Nasa takes major decision, four-member crew to return to Earth early due to ill astronaut

New York (The Uttam Hindu): The US space agency Nasa has taken a rare and significant decision to end one of its ongoing missions at the International Space Station (ISS) ahead of schedule. The decision was taken after a health-related issue suddenly emerged involving one of the astronauts. According to Nasa, a four-member crew from the United States, Japan, and Russia will now return to Earth within the next few days, earlier than planned. Due to this unexpected medical situation, Nasa has also cancelled its first scheduled spacewalk of the new year.

Citing patient privacy, Nasa has not disclosed the identity of the ill astronaut or details of the medical condition. However, the agency clarified that the astronaut’s condition is currently stable. Nasa’s Chief Health and Medical Officer Dr James Polk said the situation is not immediately life-threatening, but the agency is taking all necessary precautions to ensure crew safety. He added that this will be the first “medical exit” from the space station in Nasa’s history, as earlier minor issues like toothache or ear pain were treated onboard.

The four-member team returning to Earth had reached the space station aboard a SpaceX spacecraft in August. Under the original plan, they were supposed to spend at least six months on the ISS, but the mission has now been shortened for medical reasons. The returning crew includes Nasa astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov.

Fincke and Cardman were scheduled to prepare new solar panels through an important spacewalk to provide additional power to the station. This was Fincke’s fourth space mission and Yui’s second, while Cardman and Platonov were on their first spaceflight.

Despite their early return, the space station will not be left unmanned. Three other astronauts will continue their mission aboard the ISS. These include Nasa’s Chris Williams and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Severchkov. The trio arrived at the station in November on an eight-month mission via a Soyuz rocket and are expected to return in the summer.