NASA has announced plans for its first medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS) following a serious health issue affecting one of its astronauts. The agency stated that the crew is expected to depart the ISS no earlier than 17:00 EST on January 14, 2025, with a target landing near California early on January 15, 2025, contingent upon weather and recovery conditions.
During a briefing on Thursday, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman explained the decision was made after consultations with the agency’s chief health and medical officer, Dr. James Polk, and other leadership. “I’ve come to the decision that it’s in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of their planned departure,” Isaacman stated. This situation marks the first medical evacuation in the ISS’s 25-year history.
The astronaut’s condition has not been publicly detailed, but it has been described as “serious.” The agency has opted not to disclose the individual’s identity or medical issue, citing patient privacy concerns. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Dr. Polk emphasized that “the astronaut is absolutely stable,” indicating that this is not an emergent evacuation. He noted, “We’re not immediately disembarking and getting the astronaut down, but it leaves that lingering risk and lingering question as to what that diagnosis is.”
As a result of the medical situation, NASA also canceled its first spacewalk of the year. Crew-11, which arrived at the ISS aboard a SpaceX capsule in August, consists of Zena Cardman, the US commander, along with fellow astronauts Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui from Japan, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Meanwhile, three other crew members—Chris Williams from the US and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikayev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov—will remain on board the station to continue their work.
NASA has indicated plans to decommission the aging space station, which has become increasingly costly to operate, by late 2030 or early 2031. This medical evacuation underscores the complexities and inherent risks of conducting long-duration missions in space. The agency continues to prioritize the health and safety of its astronauts as it navigates this unprecedented situation.
