NASA CREW MEMBERS at the International Space Station are set to return to Earth within days after an astronaut suffered a health issue, the first such medical evacuation from the station in Nasa’s history.

Officials did not provide details of the medical event but said the unidentified crew member is stable and that it didn’t happen as a result of any kind of injury onboard or from ISS operations.

Nasa chief medical officer James Polk said “lingering risk” and a “lingering question as to what that diagnosis is” led to the decision to return early. Officials insisted it was not an emergency evacuation.

The four astronauts on Nasa-SpaceX Crew 11 — US members Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman along with Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov — are expected to return within the coming days to one of the routine splashdown sites.

.@NASA is returning @SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission to Earth earlier than planned due to a crew member’s medical concern while reviewing options to advance Crew-12’s launch. https://t.co/AMIVh7zC9P

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) January 9, 2026

Amit Kshatriya, a Nasa associate administrator, said it was the “first time we’ve done a controlled medical evacuation from the vehicle, so that is unusual”.

He said the crew deployed their “onboarding training” to “manage unexpected medical situations”.

“Yesterday was a textbook example of that training in action. Once the situation on the station stabilized, careful deliberations led us to the decision to return Crew 11… while ensuring minimal operational impact to ongoing work aboard.”

The four astronauts set to return have been on their mission since the start of August. Such journeys generally last approximately six months, and this crew was already due to return in the coming weeks.

Officials indicated it was possible the next US mission could depart to the ISS earlier than scheduled, but did not provide specifics.

- AFP 2026