NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 has safely returned to Earth in an unprecedented ISS medical evacuation, splashing down off the Californian coast on Thursday morning.
Touchdown within the Pacific Ocean close to San Diego at 3:41 a.m. ET / 12:41 a.m. PT, a Dragon capsule noticed 4 astronauts safely returned from the Worldwide Area Station after a 167-day mission. NASA’s Commander Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov landed proper on time, in accordance with NASA, and had been retrieved by a SpaceX restoration crew ready close by.
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You’ll be able to watch the splashdown on NASA’s YouTube livestream (across the 1:30:00 mark).
Mashable Gentle Pace
Because the capsule waited for the SpaceX restoration crew, a number of cheeky dolphins popped up proper beside it:
Cute!
Credit score: NASA / YouTube
The crew’s touchdown date was introduced ahead as a result of medical considerations with one of many crew, the identify of whom NASA has saved confidential throughout all press statements. Mashable house reporter Elisha Sauers took an in depth look at NASA’s first medical evacuation from the ISS. In response to NASA, the crew member “stays steady,” and said in a press launch, “On account of medical privateness, it isn’t applicable for NASA to share extra particulars concerning the crew member.”
After being introduced aboard the SpaceX restoration ship, all 4 astronauts exited the capsule with assist from the crew, then had been transported instantly to a medical tent on board. In response to NASA, they’re set to be assessed in an area hospital in a single day after which taken to NASA’s Johnson Area Heart in Houston for additional analysis.
NASA Commander Zena Cardman rising from the landed Dragon capsule.
Credit score: NASA / YouTube
Crew-11 left Earth on Aug. 1, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Area Heart in Florida, and have since performed analysis and experiments designed to organize for future human exploration of Mars and the moon.
