发布时间: 1/9/2026
In an unexpected announcement that’s captured global attention, NASA revealed it will cut short the International Space Station (ISS) mission of Crew-11 by one full month, citing a "serious medical condition" affecting one of the four crew members. This marks the first early crew evacuation in the ISS’s 25-year history of continuous human occupation, a choice that puts astronaut health and safety front and center.
Meet Crew-11: The Multinational Team Heading Home Early
Crew-11 is a diverse team of space professionals from three countries. Front row in their official portrait you’ll find NASA Pilot Mike Fincke and Commander Zena Cardman, while the back row includes Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Kimiya Yui, a mission specialist from Japan’s JAXA space agency. The crew launched aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon back in August last year, originally set to spend six months in orbit before being replaced by a new team next month.
The Timeline of Events Leading to the Early Return
Rumors began swirling on Wednesday when NASA suddenly canceled a planned spacewalk that was slated for Thursday, with officials only mentioning a "medical concern" at the time. Then, during a Thursday news conference led by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other top agency leaders, the decision to bring the crew home early was made official. It was a move that confirmed the severity of the situation while reassuring the public that things were under control.
What We Know (and Don’t Know) About the Medical Situation
NASA has been careful to protect the affected astronaut’s privacy, declining to name the crew member or share specifics about their medical condition. However, the agency did confirm that the astronaut is in stable condition, and emphasized that this is not an emergency evacuation. "We always err on the side of the astronaut's health," a NASA official stated, making it clear that the agency prioritizes crew well-being above all other considerations.
Officials also noted that the medical issue is unrelated to space operations and is not the result of an injury, which has helped ease concerns about potential risks to future missions. They added that an update on the exact return timeline for Crew-11 is expected within 48 hours, so space fans and experts can look forward to more details in the coming days.
How the Early Return Will Impact ISS Operations
When Crew-11 heads back to Earth, one American astronaut will stay behind on the ISS alongside two Russian cosmonauts to maintain essential station functions. But according to Dr. Simeon Barber, a space scientist at the Open University, the reduced crew size will likely delay some experiments and maintenance tasks until the new crew arrives next month. "The space station is a big, complex feat of engineering, it's designed to be operated by a certain minimum level of crew," he explained. The remaining crew will probably have to dial back on experimental work and focus mostly on keeping the station running smoothly until full staffing is restored.
This also marks a historic moment for NASA: Dr. James Polk, the agency’s chief health and medical officer, pointed out that this is the first time in NASA’s 65+ year history that a mission has been cut short due to an astronaut’s medical condition. It’s a powerful reminder that even in the high-stakes world of space travel, human health remains the top priority.
The ISS orbits Earth at an average height of about 400 km (250 miles) above the surface, acting as a floating laboratory for scientific research from around the globe. Since 2000, it has been continuously inhabited by crews from multiple space agencies, serving as a shining example of international cooperation in space exploration. For now, its operations will continue with a reduced crew as NASA works to bring Crew-11 home safely.