NASA brings astronauts home early after health issue in first-ever evacuation

NASA carried retired its archetypal aesculapian evacuation from abstraction aboriginal Thursday, bringing 4 astronauts backmost to Earth much than a period aboriginal aft a unit subordinate reported wellness issues aboard the International Space Station.

SpaceX guided the Dragon capsule to a nighttime splashdown successful the Pacific Ocean disconnected the seashore of San Diego, completing the instrumentality little than 11 hours aft the unit departed the orbiting laboratory.

"Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – invited backmost to Earth, @zenanaut, @AstroIronMike, @Astro_Kimiya, and Oleg!" SpaceX said successful a station connected X.

NASA said the affected astronaut was unchangeable portion successful orbit, but that ngo managers decided an aboriginal instrumentality was the safest people to let for due aesculapian valuation and diagnostic investigating connected Earth. 

Officials emphasized that the instrumentality did not necessitate immoderate peculiar procedures and that modular aesculapian teams were connected manus during recovery.

NASA MAKES ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ CALL TO BRING ASTRONAUTS HOME AFTER ILLNESS, EXPERT SAYS: ‘EVACUATED FROM ORBIT’

This screengrab from video provided by NASA shows betterment vessels approaching the NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 capsule to evacuate 1 of the unit members aft they re-entered the world successful a middle-of-the-night splashdown adjacent San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026.  (NASA via AP)

The mission’s aboriginal decision near the abstraction presumption temporarily staffed by conscionable 3 astronauts — 1 American and 2 Russians — a configuration NASA said is manageable but limits immoderate operations. 

Agency officials said nary spacewalks, including exigency repairs, tin beryllium conducted until the accomplishment of the adjacent crew.

This screengrab from video provided by NASA shows SpaceX Crew-11 members re entering the world successful a middle-of-the-night splashdown adjacent San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA via AP)

NASA stressed that the determination was precautionary and not the effect of an emergency. The wellness contented emerged connected Jan. 7, prompting the cancellation of a scheduled spacewalk the pursuing time and yet starring to the shortened mission.

This screengrab from video provided by NASA shows the NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 members re entering the world successful a middle-of-the-night splashdown adjacent San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA via AP)

It marked the archetypal clip NASA has chopped abbreviated a spaceflight for aesculapian reasons, though akin decisions were made by Russian abstraction programs decades ago.

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NASA and SpaceX said they are moving to determination up the motorboat of a replacement unit of four, presently scheduled for mid-February. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.