Four astronauts evacuated from the International Space Station (ISS) have landed back on Earth after their stay in space was cut short by a serious medical issue.
\The crew's captain, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, exited the spacecraft first, smiling and wobbling slightly on his feet before lying down on a gurney, following normal procedures.
\NASA's Zena Cardman, Japan's Kimiya Yui, and cosmonaut Oleg Platonov followed, waving and beaming at cameras. It's so good to be home! said Cardman.
\This evacuation marks the first time astronauts have been evacuated due to a health issue since the ISS was launched in 1998.
\The team, known as Crew-11, will now receive medical checks before being flown back to land after the splashdown off the coast of California.
\In a news conference following the splashdown, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman stated that the sick astronaut is fine right now and in good spirits.
\Despite the gravity of the situation, detailed information about the identity of the crew member or the specifics of the health issue is unlikely to be made public.
\Control of the ISS is now under the supervision of Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and two other crew members.
\The evacuated astronauts arrived on the ISS on August 1, expecting to complete a standard six-and-a-half-month stay, with a return planned for mid-February.
\However, a scheduled spacewalk was canceled just hours before the emergency was announced, leaving questions about the health of the crew member who became ill.
\It's a bittersweet moment for Fincke, who handed over the command of the ISS, emphasizing that all crew members on board were stable, safe, and well cared for.
\The ISS orbits Earth at an altitude of 250 miles, making 16 circuits around the planet each day, and operates under the collaboration of five space agencies.
\The situation may ignite discussions about the adequacy of medical facilities and personnel aboard the ISS, as the standard emergency protocols have been put to the test. Currently, the ISS is left with a minimal crew until reinforcements can arrive in February.
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