SpaceX capsule with four astronauts splashes into Pacific Ocean in first medical evacuation from International Space Station

"SpaceX guided its Dragon capsule to a middle-of-the-night splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego, less than 11 hours after the astronauts exited the International Space Station. "It's so good to be home," said Nasa astronaut Zena Cardman, the capsule commander. It was an unexpected finish to a mission that began in August and left the orbiting lab with only one American and two Russians on board."

"Nasa and SpaceX said they would try to move up the launch of a fresh crew of four; lift-off is currently targeted for mid-February. Nasa's Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke were joined on the return by Japan's Kimiya Yui and Russia's Oleg Platonov. Officials have refused to identify the astronaut who had the health problem or to explain what happened, citing medical privacy."

"While the astronaut was stable in orbit, Nasa wanted them back on Earth as soon as possible to receive proper care and diagnostic testing. The entry and splashdown required no special changes or accommodations, officials said, and the recovery ship had its usual allotment of medical experts on board. It was not immediately known when the astronauts would fly from California to their home base in Houston. Platonov's return to Moscow was also unclear. Nasa stressed repeatedly over the past week that this was not an emergency. The astronaut fell sick or was injured on January 7, prompting Nasa to call off the next day's spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke, and ultimately resulting in the early return."

SpaceX's Dragon capsule performed a nighttime splashdown in the Pacific near San Diego less than 11 hours after crew departure from the International Space Station. Crew members Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov returned early after a crewmate experienced a health problem while aboard the station. Officials withheld the astronaut's identity for medical privacy but said the person was stable and needed prompt Earth-based care and diagnostics. Entry and recovery proceeded normally with standard medical personnel aboard the recovery ship. NASA and SpaceX aim to advance the next crew launch, currently targeted for mid-February. Station operations continued with a reduced crew.

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