Part of the ISS crew returned to Earth ahead of schedule

The crew of the American-Japanese-Russian Crew-11 mission returned from space unexpectedly after 167 days due to health problems experienced by one of the astronauts. NASA did not specify the reasons, but said that it was not an accident, but a complication related to prolonged exposure to weightlessness.

The agency emphasized that the return was not an emergency evacuation but a preventive measure. The crew consisted of two Americans, one Japanese, and one Russian, according to the Space portal.

The Dragon spacecraft successfully landed in the Pacific Ocean off California on Thursday morning. The astronauts were originally scheduled to remain on the International Space Station (ISS) until the second half of February.

Their early return may hasten the arrival of the new Crew-12 crew. This is the first such return in the history of the ISS.

Three astronauts currently remain on board the station, whose mission is continuing as planned.

(pir)