In a historic and high-stakes operation currently unfolding in low Earth orbit, NASA and SpaceX have successfully initiated the emergency medical evacuation of the Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon spacecraft Endeavour, carrying four astronauts, is scheduled to undock at 5:05 p.m. EST today, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, marking the first time in the station's 25-year history that a full crew has been ordered home early due to an urgent medical priority.

First-of-its-Kind Emergency Return

The sudden departure follows NASA's announcement last week that an undisclosed medical condition affecting one of the four crew members required immediate, advanced care on Earth. While NASA has confirmed the affected astronaut is in "stable" condition, the agency—citing strict medical privacy laws—has not identified which crew member is ailing or the nature of the condition, other than clarifying it was not caused by an on-duty accident or spacewalk training.

"This is a controlled expedited return, not a panic scenario," stated NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in a press briefing earlier today. "However, after consulting with Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr. J.D. Polk, we determined that the medical capabilities on the ISS, while robust, are insufficient for the diagnostic workup required. Bringing Crew-11 home now is the safest course of action."

This event marks a significant milestone in spaceflight safety protocols. While astronauts have returned early on Russian Soyuz capsules in the past, this is the first dedicated medical evacuation conducted by a SpaceX Dragon since the Commercial Crew Program began.

Crew-11: Who Is Returning Home?

The four-person crew of Endeavour, who launched to the station on August 1, 2025, are cutting their planned six-month mission short by approximately one month. The returning astronauts include:

  • Zena Cardman (NASA), Mission Commander
  • Mike Fincke (NASA), Pilot and veteran spaceflyer
  • Kimiya Yui (JAXA), Mission Specialist
  • Oleg Platonov (Roscosmos), Mission Specialist

Because the Dragon capsule serves as the "lifeboat" for its entire crew, all four members must return together, regardless of who is ill. This protocol ensures that no astronaut is left on the station without a dedicated emergency escape vehicle.

Splashdown Scheduled for Pacific

Following today's undocking, the Dragon capsule will execute a series of departure burns to distance itself from the ISS. SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, is targeting a splashdown off the coast of California at approximately 3:41 a.m. EST on Thursday, January 15 (12:41 a.m. local Pacific time).

SpaceX has shifted recovery operations to the Pacific Ocean for this mission to ensure a rapid retrieval sequence. "The weather is looking excellent for a parachute-assisted splashdown," a SpaceX official confirmed. "Recovery vessels are already on station to extract the crew and transport the patient immediately to a waiting medical aircraft."

Impact on International Space Station Operations

The departure of Crew-11 leaves the orbiting laboratory significantly understaffed. For the next few weeks, the ISS population will drop to just three crew members: NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who arrived on a Soyuz ride-share flight in November, and two Russian cosmonauts from Expedition 74.

"We are leaving the station in good hands," said outgoing station commander Mike Fincke during a sombre change-of-command ceremony on Monday. "But our focus right now is on getting our teammate home safely."

The early return has forced NASA to reshuffle its 2026 launch manifest. The upcoming Crew-12 mission, originally slated for mid-February, may see its timeline adjusted as engineers evaluate data from this unscheduled return. For now, the global space community watches with bated breath as Endeavour begins its descent, turning a routine mission into a critical test of space rescue capabilities.