NASA has provided a new update regarding the evacuation of its crew from the International Space Station due to unforeseen circumstances.
It was revealed yesterday that the astronauts will return sooner than expected because a ‘serious medical issue’ has emerged affecting one member of the four-person crew currently on board.
This particular team, Crew-11, comprises NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s JAXA space agency’s Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman commented on the decision: “After discussions with Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr. J.D. Polk and leadership across the agency, I’ve come to the decision that it’s in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of their planned departure.”
A NASA representative further clarified to BBC News: “This is not an emergency evacuation. We always err on the side of the astronaut’s health.”
This evacuation is unprecedented, marking the first instance in NASA’s 65-year history where a mission has been cut short due to a medical concern.
The agency has opted not to disclose the identity of the affected astronaut or elaborate on the medical issue, citing it as ‘not appropriate’.
The decision to bring the crew back came shortly after NASA canceled a planned spacewalk on January 8, due to a ‘medical concern’.
Fincke and Cardman were scheduled to perform the 6.5-hour spacewalk, intended for installing new equipment on the station’s exterior.
NASA has since provided a timeline for the crew’s return journey.
The agency announced: “NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 14, for the undocking of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station, pending weather conditions.”
They further noted: “NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will splash down off the coast of California at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15.
“Mission managers continue monitoring conditions in the recovery area, as undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors.
“NASA and SpaceX will select a specific splashdown time and location closer to the Crew-11 spacecraft undocking.”
Upon their return to Earth on January 15, NASA is planning to conduct a news conference at 5:45 a.m. (EST).