A routine mission turned tense aboard the International Space Station (ISS) after a medical emergency forced NASA to bring four astronauts back to Earth a month ahead of schedule.
The unscheduled return marked the first time in history that NASA has cut short an ISS mission due to a crew member’s health.
The SpaceX Dragon capsule, dubbed Endeavour, safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego.
Onboard were American astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
The return capped off a dramatic 10-hour descent from orbit, ending 167 days aboard the ISS.
NASA has kept the identity of the ill astronaut under wraps “for privacy reasons,” but confirmed the individual is in stable condition. While there have been other early departures in spaceflight history, this incident marks the first ISS evacuation due to a serious medical condition.
"The crew member of concern is doing fine," assured Jared Isaacman, the head of NASA, during a post-splashdown briefing.