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SpaceX Dragon Brings Crew-11 Home in First ISS Medical Evacuation

NASA ordered the precaution after an astronaut developed a condition that requires Earth-based evaluation.

Overview

  • The capsule splashed down safely off San Diego early Thursday, completing the accelerated return from the International Space Station.
  • Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Oleg Platonov and Kimiya Yui returned after about 167 days in orbit as part of Crew-11.
  • NASA said the affected astronaut is stable and not in immediate danger, the individual's identity remains private, and on-orbit diagnostics were insufficient.
  • All four departed together because evacuating only the patient would have left too few docked vehicles to cover another emergency.
  • Three crew members remain aboard the ISS as schedules shift, with the next crew launch targeted no earlier than mid-February to restore full staffing.