NASA has just revealed that the crew of the International Space Station was being evacuated for the first time in history after one of the astronauts suffered a medical emergency.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said in a press conference Thursday that Crew-11 would not continue its mission until its scheduled return date in February, and that the steps for their safe return was currently in the planning phase.
The announcement came less than a day after NASA cancelled a Thursday spacewalk due to the medical issue.
Crew-11 includes four astronauts: NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
The group was recently joined by Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata and NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who arrived at the station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in November 2025.
Isaacman said that Williams will remain on the station with the Soyuz crew to maintain America’s presence in space.
While the astronaut who suffered the medical issue was not revealed, NASA’s chief medical officer Dr James Polk said the astronaut was not in any immediate danger and was being brought home out of an abundance of caution.
NASA officials noted that no special precautions would need to be taken to keep the affected astronaut safe until their return and called their condition ‘stable’ until the evacuation plan is finalized.
This is a breaking story. More details to follow.
NASA cancelled a planned spacewalk on Thursday involving the crew of the International Space Station (Pictured) over an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts
Crew-11 before launching to the ISS. Pictured (L to R): Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and NASA’s Zena Cardman
NASA has never had to bring an astronaut home for medical reasons, but an evacuation plan has been built into every ISS mission, with crew return vehicles kept on standby.
‘We are looking the correct opportunity to use our existing landing sites,’ Isaacman said when asked if NASA would be making an emergency landing to get Crew-11 home faster.
Crew-11 arrived at the ISS on August 1, 2025, meaning their return date had been scheduled for late February.
The four astronauts would supposed to leave after Crew-12 arrived on a SpaceX Dragon capsule no earlier than February 15.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman (Left) and NASA chief medical officer Dr James Polk (Center) revealed on Thursday that Crew-11 would be returning as soon as possible
