A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule departed the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, carrying a four-member crew on an emergency return flight to Earth due to a serious medical condition affecting one of the astronauts aboard.

The capsule, carrying two U.S. NASA astronauts, a Japanese astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut, undocked from the ISS and began its descent at approximately 5:20 p.m. EST (2220 GMT). It is scheduled to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast early Thursday.

If all goes as planned, the capsule, dubbed Endeavour, will complete a 10½-hour return flight, including a fiery re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, concluding a 167-day mission.

Live video from a NASA webcast showed the capsule separating from the ISS, drifting away from the orbiting laboratory some 260 miles (418 km) above Earth, south of Australia. Astronauts were seen seated side by side in helmeted space suits as the undocking proceeded.

Mystery Medical Issue

NASA announced the early return of Crew-11 on January 8, citing a “serious medical condition” requiring immediate attention on the ground.

Officials have not identified the affected astronaut or disclosed details, citing privacy concerns.

This marks the first time NASA has cut short an ISS crew mission due to a health emergency.

The Crew-11 team consists of:

• Zena Cardman, 38, U.S. astronaut, flight engineer
• Mike Fincke, 58, U.S. astronaut and retired Air Force colonel, station commander
• Kimiya Yui, 55, Japanese astronaut
• Oleg Platonov, 39, Russian cosmonaut

They arrived at the ISS following a launch from Florida in August 2025. A scheduled six-hour spacewalk last week was canceled on January 7 due to the medical concern.

NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer James Polk clarified that the emergency did not involve an operational injury.

In a recent Instagram post, Fincke confirmed, “Everyone on board is stable, and well cared for,” describing the decision to return early as deliberate and medically prudent.

NASA’s Crew-12 mission is expected to launch in mid-February with four new astronauts. Meanwhile, the ISS remains occupied by NASA astronaut Christopher Williams and two Russian cosmonauts who arrived in November aboard a Soyuz spacecraft.