Four astronauts depart ISS early in NASA's first medical evacuation

Four astronauts departed the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX capsule on Wednesday in NASA’s first medical evacuation in 65 years of human spaceflight, after an unidentified crew member developed a health problem requiring ground-based diagnosis. The returning crew — American astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov — aimed for a Thursday morning splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. NASA officials declined to identify the affected astronaut or disclose the nature of the health concern, citing medical privacy.

The departure cuts the crew’s mission short by more than a month and marks the first time NASA has evacuated a crew member from the station in the program’s history, despite computer modeling that predicted such an event roughly every three years.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts left the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX capsule on Wednesday in NASA’s first medical evacuation, with officials declining to name the affected crew member or describe the health condition that prompted the early departure.

The returning crew — American astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov — aimed for a Thursday morning splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. Their departure came less than 11 hours after undocking from the station.

The mission launched in August and had been scheduled to continue until late February. The early return cut it short by more than a month.

“Our timing of this departure is unexpected,” Cardman said before the return trip, “but what was not surprising to me was how well this crew came together as a family to help each other and just take care of each other.”

Crew member’s condition undisclosed

NASA officials said the health problem was unrelated to spacewalk preparations or other station operations and stressed it was not an emergency. They offered no additional details, citing medical privacy.

Earlier in the week, Fincke said via social media that the crew member was “stable, safe and well cared for.” He described the decision as “a deliberate decision to allow the right medical evaluations to happen on the ground, where the full range of diagnostic capability exists.”

NASA officials had said it was riskier to leave the astronaut in space without proper medical attention for another month than to temporarily reduce the station crew by more than half.

A first for NASA after 65 years in space

The evacuation was NASA’s first in 65 years of human spaceflight — a record that officials noted defied computer modeling predicting such an event roughly every three years.

The Russians have faced comparable situations. In 1985, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Vasyutin returned early from the Salyut 7 space station due to a serious infection or related illness, according to the Associated Press. A few other Soviet cosmonauts encountered less serious health issues that shortened their flights.

The evacuation was the first major medical decision by Jared Isaacman, who became NASA administrator in December. Isaacman, a billionaire founder of a payment processing company and a two-time space flier, announced the decision the previous week.

“The health and the well-being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority,” Isaacman said.

Station crew reduced; replacement launch advanced

One American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts remained aboard the orbiting laboratory, approximately a month and a half into an eight-month mission that began with a Soyuz rocket liftoff from Kazakhstan. NASA and SpaceX were working to advance the launch of a fresh four-person crew from Florida, currently targeted for mid-February, according to the AP.

Until the replacement crew arrives, NASA said it will have to stand down from routine and emergency spacewalks, a two-person job that also requires backup support from crew inside the station.

The recovery followed standard procedures for SpaceX crew returns, with medical experts aboard the recovery ship in the Pacific. NASA said it was not yet known how quickly all four crew members would be transported from California to Houston, home to Johnson Space Center.

Crew profiles

It was the first spaceflight for Cardman, 38, a biologist and polar explorer who had been bumped from an earlier mission to make room for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams during their extended stay at the station. It was also the first mission for Platonov, 39, a former Russian air force fighter pilot whose path to space had been delayed by an undisclosed health issue.

Fincke, 58, a retired Air Force colonel, was among NASA’s most experienced fliers, having logged approximately one and a half years in orbit across four prior missions and completed nine spacewalks. Yui, 55, a retired Japan Air Self-Defense Force pilot, marked his 300th day in space during this mission across two station stays.

Before departure, Yui wrote on the social platform X: “I want to burn it firmly into my eyes, and even more so, into my heart. Soon, I too will become one of those small lights on the ground.”