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NASA's First-Ever ISS Medical Evacuation Underway
15 Jan
Summary
- Four astronauts returned to Earth due to an in-orbit medical emergency.
- This marks the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station.
- NASA cited 'serious' medical concerns requiring Earth-based treatment.
NASA has successfully completed the first-ever medical evacuation of astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS). A four-person crew, including astronauts Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov, returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday. The decision to bring the crew home was made out of an abundance of caution due to a medical emergency that NASA flight surgeons determined required treatment unavailable in microgravity.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule initiated its deorbit burn and endured a fiery re-entry before parachuting to a safe splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California. Recovery teams were on hand to retrieve the capsule and its occupants, who were then transported to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for comprehensive medical evaluations. NASA has withheld specific details about the astronaut's condition to protect their medical privacy.
NASA administrator Jared Isaacman deemed the medical episode 'serious,' necessitating a return to Earth for further care. While a planned spacewalk on January 8 was canceled, officials confirmed the condition did not pose an immediate danger and was unrelated to ongoing ISS operations. This unprecedented evacuation highlights the rigorous health and safety protocols governing space missions.
