Particle.news
Download on the App Store
10 ARTICLES
·
8h ago

NASA, SpaceX Set Jan. 14 Undocking for First ISS Medical Evacuation

NASA cites the need for Earth-based diagnostics for a stable crewmember, labeling the departure a controlled return.

Image
(Image Credit: JAXA/Kimiya Yui/NASA)
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 astronauts sit within their Dragon spacecraft just before launch on Aug. 1, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Image

Overview

  • Crew-11 is targeted to undock no earlier than 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 14, with a splashdown off California expected early Jan. 15, subject to weather and recovery conditions.
  • The affected astronaut is described as absolutely stable but needs tests not possible on the station, and NASA is withholding the person’s identity for medical privacy.
  • Officials characterize the plan as a controlled expedited return rather than an emergency deorbit, indicating no immediate life-threatening danger.
  • NASA’s chief medical officer said the issue is unrelated to station operations or spacewalk pre-breathing procedures.
  • The early return will temporarily reduce the U.S. on-orbit presence, with astronaut Chris Williams remaining as planners evaluate moving up the Crew-12 launch.