An astronaut in need of medical attention evacuated the International Space Station on Wednesday, joined by three crewmates, cutting their mission short by over a month. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke will be returning, alongside Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The crew launched their mission in August and were expected to remain on the space station until late February. In a post shared to social media earlier this week, outgoing space station commander Fincke said that the astronaut in need of medical care, who officials declined to identify, was “stable, safe and well cared for.” “This was a deliberate decision to allow the right medical evaluations to happen on the ground, where the full range of diagnostic capability exists,” he added. Prior to their return trip, Cardman said, “Our timing of this departure is unexpected, but what was not surprising to me was how well this crew came together as a family to help each other and just take care of each other.” The crew is aiming for a Thursday morning splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego.
LIVE: @zenanaut, @AstroIronMike, and their fellow Crew-11 members have said their goodbyes, and the SpaceX Dragon hatch is closed. Now, watch as they undock from the @Space_Station. https://t.co/FVnNDMIlrZ
— NASA (@NASA) January 14, 2026
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