Source: Reuters
In a historic shift for the International Space Station (ISS) program, four astronauts returned safely to Earth early Thursday morning after a “serious medical condition” involving one crew member forced an end to their mission several weeks ahead of schedule.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named Endeavour, performed a precision splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego at 12:41 a.m. PST (0841 GMT). The return marks the first time in the 25-year history of the ISS that an American-led mission has been cut short due to a health emergency.
The ten-hour descent concluded with a fiery re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, with the capsule’s exterior reaching temperatures near 1 900°C. Shortly after the parachutes deployed and the craft hit the water, live feeds captured a serene scene: several dolphins were seen swimming near the bobbing capsule as recovery teams approached.
“It’s good to be home,” signaled mission commander Zena Cardman, 38, in a radio transmission to flight control. Cardman was joined by fellow NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, 58, JAXA’s Kimiya Yui, 55, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, 39.
NASA has remained tight-lipped regarding which astronaut is ailing or the specific nature of the condition, citing strict medical privacy protocols. However, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman confirmed on January 8 that the situation was “serious” enough to require diagnostic tools and care only available on the ground.
Upon being hoisted onto the recovery vessel, all four astronauts appeared in good spirits, smiling and giving thumbs-up to the cameras. Due to the physical toll of 167 days in microgravity, they were assisted onto gurneys and transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. They are expected to return to the Johnson Space Center in Houston following an overnight stay.
