NASA's Crew-11 makes history with 1st ISS medical evacuation since 1998
NASA's Crew-11 just pulled off the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station in nearly three decades.
Their Dragon Endeavour spacecraft undocked from the ISS on January 15, 2026 (3:30am IST) and splashed down safely near San Diego early January 15—a major moment for space safety and emergency response.
Why did Crew-11 come home early?
The mission, launched last August, was supposed to last six months but got cut short after a crew member faced a serious medical issue on January 7.
NASA decided to bring everyone home together, canceling a planned spacewalk in the process.
The astronaut needing help is stable, but their identity remains private.
Who's back on Earth—and who's still up there?
All four Crew-11 astronauts—Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui (JAXA), and Oleg Platonov (Roscosmos)—returned together in Dragon Endeavour.
Three astronauts remain aboard the ISS, and NASA says they're safe and continuing their mission as planned.