NASA advances return of the ISS crew due to an astronaut’s medical problem

Washington. NASA will advance the return of the crew of the Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a medical problem with one of the astronauts, the agency reported yesterday.

“The medical situation is stable now. After discussing the situation we reached the decision to return the crew of the Crew-11 mission before the previously scheduled departure,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said at a press conference.

NASA officials did not specify the medical problem that occurred Wednesday, but said it was not related to the spacewalk planned for Thursday and suspended a few hours earlier.

The crew that will return to Earth includes American astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, who would make the spacewalk, along with Japanese Kimiya Yui, from the JAXA agency, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, from Roscosmos.

Isaacman indicated that in the coming days the Dragon capsule will leave the ISS with the astronauts who arrived at the space laboratory in August, but a date has not yet been set.

He added that the incident was serious, while NASA doctor James Polk explained that the crew immediately helped their colleague, whom they did not identify.

The NASA medical team is monitoring the astronaut, they added.

American astronaut Chris Williams will remain on the ISS along with Russian cosmonauts Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, who arrived at the space laboratory at the end of November.

Polk explained that the medical team preferred to have the astronaut on the ground to make a complete diagnosis since the ISS does not have equipment like an emergency room.

The medical incident also had nothing to do with operations on the ISS, he added.

Isaacman noted that sending the Crew-12 mission earlier than planned in mid-February is being considered, but that no decision has been made yet.

According to the official, the evacuation is not an emergency and the crew had already completed almost all aspects of their mission.

Officials added that Williams will work with the Russian cosmonauts until the next mission arrives.

“The Russians on board are a great team, they work very well together and have the qualifications to operate the US sector systems on the station,” they explained.

The crew is made up of Americans Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, Frenchwoman Sophie Adenot, and Russian Andrei Fedyaev.