On Thursday, January 15, 2026, four brave explorers aboard the International Space Station (ISS) made a stunning Pacific Ocean splashdown off San Diego, marking the station's first-ever medical evacuation in its 25-year history! 🌊🚀
The Crew-11 capsule carried American astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui back to Earth. At 08:41 GMT, mission control cheered, "On behalf of SpaceX and NASA, welcome home!" 👏
Cardman couldn't hide her joy: "It's so good to be home, with deep gratitude to the teams that got us there and back." Her smiles and relief were contagious – it's like the best homecoming party ever! 🎉🏠
The mission, originally planned for five months aboard the ISS, was cut short when one crew member faced a serious medical condition. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman reassured everyone, saying the situation "could have happened on Earth completely outside of the microgravity environment." The astronaut is now "doing fine" and all four are in good spirits. 😊
Now, the crew is undergoing routine post-arrival medical checks and catching up on Earth's comforts like gravity, fresh air, and maybe a slice of pizza. 🍕🌎 Their safe return reminds us that space adventures come with real risks – and amazing teamwork backs every step of the journey.
As we look up at the stars tonight, let's give a shoutout to these space heroes for proving once again that even when things get tough, humanity's spirit of exploration never quits! ✨👩🚀👨🚀
Reference(s):
ISS astronauts splash down to Earth after first medical evacuation
cgtn.com
