NASA pulls Crew-11 from ISS in first medical evacuation as SpaceX Dragon heads for splashdown
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida, Jan 15, 2026, 01:41 (EST) Late Wednesday, a SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying four astronauts undocked from the International Space Station, marking NASA’s first medical evacuation from the orbiting lab following a crew member’s health issue. The decision trims the Crew-11 mission by about a month, leaving the station with fewer crew members until the next rotation. It’s a real-time challenge for NASA and its partners to see how fast they can get astronauts back when a health issue arises in orbit. NASA hasn’t disclosed which astronaut is involved or the nature of the condition, citing medical privacy.