4 astronauts to depart ISS, leaving behind just 3 crewmates to staff the orbiting lab

"Four astronauts are about to make an abrupt exit from the International Space Station amid a health concern - and their unprecedented early departure will leave behind a bare-bones staff to look after the outpost. When the crew boards the SpaceX capsule that will bring them home, only three people will remain on the orbiting laboratory: Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of Russia and NASA astronaut Chris Williams."

""For over 60 years, NASA's set the standard for safety and security in crewed spaceflight," Isaacman said during a news conference last week. "In these endeavors, including the 25 years of continuous human presence on board the International Space Station, the health and the well-being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority." Fincke and Cardman, along with astronaut Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, are part of the Crew-11 mission that's leaving the space station."

"The US space agency will livestream the departure of the SpaceX Crew capsule on NASA+ starting at 4:45 p.m. ET Wednesday, with the capsule set to undock from the space station around 5 p.m. ET. It's a less-than-ideal scenario. NASA has repeatedly signaled that keeping the ISS fully staffed is a top priority, as the agency aims to maximize the amount of scientific research it can conduct on the aging station before it's permanently retired early next decade."

Four crew members are departing the International Space Station early because of a medical concern, leaving only three people aboard the outpost. The returning crew will board a SpaceX capsule; NASA will livestream the departure on NASA+ starting at 4:45 p.m. ET, with undocking expected around 5 p.m. ET. NASA's administrator ordered the early return and canceled a January 8 spacewalk. The departing astronauts include Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov as part of Crew-11. NASA declined to identify the affected astronaut, citing privacy, but said the person is in stable condition.

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