NASA Initiates Medical Evacuation of Crew-11 from ISS

NASA has ordered a “controlled medical evacuation” of four astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a medical situation affecting one crew member. The decision was announced on Thursday following an incident earlier this week, although NASA has not disclosed the identity of the affected astronaut or the specifics of the medical issue.

James “JD” Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, confirmed that the astronaut is “absolutely stable,” but highlighted that the agency is opting for caution by bringing the affected crew member back to Earth. This action involves the Crew-11 mission, which was launched on August 1, 2023, and was originally scheduled to return around February 20, 2024. Instead, the Crew-11 astronauts will depart the ISS in the coming days, aiming for a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near California.

Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, explained the rationale behind the decision, stating, “After discussions with our chief health and medical officer, Dr. JD Polk, and leadership across the agency, I’ve come to the decision that it’s in the best interests of our astronauts to return Crew-11 ahead of their planned departure.”

Mission Details and Crew Composition

The Crew-11 mission is commanded by Zena Cardman, 38, who is completing her first mission in space. She is joined by pilot Mike Fincke, 58, who is on his fourth spaceflight, as well as Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, 55, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, 39. Isaacman noted that further details regarding the schedule for undocking and reentry would be shared within the next 48 hours.

The Crew-11 astronauts will return aboard the same SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft they launched in more than five months ago. All crew members must return together, as they rely on the same spacecraft for safety in case of emergencies.

“NASA has set the standard for safety and security in crewed spaceflight for over 60 years,” Isaacman stated. “The health and well-being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority.”

Medical Situation and Response

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Polk emphasized that the decision to return the crew was not made in haste. The agency is maintaining privacy regarding the medical issue, with Polk stating, “I’m not going to speak about any particular astronaut or any particular specific diagnosis.”

Two Crew-11 astronauts, Cardman and Fincke, were preparing for a spacewalk when the medical issue arose. Polk clarified that the incident was unrelated to the spacewalk preparations, emphasizing its occurrence in the challenging microgravity environment.

Yui reportedly contacted mission control in Houston on Wednesday afternoon to request a private medical consultation, prompting an immediate response from ground teams. NASA later confirmed a medical concern for one astronaut that evening, leading to the decision for an early return. Polk remarked, “The crew is highly trained, and they came to the aid of their colleague right away, and that’s part of why we do that training.”

The ISS is equipped with medical supplies and equipment for emergencies, and crew members are trained to handle various medical situations, including performing ultrasounds and administering IVs. Polk noted that while the ISS has comprehensive medical capabilities, it lacks the full extent of facilities available in a hospital emergency department.

NASA will assess weather and sea conditions before determining the exact timing of the Crew-11 departure from the ISS. SpaceX is preparing to dispatch a recovery ship from Southern California for the splashdown.

Polk reassured that the astronaut’s condition is stable and that this evacuation is not an emergency situation, stating, “We’re not immediately disembarking and getting the astronaut down.” Nevertheless, without a confirmed diagnosis, there remains a “lingering risk” to the astronaut’s health if they stay in orbit, prompting the decision for an early return.

This situation marks a significant decision for Isaacman, who became NASA Administrator only last month following his confirmation by the Senate. Prior to this role, Isaacman was known for his entrepreneurial ventures and as a private astronaut, having flown to space twice on commercial missions with SpaceX.

After the return of Crew-11, the ISS will operate with a reduced crew of three until the arrival of the Crew-12 mission, which is currently scheduled for February 15, 2024. NASA is exploring options to accelerate this launch. Until then, the station will be staffed by NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian cosmonauts, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikayev, who arrived in November.

The early departure of Crew-11 means that NASA will not be able to conduct any spacewalks, leading to a “slightly elevated risk” in responding to potential hardware failures that might require such operations, according to Amit Kshatriya, NASA’s associate administrator.

NASA and the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, established an agreement in 2022 to ensure that both American and Russian crew members are present on the ISS, enhancing operational continuity.

The decision to evacuate Crew-11 is unprecedented in NASA’s history, as this is the first controlled medical evacuation from the ISS. The agency has not previously terminated a human spaceflight mission for medical reasons.

Polk stated that predictive models had suggested a medical evacuation would be necessary about once every three years, highlighting the rarity of this event.

As the ISS continues to serve as a laboratory for studying the effects of spaceflight on the human body and testing systems for long-duration missions, Isaacman concluded, “We will absolutely learn from this situation as well, to see if that informs our future on-orbit operations, whether that be on the space station or our future lunar base that we’re pursuing right now, and eventually for deep space missions to Mars.”