Crew-11 Astronauts Hospitalised Despite Smiles as NASA Uses 'Uncommon' Protocol

All four astronauts from Crew-11 were taken to a San Diego hospital for overnight evaluation following their Thursday morning splashdown. They appeared healthy and waved to the cameras as they emerged from their capsule.

Hospitalising the entire crew represents an uncommon step in standard post-flight procedures. Astronauts typically undergo initial medical checks aboard recovery ships before flying directly to Houston's Johnson Space Center.

Zena Cardman and of NASA, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego at 3:41 a.m. EST on 15 January. Their return concluded the first medical evacuation in the International Space Station's 25-year history, according to NASA.

Crew Appeared In Good Spirits After Landing

Television footage showed all four crew members smiling and waving as recovery teams helped them from the SpaceX Dragon capsule onto stretchers. Fincke, a veteran of three previous ISS missions, gave a thumbs-up. Cardman, on her first spaceflight, waved and pointed to someone off camera. Yui offered a double wave whilst Platonov raised both arms in a double thumbs-up, CBS News reported.

Using stretchers is standard procedure for returning astronauts as they readjust to gravity after extended time in weightlessness. Crew-11 spent 167 days in space, 165 of those aboard the ISS.

'All crew members are currently undergoing the routine post-splashdown medical evaluation,' Administrator Jared Isaacman said during a post-landing briefing. 'The crew member of concern is doing fine. We will share updates on their health as soon as it's appropriate to do so.'

Hospital Transport Breaks Typical Protocol

Transporting all four astronauts to a local hospital is not a common step post-flight, CNN reported. Spokesperson Leah Cheshier explained the decision during Thursday's webcast.

'We want to take advantage of resources on Earth to provide the best care possible,' Cheshier said. 'NASA maintains relationships with local hospitals to ensure readiness for any post-landing needs, and for this return, we are utilising that option as part of our normal preparedness.'

Which crew member experienced the medical issue remains undisclosed, with the agency citing privacy concerns. On 7 January, one astronaut developed a 'medical concern', leading to the cancellation of a planned spacewalk and ultimately the decision to bring everyone home a month ahead of schedule.

Similar Precedent Set In October 2024

A similar protocol was employed in October 2024 when Crew-8 returned from the ISS. One astronaut experienced a medical issue detected during routine assessments on the recovery ship. All four crew members went to a Florida hospital to protect the affected individual's identity, though three soon returned to Houston, whilst one remained overnight for observation, according to NASA's official statement.

For Crew-11, all four were expected to stay overnight together before flying to Houston on Friday, assuming everyone was cleared for travel.

ISS Operations Continue With Skeleton Crew

Just three people now remain aboard the space station: Chris Williams of NASA and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev. Williams is currently the only American managing US science experiments and operations.

This skeleton crew will maintain station operations until Crew-12 arrives no earlier than 15 February. SpaceX and NASA are examining options to accelerate that launch.

Fincke formally handed over station command to cosmonaut Kud-Sverchkov during a ceremony on Monday. In a LinkedIn post before departure, he assured followers the crew was 'stable, safe and well cared for'.

'This was a deliberate decision to allow the right medical evaluations to happen on the ground, where the full range of diagnostic capability exists,' Fincke wrote. 'It's the right call, even if it's a bit bittersweet.'

Crew-11 completed approximately 140 scientific experiments during their abbreviated stay. Isaacman described the operation as 'NASA at its finest' and praised the team's response to the situation, PBS News reported.