SpaceX mission cut short due to health condition of one of the astronauts
發佈日期: 2026-01-15 20:37
TVB News
A SpaceX capsule departed from the International Space Station or ISS a few weeks earlier than planned on an emergency return flight to Earth.
It splashed down in the Pacific Ocean about an hour ago.
The mission was cut short due to an undisclosed serious medical condition afflicting one of the four-member crew aboard the capsule.
The Crew Dragon capsule carrying two U.S. NASA astronauts, a Japanese crewmate and a Russian cosmonaut undocked from the space station and began its descent from orbit at about 10.20p.m. GMT. It was headed for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast early Thursday morning.
The capsule dubbed Endeavor parachuted into the sea following a return flight of about 10-1/2 hours, capped by a fiery re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, concluding a 167-day mission.
Live video from a NASA webcast of the departure showed the capsule separating from the ISS and drifting away from the orbiting laboratory as the two vehicles soared some 418 km over the Earth south of Australia.
The astronauts were seen strapped into the crew cabin seated side by side and wearing their helmeted white and black space suits as the undocking proceeded.
The plan to bring home the four members of Crew-11 a few weeks ahead of schedule was announced January 8 with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman saying one of the astronauts faced a serious medical condition that required immediate medical attention on the ground. NASA officials have not identified which of the crew members has medical issues or described the nature of his condition, citing privacy concerns.
This marks the first time NASA has cut short a mission of an ISS crew because of a health emergency.
The crew consists of US. astronauts Zena Cardman, 38, and Mike Fincke, 58, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, 55, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, 39.
