NASA is ending a mission on the International Space Station prematurely due to a health problem affecting one of the astronauts. The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four will be returning to Earth sooner than expected, with NASA scrapping the first spacewalk of the year as a result of the medical issue. The identity of the astronaut and the specific health concern have not been disclosed for confidentiality reasons, but NASA has confirmed that the crew member is in stable condition.
Currently, seven astronauts are residing and working aboard the space station, with the most recent crew arriving in August following a launch from Florida. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman commended the agency’s rapid response in ensuring the astronauts’ safety during a news conference on Thursday.
The returning crew, which arrived at the space station in August via SpaceX for a planned six-month stay, comprised U.S. astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Fincke, making his fourth visit to the space station, and Yui, on his second spaceflight, were set to conduct a spacewalk to prepare for the installation of new solar panels to enhance the station’s power supply. This mission marked the first spaceflight for Cardman and Platonov.
In addition to the returning crew, three other astronauts – NASA’s Chris Williams and Russia’s Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov – are currently onboard the space station. This trio launched in November via a Soyuz rocket for an eight-month mission and is scheduled to return to Earth in the summer.