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CALIFORNIA, US (JAN. 16, 2026) (NASA - RESTRICTED)

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CALIFORNIA, US - JAN. 16, 2026 - RESTRICTION: EDITORIAL USE ONLY - MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘NASA / HANDOUT' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS – NASA’s Crew-11 spacecraft splashed down off the coast of California on Thursday, Jan. 15, ending the mission earlier than planned to allow for the medical evacuation of an astronaut.

The Dragon capsule was successfully recovered by a recovery vessel following the splashdown, with medical teams standing by to assist the crew.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 mission undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, concluding their mission approximately one month ahead of schedule due to an undisclosed medical condition affecting an unnamed crew member.

The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, is expected to splash down off the coast of California on Thursday, Jan. 15.

NASA announced the early departure on Jan. 10, targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday for undocking, subject to favorable weather conditions.

Dr. James Polk, NASA's chief health and medical officer, clarified during a news conference last week that the situation was not considered "emergent" but warranted returning the affected astronaut to Earth for appropriate medical care.

The decision followed the cancellation of a planned spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke last week, which NASA later attributed to a "medical issue" involving an undisclosed crew member.

Despite the early return of Crew-11, ISS operations continue with three crew members remaining aboard: Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, along with NASA astronaut Chris Williams.