Nasa Astronaut Medical Emergency Prompts First ISS Evacuation in 25 Years
NASA has disclosed details of a nasa astronaut medical emergency that began on Jan. 7 and prompted the first medical evacuation in the International Space Station’s 25-year history.
Jan. 7 event and the decision to return
On Jan. 7, astronaut Mike Fincke "experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates, " Fincke wrote that NASA shared online at his request. He added, "Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized. " After further evaluation, NASA determined the safest course was an early return for Crew-11 so Fincke could have access to advanced medical imaging not available on the space station; Fincke described the move as "not an emergency but a carefully coordinated plan. "
Nasa Astronaut Medical Emergency: splashdown, mission length and crew
Crew-11 splashed down off the coast of San Diego on Jan. 15 after an approximately five-and-a-half-month mission. The crew roster referenced by Fincke included fellow Expedition 74 members Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov; Fincke also named Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikayev in his message of thanks.
Who Fincke thanked and where he was treated
Fincke expressed gratitude to his crewmates, the NASA team, SpaceX personnel and medical professionals at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla near San Diego. He said he is "doing very well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning" at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and closed his statement, "Spaceflight is an incredible privilege, and sometimes it reminds us just how human we are. "
Station impacts, official reaction and recovery of operations
The early return left only three crew members on the station—one American and two Russians—and prompted NASA to pause spacewalks and reduce research output while the situation was handled. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman characterized the incident as a "serious situation" in orbit but said the affected crew member had been safe and stable ever since. The station was later joined by four new astronauts in February and normal service has resumed.
What comes next
Fincke’s statement was shared publicly at his request and confirms he remains in post-flight reconditioning at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Recovery work and medical follow-up tied to the Jan. 7 event continue to be the immediate, confirmed next steps following the Crew-11 splashdown on Jan. 15.
