NASA’s Historic Move: Astronauts safely splash down after first medical evacuation from the ISS

First-ever medical evacuation in ISS history. NASA has cut short the mission due to health reasons and brought back 4 astronauts to Earth.

In a historic decision, NASA has recalled four astronauts from the International Space Station to Earth under a medical evacuation, marking a first in its 65-year history of human spaceflight. Their stay in space concluded a month earlier than planned due to a serious medical issue. The four astronauts, brought back as part of a rescue mission from the International Space Station, have returned to Earth.

The crew's commander, NASA astronaut Michael Fincke, was the first to exit the spacecraft, smiling and slightly unsteady on his feet, before complying with standard procedures and lying down on a stretcher. NASA's Zena Cardman, Japan's Kimiya Yui, and astronaut Oleg Platonov followed him, smiling and waving at the cameras. Cardman said, "It feels so good to be home!" It is noteworthy that this is the first time since the station was established in Earth's orbit in 1998 that astronauts have been evacuated due to a health problem.

Astronauts from America, Russia, and Japan

These four astronauts from NASA, Russia, and Japan bid farewell to the space station on Wednesday and landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California, early on Thursday via a SpaceX capsule. NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, who was part of this mission, emotionally stated, "Our return time was suddenly changed, but the most beautiful thing was that this team took care of each other like a family."

Ill Astronaut's Identity Not Revealed

Although NASA has not disclosed the identity of the astronaut who required medical attention, officials clarified that the astronaut's condition is stable and secure. They emphasised that the decision was made with utmost care to facilitate better medical examination on Earth. NASA also made it clear that this was not an emergency, but delaying treatment while in space could have been risky. Therefore, the decision was made to shorten the mission.

American and Two Russian Astronauts Remain on Space Station

Currently, one American and two Russian astronauts remain on the space station. NASA and SpaceX are now working on rescheduling the launch date for a new crew from Florida. NASA's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, commented on the decision, stating, "The health and safety of our astronauts will always be our top priority."