NASA made an announcement on January 7th that it has postponed a scheduled spacewalk that was planned to take place on Thursday, January 8, outside the International Space Station. The decision followed a medical concern involving a crew member aboard the orbital laboratory.
In an official update, NASA confirmed that the medical situation arose on Wednesday afternoon. While the agency did not disclose further details, citing medical privacy, it stated that the affected crew member is stable. NASA added that it continues to monitor the situation closely.
“The situation is stable,” the agency said, noting that additional details — including a revised date for the postponed spacewalk — will be shared at a later time.
Further clarification was provided in a subsequent International Space Station status update. NASA confirmed that the medical matter involved a single crew member and reiterated that crew safety remains its highest priority. The agency also stated that it is actively evaluating all available options, including the possibility of an earlier-than-planned conclusion to the Crew-11 mission if required.
“These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely,” the agency said, adding that further updates will be issued within the next 24 hours.
The Crew-11 team currently aboard the ISS consists of American astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
The four-member crew launched to the International Space Station on August 1, 2025. Their mission was originally scheduled to conclude in late February 2026, following the arrival of a replacement crew.
NASA has not indicated whether the medical situation will impact the overall mission timeline, beyond confirming that all operational decisions will be guided by crew health and safety considerations.
