“Medical Concern” Aboard International Space Station Compels NASA To Have Crew Return To Earth Early
on Jan 08, 2026
A Spacewalk Was Postponed Ahead Of NASA’s Decision
“Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission,” wrote NASA in a statement released today, Thursday, Jan. 8.
By the evening of Jan. 8, NASA had decided to have the crew return to Earth ahead of schedule, citing a “medical concern” affecting one of the crew members.
A news release stated:
“NASA announced on Thursday its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the International Space Station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory.”
Continuing, the release reads, “As NASA reviews Crew-11 return dates, the agency also is working with SpaceX, and its international partners, to review the options available to advance launch opportunities for the Crew-12 mission.”
Concluding its update, NASA wrote, “The agency anticipates a decision on a target Crew-11 return date in the coming days.”
Watch NASA’s Jan. 8 press conference on the developing situation, here:
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station had a scheduled spacewalk set to occur today.
However, that spacewalk was postponed.
The medical concern, according to NASA, arose on Jan. 7, which was when the decision was made to postpone the spacewalk.
Little information has been disclosed on this development, with NASA adding, “Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.”
The agency did note that “the situation is stable.”
About The Crew
Aboard the International Space Station, there are presently seven astronauts, four of which are part of SpaceX Crew-11.
The Crew-11 team is comprised of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, as well as Japan’s Kimiya Yui, from JAXA; and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
Cardman, who is serving as commander of the Crew-11 mission, is on her first spaceflight.
Fincke, who is the mission’s pilot, has spent the longest amount of time in space of those in Crew-11, having spent a total of 541 days in space as of Jan. 8.
On August 1, 2025, Crew-11 launched to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon, making it the 11th commercial flight conducted by NASA. Crew-11 successfully docked at the space station the next day.
They were expected to return in late February of this year, with NASA’s decision to pursue returning Crew-11 to Earth ahead of schedule now placing their return date in question.
NASA concluded one of its Jan. 8 updates, writing, “These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely. We will provide further updates within the next 24 hours.”
Revisit the SpaceX Crew-11 launch, here:
Information On The Postponed Spacewalk
During a Jan. 6 news conference conducted by NASA, prior to the announcement of a “medical concern” within Crew-11, the goals for the Jan. 8 spacewalk were outlined.
NASA had planned for Commander Cardman and Pilot Fincke to participate in the spacewalk, working to “finish the prep for … future rollout solar arrays.”
These rollout solar arrays, or ROSA, are used to power the International Space Station.
“Additionally, the duo will swab the outside of the ISS again to test for microbes in our microorganisms experiment campaign,” said Bill Spetch, operations integration manager with NASA.
Notably, the spacewalk was to be Cardman’s first spacewalk, and it would’ve been Fincke’s 10th.
Watch the press conference for the now-postponed spacewalk, here:
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