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22h ago

NASA, SpaceX Target Jan. 14 Undocking for First Controlled ISS Medical Return

NASA cites the need for ground-based diagnostics for a stable astronaut, prompting a controlled, expedited return.

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Long-exposure photograph from the International Space Station with a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft visible in the lower foreground. Credit: NASA
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(Image Credit: JAXA/Kimiya Yui/NASA)

Overview

  • Undocking is targeted no earlier than 5 p.m. ET on Jan. 14, with splashdown off California expected around 3:40 a.m. ET on Jan. 15, pending weather and recovery readiness.
  • Officials confirm the situation is unrelated to station operations or spacewalk preparations, and the affected crew member remains stable.
  • Crew-11 returning aboard Dragon Endeavour are commander Zena Cardman, pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, with the ill astronaut’s identity and medical details withheld for privacy.
  • American astronaut Chris Williams will remain on the ISS to support operations as NASA evaluates moving up the Crew-12 launch to restore full staffing.
  • NASA and SpaceX will finalize the splashdown time and location closer to undocking, using standard recovery procedures and continuous weather and sea-state monitoring.