NASA has determined to deliver the Crew-11 astronauts dwelling a month sooner than initially deliberate as a result of a “medical concern” with considered one of them. That is the primary time in its historical past that the house company is slicing a mission quick as a result of a medical difficulty, but it surely didn’t establish the crew member or disclose the precise state of affairs and its severity. The company is focusing on a return date no sooner than January 14, with the precise schedule relying on the climate. If NASA’s unique plan pushes by, the crew will splash down off the coast of California at roughly 3:40 AM on January 15.
The company beforehand postponed an Worldwide House Station (ISS) spacewalk scheduled for January 8, citing a medical concern with a crew member that appeared the day earlier than. NASA’s chief well being and medical officer, James “JD” Polk, mentioned the affected astronaut is “completely steady” and that this isn’t a case of an emergency evacuation. The ISS has a “strong suite of medical {hardware}” onboard, he mentioned, however not sufficient for a whole workup to find out a prognosis. With no correct prognosis, NASA doesn’t know if the astronaut’s well being may very well be negatively affected by the surroundings aboard the ISS. That’s the reason the company is erring on the aspect of warning.
Crew-11 left for the house station on August 1 and was supposed to come back again to Earth on or round February 20. After they depart the station, solely three folks will stay: Two cosmonauts and one astronauts who’ll be in command of all of the experiments at present being performed on the orbiting lab. The group’s alternative, Crew-12, was supposed to go to the ISS mid-February, however NASA is contemplating sending the astronauts to the station sooner than that.
Replace, January 10, 2025, 5:15AM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate Crew-11’s tentative return date.