🌊 On Thursday, January 15, 2026, four crew members from the International Space Station (ISS) splashed down off the coast of San Diego, marking the station's first-ever medical evacuation in its 25-year history.
The Crew-11 team—American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui—touched water at 08:41 GMT after five months in orbit. The mission was cut short when one crew member experienced a serious health issue. NASA assured everyone it wasn’t an emergency and that the person is doing fine.
Mission control radioed, “On behalf of SpaceX and NASA, welcome home.” Cardman replied, “It's so good to be home, with deep gratitude to the teams that got us there and back.” 🚀
This milestone shows how space agencies are ready for anything—even 400 kilometers above Earth. As space tourism heats up and private players join the race, NASA and SpaceX's safety protocols are setting the bar for future space travelers.
For those of us dreaming of the stars, these ocean landings are a reminder of the challenges and triumphs of venturing beyond our planet. Who knows—one day you might share your own splashdown story! 👩🚀✨
Reference(s):
ISS astronauts splash down to Earth after first medical evacuation
cgtn.com
