<div class="" data-article-body="true"><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Four space station crewmates boarded their <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/crew-dragon-delivers-four-fresh-crew-members-to-international-space-station/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Crew Dragon;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Crew Dragon</a></span> ferry ship Wednesday and undocked kick off an expedited return to Earth on Thursday, <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/an-astronaut-medical-concern-prompts-nasa-to-delay-planned-spacewalk/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:cutting their mission short;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">cutting their mission short</a></span> because of an undisclosed medical issue.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Crew 11 commander Zena Cardman, co-pilot Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov bid farewell to three crew members staying behind and floated into their Crew Dragon capsule, closing the ferry's hatch at 3:29 p.m. ET on Wednesday.</p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="The Crew Dragon capsule carrying Crew 11 commander Zena Cardman, co-pilot Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov backs away from the International Space Station, kicking off a 10-hour flight back to Earth. / Credit: NASA" loading="lazy" width="960" height="540" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Qfy9h4RmgZCGYmn0OrrEZQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/cbs_news_897/139b600ae92ce602a2de0d85861c72e2"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">The Crew Dragon capsule carrying Crew 11 commander Zena Cardman, co-pilot Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov backs away from the International Space Station, kicking off a 10-hour flight back to Earth. / Credit: NASA</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">"What an adventure we've had together," Fincke radioed. "I think what I'm going to remember most is the camaraderie we've had across the planet that's really symbolic of 25 years of continuous habitation aboard the space station. I'm glad we can all work together in space."</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Left to operate the International Space Station are Soyuz 28 commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and his two crewmates, cosmonaut Sergey Mikaev and NASA astronaut Chris Williams.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Addressing her Expedition 74 crewmates, Cardman said she knows the space station is in good hands. She told ground controllers: "Your International Space Station is a testament to the power of cooperation, and it's been an absolute privilege to take part in this endeavor ... Crew 11 is coming home."</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">After completing final preparations, the Crew Dragon undocked and slowly backed away from the space-facing port of the station's Harmony module at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">If all goes as planned, the capsule's braking rockets will fire for 13 minutes and 15 seconds starting at 2:51 a.m. Thursday. The rockets will slow the ship by about 196 mph, just enough to drop the far side of the orbit into the atmosphere on the planned reentry trajectory. After a northwest-to-southeast plunge across the Pacific Ocean, the crew is expected to splash down off the coast of Southern California at 3:41 a.m., closing out a 167-day stay in space.</p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="A camera aboard the Crew Dragon looks over the shoulders of Cardman, left, and Fincke, right, as they monitor cockpit displays during their departure from the International Space Station. / Credit: NASA" loading="lazy" width="960" height="540" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Fq7Y8J_e3aH_b1dNKuSjgg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/cbs_news_897/c1b8b5ccc0a8f6eb25ad57d30e29c09b"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">A camera aboard the Crew Dragon looks over the shoulders of Cardman, left, and Fincke, right, as they monitor cockpit displays during their departure from the International Space Station. / Credit: NASA</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">After the Crew Dragon is hoisted aboard a SpaceX recovery ship, the crew will be helped out of the cramped ferry ship for initial medical checks before being flown to shore by helicopter and eventually back to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">It's unclear whether an examination or diagnostic work will first be done in California, after one of the crew members experienced a medical issue last week. NASA managers decided the issue was serious enough to bring the crew home early for a more extensive diagnostic evaluation. The astronaut in question was not identified, and no details about the medical issue were revealed due to NASA's strict medical privacy guidelines.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">NASA's chief medical officer said it was not an emergency return in any normal sense, but the decision marked the first time in NASA history that a spaceflight was cut short due to a medical concern.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Cardman and her crewmates, who launched to space on Aug. 1, 2025, were originally expected to return to Earth around Feb. 20 to wrap up a 202-day mission.</p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="Crew 11 posed for a photo in the Japanese Kibo research module last week after checking out the pressure suits they will wear during reentry Thursday. Back row, left to right: Cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Crew 11 commander Zena Cardman. Front row, left to right: NASA astronaut Mike Fincke and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui. / Credit: NASA" loading="lazy" width="960" height="640" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/elSmjSlVarto92m5jPwuxQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/cbs_news_897/83683ed0308f7920c841bac3be09fdc3"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">Crew 11 posed for a photo in the Japanese Kibo research module last week after checking out the pressure suits they will wear during reentry Thursday. Back row, left to right: Cosmonaut Oleg Platonov and Crew 11 commander Zena Cardman. Front row, left to right: NASA astronaut Mike Fincke and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui. / Credit: NASA</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">In a long post on LinkedIn, Fincke said the crew was in good shape, but he added the decision was "the right call." All four astronauts looked to be in good spirits during a change of command ceremony Monday when <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/space-station-medical-issue-change-of-command/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Fincke officially turned the space station over to cosmonaut Kud-Sverchkov;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Fincke officially turned the space station over to cosmonaut Kud-Sverchkov</a></span>.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">In a post Wednesday on X, Yui sent down pictures of snow-capped Mount Fuji, with the caption: "Hello! The day has finally arrived for our departure to Earth."</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">"I haven't had a chance to photograph daytime Japan recently, but at the very last moment, we passed over the Pacific side of Japan," he said. "Mount Fuji bid us farewell, adorned with a touch of crimson makeup from the setting sun."</p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="A shot of Japan&amp;#39;s snow-covered Mount Fuji as photographed from the International Space Station by Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui. / Credit: NASA" loading="lazy" width="960" height="1440" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/4q.ESLsAy77M6W3kEhNqsQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTE0NDA7Y2Y9d2VicA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/cbs_news_897/9d347efab6cd5b66eba92f14e02a1487"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">A shot of Japan's snow-covered Mount Fuji as photographed from the International Space Station by Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui. / Credit: NASA</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">The space station is continuously staffed by a crew of seven: Three launch and return to Earth aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft and four fly to and from the lab aboard NASA-managed SpaceX Crew Dragon ferry ships.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Both spacecraft serve as lifeboats during a crew's long-duration space station stay. If a Soyuz or Crew Dragon flyer gets sick or is seriously injured aboard the station, that person is joined by all of his or her crewmates for the flight back to Earth.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">With that possibility in mind, NASA and Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency, agreed to fly one NASA astronaut aboard each Soyuz and one Russian cosmonaut aboard each Crew Dragon. The seat-swap arrangement ensures that at least one Russian and one American are always on board the station to operate equipment in their respective modules should one crew ship depart early.</p><figure class="relative mb-4"><div class="relative"><img alt="The Soyuz MS-28 crew (left to right): NASA astronaut Chris Williams, Soyuz commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergey Mikaev. With Crew 11&amp;#39;s departure, they will have the International Space Station to themselves until four replacement crew members arrive aboard the Crew 12 Dragon next month. / Credit: NASA" loading="lazy" width="960" height="695" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="rounded-lg" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/gZ1uYrT2PsFMvpKQBp6Gdg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY5NTtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/cbs_news_897/5b69dfa63c9d2916d007868342c8b943"><button aria-label="View larger image" class="group absolute bottom-0 size-full" data-ylk="elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;"><span class="absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none"><svg viewbox="0 0 22 22" aria-hidden="true" class="size-4 lg:size-6" width="22" height="22"><path d="M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z"></path></svg></span></button><dialog aria-label="Modal Dialog" aria-modal="true" class="fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden"></dialog></div><figcaption class="relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5"><div style="max-height:none;overflow:visible">The Soyuz MS-28 crew (left to right): NASA astronaut Chris Williams, Soyuz commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergey Mikaev. With Crew 11's departure, they will have the International Space Station to themselves until four replacement crew members arrive aboard the Crew 12 Dragon next month. / Credit: NASA</div></figcaption></figure><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">With the departure of Crew 11, Williams will be on his own managing the U.S. segment of the space station until Crew 12 arrives in February.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">Crew 12 commander Jessica Meir, a space station veteran, rookies Jack Hathaway and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, and veteran cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are officially scheduled for launch Feb. 15. However, NASA and SpaceX are looking into moving that launch up a few days amid work to ready a Space Launch System rocket for launch as early as Feb. 6 to send four astronauts on a looping fight around the moon.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words">The high-profile <span class="link"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/artemis-2-astronauts-see-orion-moonship-for-first-time/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Artemis 2;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Artemis 2</a></span> mission will be the first to send astronauts to the vicinity of the moon in more than 50 years.</p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/sneak-peek-the-blackout-murder-of-livye-lewis?ftag=YHFaf537c7" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Sneak peek: The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Sneak peek: The Blackout Murder of Livye Lewis</a></p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/civil-rights-icon-claudette-colvin-dies-at-86?ftag=YHFaf537c7" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Civil Rights icon Claudette Colvin dies at 86;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Civil Rights icon Claudette Colvin dies at 86</a></p><p class="mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words"><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/chicago-believes-again-as-the-bears-catch-fire?ftag=YHFaf537c7" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Chicago believes again as the Bears catch fire;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Chicago believes again as the Bears catch fire</a></p></div>

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