Crew-11 launched to the ISS from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 1 and docked with the space station the following day. They were the final crew to arrive during Expedition 73 and welcomed the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, the first new crew of Expedition 74. They were originally set to stay onboard the ISS until the latter part of February to allow for a direct handover with the incoming SpaceX Crew-12 quartet. However, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said one of the crew members had a “serious medical concern” on Thursday, which prompted agency leaders to decide that the crew should come home earlier than planned for a proper medical diagnosis and treatment. The four members of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission are shown suited in their intra-vehicular activity (IVA) flight suits ahead of their departure from the International Space Station. From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui. Image: Mike Fincke/NASA The early end to the mission was described as a “medical evacuation” and not an “emergency return,” but this does mark the first time that an American-led human spaceflight mission ends early due to a medical issue. On Monday, Fincke handed over command of the ISS to Roscomos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov in a brief ceremony. Kud-Sverchkov along with fellow cosmonaut Sergey Mikayev and NASA astronaut Chris Williams will hold down the fort until the arrival of SpaceX Crew-12 sometime in early February. Fincke posted to his LinkedIn profile, to confirm that NASA made “the right call, even if it’s a bit bittersweet.” “We’re grateful for the teamwork, proud of the mission, and looking forward to coming home soon—back to our loved ones and to resolving any medical questions with the best care available,” Fincke wrote.  The various members of Crew-11 have spent the week preparing to leave and saying their goodbyes to life in low Earth orbit. In a message posted to his X account (formerly Twitter) Yui shared some photos he captured of Japan as the space station wizzed overhead at about 17,500 miles per hour. “The day has finally arrived for our departure to Earth. I haven’t had a chance to photograph daytime Japan recently, but at the very last moment, we passed over the Pacific side of Japan,” Yui wrote, as translated by X. “Mount Fuji bid us farewell, adorned with a touch of crimson makeup from the setting sun. This is my final glimpse of Mount Fuji from space and daytime Japan! Thank you for the magnificent view!” The four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission are officially scheduled to launch Feb. 15. NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway along with European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev will spend about nine months onboard the orbiting outpost. NASA is looking to accelerate the launch date of Crew-12 though, which places it very close to the Artemis 2 Moon mission, the first crewed flight of the Orion spacecraft and the closest approach to the Moon since 1972. The launch of Artemis 2 is tentatively set for Feb. 6, but that will be firmed up in the coming weeks.