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54m ago

Crew-11 Undocks for Early Return in First ISS Medical Evacuation

NASA cites limited on-orbit diagnostics, with medical checks planned immediately after splashdown.

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iss074e0001091 (Dec. 12, 2025) --- The seven-member Expedition 74 crew gathers for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module. In the front row, from left, are Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams. In the back row are JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. Kud-Sverchkov (center) was celebrating 200 cumulative days in space with a slice of cake.
The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman.
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Overview

  • SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour departed the station at about 5:20 p.m. ET, targeting a parachute-assisted splashdown off Southern California around 3:41 a.m. ET Thursday, pending conditions.
  • The accelerated return follows a Jan. 7 medical concern; NASA has withheld the astronaut’s identity and details, describing the condition as stable and the departure as non-emergency.
  • All four Crew-11 members—Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov—are returning together because their Dragon serves as their lifeboat.
  • Station command shifted to Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, with Chris Williams and Sergey Mikaev remaining aboard as NASA evaluates moving up the Crew-12 launch to restore a full crew complement.
  • After splashdown, a SpaceX recovery ship will retrieve the capsule for immediate medical evaluations before the astronauts are transported to shore and then to Houston.