The Crew-11 Mission: Astronauts Evacuated from International Space Station for Medical Reasons
The four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station
SpaceX
For the first time in history, astronauts are being evacuated from the International Space Station (ISS) for medical reasons. The exact nature of the “medical situation” has not been disclosed for privacy reasons, and the affected astronaut has not been identified. However, four of the seven crew members currently on board the ISS are being brought back to Earth ahead of schedule.
The astronauts being evacuated are part of the Crew-11 mission, which was launched on 1 August and was initially scheduled to return in late February. During a press conference held on 8 January, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman explained that the decision to bring the astronauts back early was made as most of the mission objectives have been accomplished, making the early return feasible.
According to NASA’s chief health and medical officer, James Polk, this evacuation is not considered an emergency as the astronaut’s condition is stable. The crew will be returning to Earth in the next few days to undergo further medical evaluations and treatment. While the ISS is equipped with medical supplies, the necessary resources for a comprehensive evaluation are better available on Earth.
The Crew-11 members, consisting of two NASA astronauts, one Russian cosmonaut, and one Japanese astronaut, will be returning aboard the Dragon spacecraft that transported them to the ISS. Medical facilities on Earth have been prepared to receive the affected crew member for necessary tests and medical care. Despite the unprecedented nature of this evacuation, the process itself is similar to regular crew returns from space missions.
Dr. Polk mentioned, “In the 25 years of the history of the International Space Station, we’ve had many models… that have said that we should’ve had a medical evacuation approximately every three years… and we’ve not had one to date.”
Following the evacuation, the ISS will be left with one NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts until the arrival of the Crew-12 mission, which was originally planned for around 15 February but may be rescheduled due to this unforeseen event.
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