NASA Crew-11: (top) Russia’s Oleg Platonov, Japanese Kimiya Yui, (bottom) NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman.
Space exploration takes a back seat to the safety and health of mission crew members.
We have been following here on TGP the saga of the NASA-SpaceX Crew-11, who will have to return to earth before schedule because one of the astronauts had a serious health issue.
Read: CONFIRMED: NASA’s Crew-11 To Make Early Return to Earth After ‘Serious Medical Condition’ With Astronaut (VIDEO)
NASA and SpaceX are now two days away from their planned ‘controlled medical evacuation’ of the four members from the International Space Station.
Space.com reported:
“To prepare for that departure, Crew-11 pilot Mike Fincke of NASA, who has been commanding the joint Expedition 74 crew on the ISS, will officially relinquish his command in a change-of-command ceremony that will shift control of the orbiting lab over to Russian cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov.”
Fincke had just gotten the command back in early December!
Fincke is made commander in December.
And today, Fincke handed command to Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and looking at the Crew-11 astronauts, they all looked healthy.
Fincke handed command to Russian Cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov.
Fincke handed Kud-Sverschkov the key to the ISS in an emotional moment.
LIVE: As Crew-11 prepares to return home to Earth, @AstroIronMike hands over command of the @Space_Station. Tune in to watch the change of command ceremony. https://t.co/a1cV3vSATJ
— NASA (@NASA) January 12, 2026
“Fincke and Crew-11 commander Zena Cardman of NASA, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov will undock their SpaceX Dragon capsule from the ISS on Wednesday, Jan. 14 and return to earth early Jan. 15 due to a medical issue with one of the astronauts that occurred on Jan. 7. It is the first-ever medical evacuation of astronauts from the ISS.”
After the four Crew-11 astronauts depart to earth, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev as well as NASA astronaut Chris Williams will remain in the Space Station to complete the six-month mission that began in late November.
Read more:
NASA’s Crew-11 Set for Early Return to Earth Next Wednesday, Over ‘Serious Medical Condition’ of Astronaut
The post Two Days Away From NASA’s ‘Controlled Medical Evacuation’ of Crew-11 Astronauts, Ceremony of Change of Command Takes Place in the International Space Station (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.