The astronaut whose illness forced an early return from the ISS was Mike Fincke
Source: Engadget
Mission Overview
NASA ended the Crew‑11 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) a month early after an astronaut experienced a medical issue. The four‑person crew—Mike Fincke, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov—had been aboard the ISS since August and were scheduled to stay until February.
Medical Event
On January 7, Fincke suffered an unknown medical event that required immediate attention from his crewmates. NASA’s statement said his condition “quickly stabilized” thanks to the rapid response and guidance of flight surgeons. The incident forced the cancellation of a spacewalk planned for January 8.
Early Return
NASA’s chief health and medical officer decided to bring the crew home early. They landed on January 15, and NASA administrator Jared Isaacman described the situation as “serious,” without providing further details. Fincke later reported that he is “doing very well” and is undergoing standard post‑flight reconditioning at Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Aftermath
NASA accelerated the launch of Crew‑12 to replace the prematurely returned astronauts. The new crew docked with the ISS on February 14 and is slated to remain on the station for roughly eight months.