A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule has departed the International Space Station (ISS), carrying a four-member crew back to Earth due to a medical emergency involving one of the astronauts. The capsule undocked on January 7, 2024, and began its descent from orbit, targeting a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California early on January 8.
Live footage from a NASA webcast captured the moment the capsule separated from the ISS, drifting away at an altitude of approximately 415 kilometers above the Earth, south of Australia. The crew consists of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
NASA has not disclosed the identity of the astronaut facing the medical issue or the specifics of the condition, citing privacy concerns. Fincke, who serves as the station’s commander, and Cardman were scheduled to perform a spacewalk to install hardware outside the station before the emergency prompted a cancellation.
The spacewalk had been planned for the previous week but was abandoned on January 7 due to what NASA described as a “medical concern.” James Polk, NASA’s Chief Health and Medical Officer, clarified that the medical emergency did not involve an injury incurred during operations.
If the splashdown proceeds as planned, it will conclude a mission lasting 167 days. The crew originally launched to the ISS from Florida in August 2023, contributing to important scientific research and ongoing operations aboard the space station.
The safe return of the crew underscores the ongoing commitment of NASA and its commercial partners to ensure astronaut safety and health during missions in low Earth orbit. As space exploration continues to expand, incidents like this highlight the complexities and challenges faced by astronauts in their pursuit of knowledge beyond our planet.
