NASA ends Crew-11 mission early due to medical concern

by Christopher Teuton

SPACE, LEO (WTOC) - [UPDATE 5:35 p.m.] During a press conference just now, NASA has announced that it is suspending the Crew-11 mission and the astronauts will begin their journey home in the coming days.

“For over 60 years, NASA has set the standard for safety and security in crewed space flight,” Jared Isaacman, NASA administrator said.

“After discussions with Chief Health and Medical Officer J.D. Polk and leadership across the agency, I’ve come to the decision that it is in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of their planned departure.”

You can watch the press conference announcing the end of Crew-11’s mission below:

[ORIGINAL STORY] NASA said Thursday it is evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission, after a medical concern arose with a crew member aboard the International Space Station.

“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission,” NASA said in a blog post.

The medical situation involved a single crew member who is stable, according to NASA. The concern arose Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex.

Due to medical privacy, NASA did not share any more details about the crew member, other than to say that the situation is stable.

Spacewalk postponed amid medical evaluation

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 members stand inside the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. From left are Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), Commander NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos, and Pilot NASA astronaut Mike Fincke.

NASA announced Wednesday it was postponing the Thursday, Jan. 8, spacewalk outside the International Space Station because it was monitoring the medical concern.

NASA said these are the situations both it and its partners train for and prepare to execute safely.

The agency said it will provide further updates within the next 24 hours.

The Crew-11 mission includes NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov. They have been on the space station since August and are scheduled to return later this year.