NASA is preparing the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station, planning to undock SpaceX’s Dragon with four Crew‑11 astronauts no earlier than 5 p.m. ET on January 14, with splashdown off California on January 15, weather permitting. The affected astronaut is stable; the issue is non‑injury and non‑emergency.
NASA confirmed plans to return Crew‑11 early after identifying a medical concern with one astronaut—marking the first medical evacuation in the ISS’s 25‑year history. The agency emphasized the crewmember is stable and not in need of an emergency evacuation, but the station lacks equipment to properly diagnose and manage the condition.
SpaceX is readying the Dragon spacecraft for undocking no earlier than January 14 at 5 p.m. ET, with a targeted splashdown off California early January 15, pending weather and recovery conditions. Routine station operations continue, with leadership transitions and packing underway, while a January 8 spacewalk was postponed amid the medical alert.
Notable updates and major takeaways
Historic milestone: First ISS medical evacuation; Crew‑11 returning early.
Timeline: Undocking Jan 14 (5 p.m. ET); splashdown Jan 15 off California, weather permitting.
Medical status: Astronaut stable; issue not injury‑related and not an emergency.
Operational changes: Spacewalk delayed; Dragon prepared; crew packing and suit checks ongoing.
Program impact: Artemis II timeline unaffected; station operations remain steady.
Conclusion
The planned evacuation underscores NASA’s safety‑first posture and the operational maturity of commercial crew return capabilities. As agencies plan longer missions, robust medical readiness—on orbit and for rapid return—remains central to human spaceflight resilience.
Sources: Space.com, Phys.org, India TV NewsIndia TV News