NASA Evaluates Early Return for ISS Crew-11 After Medical Issue
NASA is evaluating the possibility of an early return for the four-member Crew-11 team aboard the International Space Station following a medical issue with one unidentified astronaut, the space agency announced Wednesday. The concern, which arose in the afternoon, prompted the cancellation of a planned spacewalk set for Thursday morning and has led officials to review all mission options, including shortening the rotation that began last August.
The astronaut remains in stable condition, according to NASA, which cited medical privacy as the reason for withholding further details. "Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options," the agency stated. NASA plans to provide an update within 24 hours, including a rescheduled date for the postponed spacewalk.
The Crew-11 mission, launched aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule, includes NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The team was originally slated to return to Earth around May after a standard six- to eight-month stay. Astronauts on the station have access to basic...