NASA is actively considering an unusual early return of its crew from the International Space Station (ISS) following an unspecified medical issue concerning one of the astronauts. The situation prompted the US space agency to cancel a planned spacewalk that was scheduled for Thursday.
Crew Member Stable as NASA Assesses Options
A NASA spokesperson confirmed that the astronaut at the centre of the medical concern is in a stable condition aboard the orbiting laboratory. The identity of the crew member has not been disclosed, in line with the agency's policy of treating astronaut health matters as private.
"Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission," the spokesperson stated on Wednesday night. The agency first noted it was monitoring the situation, which arose on Wednesday afternoon.
Mission Timeline and Cancelled Spacewalk
The four-person Crew-11 team arrived at the ISS in August 2024 after launching from Florida. The crew consists of US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Their mission was originally slated to conclude around May 2025.
The medical issue led directly to the cancellation of a complex 6.5-hour spacewalk. Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Zena Cardman were set to install hardware on the station's exterior. Spacewalks are high-risk operations requiring extensive training, and last-minute cancellations, while rare, are not unprecedented. In 2024, a walk was called off due to spacesuit discomfort, and in 2021, astronaut Mark Vande Hei aborted his plans because of a pinched nerve.
Medical Protocols and Secrecy on the ISS
Astronauts typically serve six to eight-month rotations on the ISS, which is equipped with basic medical equipment and medications for emergency care. However, NASA maintains a strict protocol of confidentiality regarding crew health, rarely providing public details on medical conditions encountered in space.
The decision to potentially shorten a mission underscores the paramount importance NASA places on crew safety. An early return would involve the crew boarding their SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, which brought them to the station, for a journey back to Earth ahead of schedule.
As the evaluation continues, the international space community awaits further updates on the status of the Crew-11 mission and the health of the astronaut involved.
