US: A SpaceX capsule carrying four astronauts from the International Space Station is set to splash down off the coast of California after the mission was cut short due to a medical emergency.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, Endeavour, began its 10-and-a-half-hour descent from orbit at 22:30 GMT on Wednesday and is expected to land in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday morning, according to NASA.
On board are NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The crew spent 167 days aboard the space station conducting long-duration scientific research as part of SpaceX’s 11th crewed mission and NASA’s Expedition 74, which began on December 8.
NASA announced on January 8 that the Crew-11 mission would end earlier than planned after one of the astronauts developed a serious medical condition. The mission had originally been scheduled to conclude in late February.
While NASA did not disclose details of the illness, citing medical privacy, officials later confirmed the issue was not related to space station operations. The incident marks the first time in NASA’s history that a mission has been ended early due to a medical emergency in orbit.
.@NASA‘s SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft just completed its deorbit burn. Splashdown is scheduled for 3:41 a.m. ET. https://t.co/TRo9i6kYPm
— NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) January 15, 2026
NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer James Polk said the agency always prioritises astronaut health and safety when making such decisions. Mission commander Mike Fincke later said the early return was necessary to ensure proper medical evaluation on Earth, where full diagnostic resources are available, calling it a difficult but correct decision.
NASA livestreamed the capsule’s hatch closure and undocking late Wednesday as Endeavour slowly drifted away from the space station more than 400 kilometres above Earth. Images shared by the International Space Station showed the astronauts checking their pressure suits as they prepared for re-entry. NASA will resume live coverage as the spacecraft fires its engines, re-enters Earth’s atmosphere, and deploys parachutes ahead of its ocean landing.
After the Crew-11 departure, two Russian cosmonauts and one NASA astronaut will remain aboard the station to continue Expedition 74. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the launch of SpaceX Crew-12, scheduled for February, which will deliver the next group of astronauts to the orbiting laboratory.
