STORY: :: NASA's Crew-11 capsule carrying a four-member crew splashes down in the Pacific Ocean near California

:: January 15, 2026

The Crew Dragon capsule parachuted into calm seas off San Diego at about 12:45 a.m. EST (0845 GMT), capping a 10-hour-plus descent from the International Space Station and fiery re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, carried live by a joint NASA-SpaceX webcast.

The plan to bring all four members of Crew-11 home a few weeks ahead of schedule was announced January 8, with NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman saying one of the astronauts faced a "serious medical condition" that required immediate medical attention on the ground.

This marks the first time NASA has cut short the mission of an ISS crew because of a health emergency.