NASA said it is considering a rare early return of a crew from the International Space Station after an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts, a move that prompted the agency to cancel
a planned spacewalk. NASA said the astronaut experiencing the medical concern, who was not identified, was in stable condition aboard the orbiting laboratory.
“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission,” the agency said.
Astronauts aboard the ISS typically serve rotations of six to eight months and have access to basic medical equipment and medications designed to handle limited emergencies. NASA has long treated medical situations in orbit as highly sensitive and details are rarely made public.
The four-member Crew-11 mission includes US astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The crew launched from Florida in August and was originally scheduled to return to Earth around May.
Mike Fincke, the station’s commander and Zena Cardman, who serves as flight engineer, had been slated to conduct a 6.5-hour spacewalk to install hardware outside the station. That operation was cancelled as NASA assessed the medical situation.
Spacewalks are among the most demanding tasks astronauts perform, requiring months of preparation and posing inherent risks. Crew members must operate in bulky spacesuits while tethered to the station, following tightly choreographed procedures.
NASA has previously postponed or cancelled spacewalks over health or equipment concerns. In 2024, the agency called off a planned spacewalk at the last minute due to spacesuit discomfort. In 2021, US astronaut Mark Vande Hei scrubbed a spacewalk after experiencing a pinched nerve.
