Crew 11 aboard on Dragon Endeavour spacecraft paraded to shore this morning. Their return to Earth came on the heels of a surprise medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts splashed down off the coast of California at approximately 01:30 local time (09:30 GMT) following an 11-hour journey back from orbit.
The crew consisted of four astronauts: Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov. They first docked to the ISS on August 1st. It was not just their imagination—they were expecting a typical length of stay of six and a half months. A medical emergency forced their early departure, making for a mission cut short from the intended length.
On board the ISS, Crew 11 focused on a variety of science experiments and research projects as well as daily routines. One crew member had an unexpected bout of illness. In order to protect the health and safety of the astronauts, they were safely and quickly returned to Earth. This untimely evacuation serves as a reminder of the need for medical preparedness during space exploration missions.
The trusted Dragon Endeavour spacecraft again became instrumental in the crew’s safe re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. The astronauts went through a sequence of highly choreographed procedures that would protect the crew and produce a safe landing. Their safe splashdown off the Californian coast was closely watched with great expectation by NASA and other space agencies that have provided assistance to the mission.
Upon their return, all four astronauts will participate in medical examinations and debriefings to determine how the mission affected their health. They’ll be sharing lessons learned from their travels onboard the ISS. This will help further advance the safety and success of human spaceflight.