UPDATE: A medical situation aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is forcing NASA to consider an early end to the Crew-11 mission. The agency reported that one crew member experienced a health issue on Wednesday, July 26, 2025, leading to the postponement of a scheduled spacewalk.
NASA officials confirmed that the affected crew member is currently stable, but stated, “Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority.” The agency is now actively evaluating all options, including possibly returning Crew-11 to Earth earlier than planned.
The spacewalk was intended to involve veteran astronaut Mike Fincke and flight engineer Zena Cardman, both part of the Crew-11 team that launched from Kennedy Space Center on August 1, 2024. The mission was not expected to conclude until the arrival of Crew-12, scheduled for no earlier than February 15, 2026. However, NASA has successfully executed early returns in the past, indicating that this remains a viable option.
NASA’s announcement underscored the importance of health and safety protocols, stating, “These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely.” For privacy reasons, NASA has not disclosed further details regarding the crew member’s medical condition.
Crew-11 consists of four astronauts: Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui from JAXA, and Oleg Platonov from Roscosmos. Alongside them, three other crew members remain on the ISS: Chris Williams from NASA and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev, who arrived in November 2024.
Officials are expected to provide further updates within the next 24 hours, with the situation developing rapidly. As this story unfolds, the safety and health of the astronauts remain the top priority for NASA and its partners.
Stay tuned for the latest updates on this critical situation as it evolves.
