Post by : Badri Ariffin

NASA has made the decision to conclude a mission on the International Space Station (ISS) sooner than intended after a member of the crew encountered a health issue.

On Thursday, the U.S. space agency revealed that a four-person team, which includes American, Japanese, and Russian astronauts, will make their return to Earth shortly. The mission was initially planned to last for a minimum of six months.

In light of the health situation, NASA also called off its first scheduled spacewalk of the year. The identity of the affected astronaut and specifics regarding the medical condition were not disclosed, in respect for privacy. NASA stated that the astronaut is currently stable.

Currently, seven astronauts are stationed and working on the ISS. This crew had arrived in August, launching from Florida via a SpaceX spacecraft.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman expressed pride in the agency's swift action to prioritize astronaut safety: “I’m proud of the swift effort across the agency to ensure the safety of our astronauts,” he mentioned during a press briefing.

The crew returning includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, as well as Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Fincke and Cardman were scheduled to perform a spacewalk aimed at preparing the ISS for the future addition of new solar panels to enhance power supply.

This mission marks Fincke’s fourth expedition to the ISS and Yui’s second. For Cardman and Platonov, this represents their inaugural journey into space.

Meanwhile, three other astronauts—NASA’s Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov—continue their stay aboard the space station. They launched in November on a Soyuz rocket and are expected to head back to Earth in the summer.

NASA has outlined its plans to safely decommission the International Space Station by late 2030 or early 2031, with SpaceX selected to assist in guiding it out of orbit for a controlled reentry over the ocean.