Space Station Crew To Return Early Because Of Health Concern

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The Crew-11 team — (from left) Oleg Platonov, Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman and Kimiya Yui — will leave for Earth on January 14, 2026 (Credit: SpaceX)

For the first time in the 25-year history of the International Space Station (ISS), NASA has ordered a crew to return early. The Crew-11 astronauts — Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov — will leave aboard the SpaceX Dragon on January 14, 2026. If all goes according to plan, they will splash down off the California coast at about 3:40 am pst on January 15. The mission had been initially planned to last until around February 20.

The unprecedented move was caused by an undisclosed "serious" medical issue affecting one crew member. NASA spokesperson Jared Isaacman explained that the ISS has basic medical supplies. However, it lacks the equipment needed to treat certain conditions in microgravity.

The decision to bring home all four astronauts, rather than only the one who is ill, is due to NASA's strict safety rules. Astronauts are not allowed to remain on the station without a confirmed return seat on a docked spacecraft. To meet this requirement, each SpaceX capsule is fitted with seats and pressure suits designed for a specific crew. Because of this, the astronauts have to leave the ISS together.

Once Crew-11 leaves, the ISS will have just three people. They are NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev. The trio arrived at the ISS in late November 2025. However, while seven astronauts are now standard, the station has safely functioned with fewer people in the past. Also, the three astronauts will be alone for only a few weeks. They will be joined by the four members of Crew-12 in mid-February.

Resources: Space. com, NASA.gov

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