Today marks a historic moment as Crew-11 astronauts embark on the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS), returning to Earth sooner than expected. Initially slated for a six-month mission, these four astronauts are heading home due to an undisclosed medical issue affecting one of their crew members.
NASA made the decision to shorten the Crew-11 mission after recognizing that the medical situation warranted immediate action. Originally scheduled to return in late February, the crew is now in the final stages of their departure preparations. The hatch connecting the ISS to their Crew Dragon spacecraft is set to close around 3:30 p.m. EST (2030 GMT) today, with undocking scheduled for approximately 5:05 p.m. EST (2305 GMT).
For those interested in witnessing this significant event, NASA will start its coverage of the hatch closure at 3 p.m. EST (2000 GMT), transitioning to undocking coverage at 4:45 p.m. EST (0245 GMT, January 15). You can catch the live broadcast on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency's YouTube channel, as well as here on Space.com.
In a statement released just yesterday, NASA mission managers confirmed they were "go" for Crew-11's undocking, highlighting favorable weather conditions for the Dragon's upcoming splashdown off the coast of California.
The Crew-11 mission launched on August 1, 2025, carrying NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, along with Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Although the crew was supposed to remain until the arrival of SpaceX's Crew-12, increasing health concerns prior to a planned spacewalk on January 8 led to the decision for an early return.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman announced the conclusion of the mission during a press briefing coinciding with the cancellation of the spacewalk. Following this announcement, preparations for leaving the ISS were initiated, which included a change of command ceremony where Fincke ceremonially handed over control of the ISS to Sergey Kud-Sverchov from Roscosmos.
As Crew-11 departs, just three astronauts will remain aboard the ISS — Kud-Sverchov, fellow cosmonaut Sergei Mikaev, and NASA astronaut Chris Williams. The next crew, Crew-12, is expected to launch no earlier than February 15.
Once undocked, the Crew-11 astronauts will enter an 11-hour deorbit trajectory, aiming for a splashdown on Thursday, January 15, at 3:41 a.m. EST (0841 GMT) in the Pacific Ocean off California's coast.
Be sure to tune in for the post-landing press conference scheduled for Thursday at 5:45 a.m. EST (1045 GMT), which will also be available for viewing here.
