations for a new solar array power channel. Astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were set to participate in that 6.5-hour spacewalk; it would have been Cardman's first and Fincke's tenth. NASA said it is evaluating options to end Crew-11's mission earlier than planned and will announce a target return date in the coming days. Crew-11 arrived at the station on Aug. 2, 2025, for a roughly six-month rotation.
Why it matters
- Crew health and safety are treated as the top priority, prompting operational changes aboard the ISS.
- Postponing spacewalks can delay external maintenance and upgrades, including solar array work.
- An early crew return can disrupt planned crew rotations and station staffing logistics.
- Limited public detail about the medical issue leaves operational and timeline implications uncertain.
Key facts
- NASA postponed a spacewalk scheduled for Jan. 8 at 8 a.m. ET following a medical incident on Jan. 7.
- The affected astronaut has not been named publicly; NASA describes their condition as stable.
- The spacewalk was to last about 6.5 hours to prepare a power channel for a new solar array.
- Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were the planned spacewalkers; it would have been Cardman's first spacewalk and Fincke's ninth.
- NASA confirmed it will bring the four-person Crew-11 home earlier than planned.
- Crew-11 arrived at the ISS on Aug. 2, 2025, for a planned six-month mission.
- Crew-11 includes Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
- Crew-12's launch is scheduled for mid-February; NASA has not detailed how the early return will affect that schedule.
- Other personnel currently aboard the station include NASA's Christopher Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikayev.
- Those three arrived aboard a Russian Soyuz vehicle that reportedly destroyed its launching pad in November.
What to watch next
- NASA's announced target return date for Crew-11 (agency said it will be provided in the coming days).
- Whether the Crew-11 early return alters the timing or crew composition of the mid-February Crew-12 launch (not confirmed in the source).
- Further details on the affected astronaut's condition and the cause of the medical issue (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- International Space Station (ISS): A habitable laboratory in low Earth orbit where multiple countries conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations.
- Extravehicular Activity (EVA): Also known as a spacewalk; work performed by astronauts outside a spacecraft in space suits.
- Crew rotation: The scheduled process of replacing astronauts on a long-duration mission to maintain continuous occupancy of a station or habitat.
- Soyuz spacecraft: A Russian spacecraft design used to transport crew to and from low Earth orbit.
Reader FAQ
Who is the astronaut who became ill?
Not confirmed in the source.
Will Crew-11 return early?
Yes. NASA has confirmed it will bring the current four-person Crew-11 home earlier than originally planned.
Was the spacewalk canceled?
NASA postponed the spacewalk that had been scheduled for Jan. 8 to address the medical situation and reassess plans.
When did Crew-11 arrive at the ISS?
Crew-11 arrived at the station on Aug. 2, 2025.
Has NASA provided a return date?
NASA said it will announce a target return date in the coming days.
Space Space Exploration NASA announces unprecedented return of sick ISS astronaut and crew News By Sascha Pare last updated yesterday NASA has announced the early return of Crew-11 from the…
Sources
- NASA announces unprecedented return of sick ISS astronaut and crew
- NASA to bring back Crew-11 early from space station
- NASA crew to make rare early return after medical issue at …
- NASA will return 4 astronauts home early in 1st-ever …
Related posts
- Beating the Tutorial — Delivering Features Is Only the Beginning of Engineering
- The Citroën C15: an affordable, efficient rural workhorse rediscovered
- Paid minimum wage to sweep a supermarket — I solved an ‘impossible’ puzzle