NASA has decided to end a mission on the International Space Station ahead of schedule due to a medical emergency involving one of the astronauts. The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four will be returning to Earth earlier than planned in the next few days, prompting the cancellation of the first spacewalk of the year. The astronaut’s identity and specific medical condition have not been disclosed for privacy reasons, but NASA confirmed that the crew member is now in stable condition.
Currently, seven astronauts are residing on the space station, with the most recent crew arriving in August following a launch from Florida. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman commended the agency’s rapid response to ensure the astronauts’ safety during a news conference on Thursday.
The crew set to return home arrived at the space station in August via SpaceX for a mission lasting at least six months. The team comprised U.S. astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Fincke, a veteran of space missions, was on his fourth visit to the station, while Yui had previously been there once. Cardman and Platonov were experiencing their first spaceflight.
Meanwhile, three other astronauts, including NASA’s Chris Williams and Russia’s Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, are currently on the space station after launching in November on a Soyuz rocket for an eight-month stay. They are scheduled to return to Earth in the summer.
