Medical Emergency Triggers Early Return Of Four Astronauts From ISS As NASA Cuts Short Mission

NASA is cutting a mission aboard the International Space Station short following a medical emergency. The development comes as one of the astronauts on the ISS is facing medical issues, leading to an early return of the US-Japanese-Russian crew to Earth. NASA also cancelled its first spacewalk of the year due to the health issue.

"NASA is postponing the Thursday, Jan. 8, spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The agency is monitoring a medical concern with a crew member that arose Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex," the agency posted on X on Thursday.

The US-based space agency said that the crew of four will return to Earth in the coming days.

The agency did not reveal the astronaut’s identity or the medical condition, citing privacy, the news agency AP reported.

Officials confirmed the crew member is now stable and receiving care.

It was not an onboard emergency, but NASA is “erring on the side of caution for the crew member,” said Dr James Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, was quoted as saying by AP.

According to Polk, this is the first medical evacuation from the space station. The crew of four arrived via SpaceX in August for a six-month stay. The crew includes NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov.

Fincke and Cardman were scheduled for a spacewalk to prepare for future solar panel rollout. This was critical for the addition of power to the space station, but the plan has been cancelled as of now. This marked Fincke’s fourth visit and Yui’s second, while Cardman and Platonov were making their first spaceflights, according to NASA.

“I’m proud of the swift effort across the agency thus far to ensure the safety of our astronauts,” NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said.