Khaberni - Four astronauts safely returned to Earth today (Thursday), after NASA was forced to prematurely end their mission aboard the International Space Station due to a serious and undisclosed medical condition that affected one of the crew members.
The 10-hour journey
The SpaceX-owned "Crew Dragon" capsule landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, concluding a return journey that took over 10 hours and included a fiery re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.
First Medical Evacuation in Space Station History.. "Crew Dragon" returns after 167 days
First time in NASA's history
This marks the first time in NASA's history that a routine mission of the International Space Station crew has been shortened due to an emergency medical condition.
Successful landing and striking scene
The spacecraft, named Endeavour, touched the ocean surface near San Diego at 12:45 AM Pacific Time under calm conditions, in a process transmitted live through a joint broadcast by NASA and SpaceX.
In a striking scene, a group of dolphins was seen swimming near the capsule immediately after it landed, while it floated vertically on the water surface.
Within moments of landing, the crew commander, American astronaut Zina Cardman (38 years old), said via radio to the control center: “It’s good to be back home.”
First Medical Evacuation in Space Station History.. "Crew Dragon" returns after 167 days
International crew members
The returning crew included: Zina Cardman (United States), Mike Finkie (United States – 58 years old), Kimiya Yui (Japan – 55 years old), Oleg Platonov (Russia – 39 years old).
Within less than an hour, SpaceX's rescue teams secured the thermally damaged capsule, lifting it onboard the recovery ship, before helping the astronauts out to breathe their first fresh air after nearly 24 weeks in space.
All astronauts appeared smiling as they gave a thumbs-up, without it being clear from their appearance who was suffering from the health issue.
Urgent medical examinations
Due to spending long months in zero-gravity, the astronauts were unable to stand on their own, so they were transported on special medical stretchers to a mobile clinic aboard the ship for routine examinations, to later be transferred to a local hospital for further tests, according to "SpaceX".
Serious medical condition
On January 8, “NASA” announced the urgent decision to bring the crew back, as agency director Jared Isaacman stated that one of the astronauts was suffering from a serious medical condition requiring immediate intervention on Earth.
“NASA” declined to reveal the identity of the astronaut or the nature of their health condition, in compliance with medical privacy laws, also confirming that the emergency was not related to any incident that occurred during space missions.
It was planned that two astronauts would have performed a spacewalk last week to install equipment outside the station, but the mission was canceled one day prior due to what was then described as a “medical concern”.
Mission ends after 167 days
The crew had arrived at the International Space Station in August, as part of Crew 11 regularly transported by "SpaceX", and completed a mission that lasted 167 days in orbit.
During the return, the capsule was exposed to friction heat exceeding 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1,900 degrees Celsius) while penetrating the Earth's atmosphere, while the astronauts wore special ventilation systems in their spacesuits to maintain stable temperatures inside the cabin.
Continued operation at the station
The Crew 12 is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station in mid-February, while the station currently continues to operate with the presence of an American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts, who arrived on a Soyuz spacecraft in November.
