NASA Cuts Space Station Mission Short Due to Astronaut Medical Issue

• NASA is ending an International Space Station mission early due to an astronaut's medical issue, a rare move.
• A four-person US-Japanese-Russian crew, including NASA's Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, will return to Earth sooner than planned.
• The space agency canceled its first spacewalk of the year and cited patient privacy for not identifying the astronaut or the specific issue.
• Officials stressed it was not an emergency, but a precautionary measure, marking NASA's first medical evacuation from the ISS.
• The crew arrived via SpaceX in August for a planned six-month stay; other astronauts remain aboard the station.

Why It Matters: NASA shortens ISS mission for astronaut's medical issue, prioritizing safety in a rare space evacuation.