NASA Decides on Early Splashdown After Astronaut Health Issue
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 has safely returned to Earth following a decision to bring the astronauts back early due to a medical concern for one of the team members. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down on January 15, 2026, after departing the International Space Station around 10 hours earlier. The crew, including American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov, was initially scheduled to return on February 20, 2026. This marks the first time a medical emergency has led to an early return in the 25-year history of the ISS. The early return was reported by AeroTime.