Astronauts Mike Fincke, Oleg Platonov, Zena Cardman, and Kimiya Yui, on the International Space Station, Station, January 14, 2026. AP
Four crewmembers departed the International Space Station on Wednesday, January 14, after a medical issue prompted their mission to be cut a month short – a first for the orbiting laboratory. A video feed from NASA showed American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui undocking from the ISS at 2220 GMT, after five months in space.
The US space agency has declined to disclose which crewmember has the health problem or give details about the issue, but it has stressed the return is not an emergency situation. The affected crewmember "was and continues to be in stable condition," NASA official Rob Navias said Wednesday.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying the four crewmembers is scheduled to splash down off the California coast overnight at around 0840 GMT Thursday.
"First and foremost, we are all OK. Everyone on board is stable, safe, and well cared for," Fincke, the pilot of SpaceX Crew-11, said in a recent social media post.
