NASA’s Crew-11 astronauts return to Houston after ISS medical evacuation

After a profitable splashdown following a medical evacuation from the International Space Station, the astronauts of NASA’s Crew-11 are again in Houston.

“The four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission have arrived at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will continue standard postflight reconditioning and evaluations.,” a late Jan. 16 NASA replace learn.

Crew-11 consisted of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.

The 4 splashed down early Jan. 15, following a 167-day keep aboard the ISS — lower quick after one of many crew members suffered a medical challenge. NASA has said the incident was unrelated to any ISS operations, they usually haven’t recognized the astronaut or launched data on the medical challenge.

The mission was initially set to final till at the least late February following the launch of Crew-12.

After splashdown off the coast of California, the 4 crew members spent the evening at a medical facility for analysis. All are secure, and no additional medical particulars might be offered to guard their privateness, NASA stated.

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“Regardless of the phase of the mission, we would have executed it exactly the same way. However, I’ll say Crew-11 made it easy, and they achieved almost all their on-orbit objectives. They were weeks away from coming home anyway,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman advised FLORIDA TODAY on the eve of their departure from the ISS. “Crew-12 is fully trained and prepared to go up and relieve them.”

Crew-12 will launch as quickly as mid-February atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The 4 house vacationers will function NASA’s subsequent multi-month crew rotation aboard the house station.

While there are normally seven or extra individuals onboard the ISS, till Crew-12 arrives solely three crew members workers the ISS: cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikayev and NASA astronaut Chris Williams. The three launched aboard a Soyuz from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thanksgiving.

Brooke Edwards is a Space Reporter for Florida Today. Contact her at bedwards@floridatoday.com or on X: @brookeofstars.