Four astronauts return to Earth in NASA’s first ISS medical evacuation
An astronaut requiring medical attention left the International Space Station on Wednesday, accompanied by three crewmates, marking Nasa’s inaugural medical evacuation. The four astronauts from the US, Russia, and Japan are set to make an early Thursday morning splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego with SpaceX. The decision truncates their mission by more than a month. “Our timing of this departure is unexpected,” NASA astronaut Zena Cardman said before the return trip, “but what was not surprising to me was how well this crew came together as a family to help each other and just take care of each other.” Authorities declined to disclose the identity of the astronaut who required assistance last week and refrained from revealing the specific health issues involved. “The ailing astronaut is stable, safe and well cared for,” outgoing space station commander Mike Fincke said earlier this week via social media. This was a calculated choice to facilitate the appropriate medical assessments on-site, where comprehensive diagnostic resources are available. Launched in August, Cardman, Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov were expected to remain on the space station until late February.
However, on January 7, Nasa unexpectedly canceled the spacewalk scheduled for the following day involving Cardman and Fincke, subsequently announcing the crew’s early return. Officials stated that the health issue was not connected to spacewalk preparations or other station activities, but did not provide further details, referencing medical privacy. They emphasized that it was not an emergency situation. Additionally, consider reading Nasa announced that it will maintain the same entry and splashdown procedures at the conclusion of the flight, accompanied by the standard array of medical experts on the recovery ship in the Pacific. In the early hours of the morning, SpaceX executed another crew return, occurring less than 11 hours after undocking from the space station. Nasa stated that it remains uncertain how swiftly all four will be transported from California to Houston, which is home to the Johnson Space Center and serves as the base for astronauts.
One US astronaut and two Russian astronauts are currently aboard the orbiting lab, having embarked on an eight-month mission that commenced with a Soyuz rocket launch from Kazakhstan just 1 1/2 months ago. Nasa and SpaceX are collaborating to advance the launch of a new four-person crew from Florida, which is currently scheduled for mid-February. Computer modeling anticipated a medical evacuation from the space station every three years; however, NASA has not experienced one in its 65 years of human spaceflight. The Russians have faced greater challenges. In 1985, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Vasyutin experienced a serious infection or related illness aboard his country’s Salyut 7 space station, leading to an early return. Several other Soviet cosmonauts faced less severe health complications that resulted in shorter missions. Cardman, a 38-year-old biologist and polar explorer, embarked on his inaugural spaceflight, missing the opportunity for a spacewalk. Meanwhile, Platonov, 39, a former fighter pilot with the Russian Air Force, faced a delay of several years in reaching space due to an undisclosed health issue. Cardman was initially scheduled for launch last year but was postponed to accommodate Nasa’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who faced nearly a year of delays at the space station due to issues with Boeing’s capsule. Fincke, 58, a retired Air Force colonel, and Yui, 55, a retired fighter pilot with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, were experienced space travelers. Finke has dedicated 1 1/2 years to orbit across four missions and has completed nine spacewalks on prior flights, establishing himself as one of NASA’s leading performers.
Last week, Yui marked his 300th day in space across two station stays, showcasing stunning views of Earth, including Japan’s Mount Fuji and breathtaking auroras. “I want to burn it firmly into my eyes, and even more so, into my heart,” Yui said. Soon, I too shall join the ranks of those small lights on the ground. Nasa officials indicated that it posed a greater risk to leave the astronaut in space without adequate medical care for an additional month than to temporarily decrease the size of the space station crew by more than fifty percent. Nasa has stated that it will need to refrain from any routine or emergency spacewalks until SpaceX provides another crew. These operations, which involve two personnel, necessitate support from crew members within the orbiting complex. The medical evacuation marked the inaugural significant decision made by NASA’s newly appointed administrator, Jared Isaacman. The billionaire founder of a payment processing company and two-time space flier took on the agency’s top position in December. “The health and the well-being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority,” Isaacman said in announcing the decision last week.
