Astronaut says crew in good shape after medical issue, but calls early return to Earth "bittersweet"

January 12, 2026

TL;DR

Commander Mike Fincke assured that his crew, returning early from the ISS, is stable, safe, and well-cared for.
The decision to shorten the mission was made to address an undisclosed medical issue reported by a crew member.
The crew is scheduled to undock on Wednesday and splash down in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday.
This is the first instance in NASA history where a mission has been cut short due to a medical issue.
Fincke highlighted NASA's care for its people, commending the swift and professional response from ground teams.
The remaining ISS crew will be joined by the next scheduled crew, Crew 12, in a few weeks.

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