NASA Orders Medical Evacuation from International Space Station

NASA officials announced Thursday they are bringing four of the seven crew members aboard the International Space Station (ISS) back to Earth after one of them experienced a medical issue earlier this week. The agency is considering using a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for the return.

While NASA has not disclosed the specific nature of the medical situation or the identity of the affected astronaut, James JD Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, told reporters Thursday that the crew member is "absolutely stable." According to Ars Technica, the agency is proceeding with a "controlled medical evacuation" out of an abundance of caution.

The ailing astronaut is part of the Crew-11 mission, which launched to the station on August 1. NASA officials emphasized that the decision to bring the crew member home is a pre-planned contingency, highlighting the collaborative international infrastructure supporting space exploration and astronaut well-being. The return of the four crew members will be closely monitored. Further details will be released as they become available.