NASA and SpaceX have officially pushed back the return of the Crew-11 mission, with the goal of undocking from the International Space Station until before 5 p.m. ET (220 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, followed by a splashdown on Thursday. The decision was made due to a medical issue with a crew member, while teams also continue to monitor weather conditions in the recovery area.
NASA has announced its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth earlier than originally planned. This decision comes as teams monitor a medical issue involving a crew member who is currently stable and living aboard the orbital laboratory.
According to ReutersNASA said it was considering an early return of the International Space Station crew due to what it described as a “medical issue” with an astronaut.
In light of medical concerns, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, astronaut Kimiyui Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will land off the coast of California on Thursday, January 15 at approximately 3:40 am.
Mission managers will continue to monitor conditions in the recovery era. SpaceX Dragon’s disconnect on spacecraft readiness, recovery team capabilities and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will select a specific landing and location closer to the release of the Crew-11 spacecraft.
NASA will provide more details on coverage plans in the coming days. Additionally, the Crew-11’s early return will not impact the timeline for the Artemis II moon mission, which remains scheduled for early February 2026.
