SpaceX Capsule Returns ISS Crew Early After NASA's First Medical Evacuation

• Four International Space Station (ISS) crew members returned to Earth on January 15, 2026, in a SpaceX capsule, ending their mission earlier than planned.
• The unscheduled return was due to NASA's first medical evacuation in the ISS's history, with the capsule splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off California near San Diego.
• The returning crew included American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui.
• NASA officials cited privacy rules for not disclosing the identity or medical condition of the ailing astronaut, but confirmed the crew member remained stable.
• The decision for early return was precautionary, allowing full diagnostic evaluations on Earth, as stated by NASA's chief health and medical officer, James Polk.

Why It Matters: A SpaceX capsule brought four ISS astronauts home early due to NASA's first medical evacuation from the station.