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NASA and SpaceX Set First ISS Medical Evacuation With Crew-11 Undocking Tonight

NASA is bringing Crew-11 home early to allow ground-based diagnosis of a stable medical issue.

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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

  • Undocking is targeted for 5:05 p.m. ET on Jan. 14 with a parachute splashdown off California around 3:40–3:41 a.m. ET on Jan. 15, pending conditions.
  • All four Crew-11 members—Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov—will return together; NASA has not identified the affected astronaut, who is described as stable.
  • Officials say station medical gear cannot complete the needed diagnostic workup, prompting a controlled, non-emergency return after last week’s postponed spacewalk.
  • The ISS will operate with three crew members—Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev—after a change of command on Monday.
  • NASA is evaluating moving up the Crew-12 launch to restore staffing, and a SpaceX recovery ship with medical personnel will retrieve Dragon after splashdown with live coverage provided on NASA+ and YouTube.