NASA has decided to end a mission on the International Space Station early after one astronaut suffered a medical issue. The crew, including Japan's Kimiya Yui, will return to Earth sooner than planned. A planned spacewalk was canceled due to the health concern.
In a rare decision, NASA is shortening the Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station due to a medical issue affecting one astronaut. The mission, which launched in August 2025 aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour, was set for at least six months. The four-member crew includes NASA's Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan's Kimiya Yui from JAXA, and Russia's Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos.
The affected astronaut's identity and the specifics of the medical issue remain undisclosed for privacy reasons, but the crew member is stable. NASA's chief health and medical officer, Dr. James Polk, emphasized that it is not an onboard emergency and that the agency is "erring on the side of caution." Polk noted this marks the first medical evacuation from the ISS, though past treatments have included issues like toothaches and ear pain.
The mission's first spacewalk of the year, intended to prepare for future solar panel installations to boost station power, was canceled. This would have been Mike Fincke's fourth ISS visit and Kimiya Yui's second, while Zena Cardman and Oleg Platonov were on their first flights. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman stated, "I’m proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts."
Three other astronauts remain on the ISS: NASA's Chris Williams and Russia's Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, who arrived in November via Soyuz for an eight-month stay and are slated to return in summer. The next Crew-12 mission was previously scheduled for launch no earlier than February 15. The aging ISS is set to be decommissioned by 2031 due to maintenance costs and age.
