STORY: A SpaceX capsule carrying a four-member crew home from orbit in an emergency return to earth necessitated by an undisclosed serious medical condition afflicting one of the astronauts splashed down safely early on Thursday (January 15) in the Pacific Ocean off California.

The Crew Dragon capsule parachuted into calm seas off San Diego at about 12:45 a.m. EST (0845 GMT), capping a 10-hour-plus descent from the International Space Station and fiery re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, carried live by a joint NASA-SpaceX webcast.

The astronauts were seen strapped into the crew cabin, seated side by side and wearing their helmeted white and black space suits as the re-entry proceeded.

The plan to bring all four members of Crew-11 home 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.

This marks the first time NASA has cut short the mission of an ISS crew because of a health emergency.

NASA officials have not identified which of the four crew members was experiencing a medical issue or described its nature, citing privacy concerns.

The crew consists of U.S. astronauts Zena Cardman, 38, and Mike Fincke, 58, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, 55, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, 39. They arrived at the space station following a launch to orbit from Florida in August.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SPLASHDOWN OF CAPSULE CONTAINING MEMBERS OF NASA'S CREW 11 / CAPSULE RECOVERED FROM SEA

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: PART VIDEO QUALITY AS INCOMING

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: IN SPACE (JANUARY 15, 2026) (NASA TV - For editorial use only)

1. SCREENS IN FRONT OF MEMBERS OF CREW-11 INSIDE SPACEX’S CREW DRAGON CAPSULE

2. VARIOUS OF MEMBERS OF CREW-11 SEATED AWAITING RE-ENTRY TO EARTH

3. SCREENS INSIDE CABIN

AT SEA (JANUARY 15, 2026) (NASA TV - For editorial use only)

4. (PART MUTE) VARIOUS OF BRIGHT LIGHT FLASHING IN SKY AS CAPSULE MAKES ITS RE-ENTRY

5. VARIOUS OF INFRARED FOOTAGE OF CAPSULE WITH PARACHUTES DEPLOYED BEFORE MAKING SPLASHDOWN AT SEA UPON RETURNING TO EARTH

6. VARIOUS OF INFRARED FOOTAGE OF CAPSULE MAKING SPLASHDOWN AT SEA

7. VARIOUS OF INFRARED FOOTAGE OF CAPSULE AT SEA / BOATS APPROACHING CAPSULE

8. (NIGHT SHOT) LIGHTS SHINING ON CAPSULE

9. (NIGHT SHOT) VARIOUS OF RECOVERY BOAT NEXT TO CAPSULE

10. (NIGHT SHOT) VARIOUS OF RECOVERY CREW ON STANDBY ON DECK

11. (NIGHT SHOT) VARIOUS OF RECOVERY CREW HOISTING CAPSULE

12. (NIGHT SHOT) HATCH BEING LOWERED ONTO DECK

13. VARIOUS OF NASA U.S. ASTRONAUT MIKE FINCKE EXITING CAPSULE WITH ASSISTANCE FROM GROUND CREW

14. (MUTE) FINCKE WAVING AT CAMERA

15. (MUTE) FINCKE BEING SEATED ON GURNEY

16. FINCKE BEING WHEELED AWAY