T-Minus Space Daily: NASA Decides to Bring Crew-11 Home Early

Date: January 9, 2026
Host: Maria Varmazis, N2K Networks
Special Guest Quoted: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
Segment Contributor: Alicia Siegel from NASAspaceflight.com

Episode Overview

This episode centers on NASA's urgent decision to bring the Crew-11 astronauts home early from the International Space Station due to an unspecified medical situation. The podcast chronicles the latest developments in this breaking story, outlines NASA’s safety protocols, and examines the immediate effects on space operations and upcoming missions. Additionally, the episode features headlines from across the global space industry, a weekly space traffic report, and news of a fascinating battery experiment aboard China's Tiangong Space Station.

Main Story: Crew-11’s Early Return from the ISS

[01:50] Top News Headlines

• NASA decides to bring Crew-11 home early because of a medical concern.
• Crew-11 consists of Commander Zena Cardman (NASA), Pilot Mike Fink (NASA), Kimya Yui (JAXA), and Oleg Plutonov (Roscosmos).
• Decision follows a postponed spacewalk announced the previous day.

[03:44] NASA Administrator’s Statement

Jared Isaacman (NASA Administrator):

"For over 60 years, NASA has set the standard for safety and security in crewed space flight...The health and the well being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority. Yesterday, January 7th, a single crew member on board the station experienced a medical situation and is now stable...I've come to the decision that it's in the best interest of our astronauts to return Crew 11 ahead of their planned departure. Within the coming days, the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft will depart...and safely return them to Earth."

— [03:44]

Key points:

• NASA’s long-standing commitment to crew safety.
• The affected crew member is stable; the nature of the medical issue is undisclosed.
• Crew-11’s return will take place in the “coming days” with a further update expected within 48 hours.

[04:48] Mission and Scheduling Impact

• NASA is reviewing potential Crew-11 return dates and coordinating with SpaceX and international partners.
• The agency is also looking to advance the Crew-12 launch window in response to this early return.

Maria Varmazis (Host):

"NASA is currently reviewing Crew 11 return dates. The Agency has also said that it's working with SpaceX and its international partners to review the options available to advance launch opportunities for the Crew 12 mission."
— [04:48]

Note: For those interested in space medicine, tomorrow’s Deep Space episode will feature Charles Doran from Solomed discussing ethics and challenges in the field.

Industry News Roundup

[05:18] Key Briefs

• Satelogic: Signs a seven-figure contract with an anonymous customer for daily, high-resolution satellite imagery — intended for defense, security, civil, infrastructure, and commercial monitoring.
• Ursa Major: Chosen by Teledyne Brown Engineering to partner on the US Army’s D3I IDIQ contract, advancing missile defense target vehicles with enhanced propulsion.
• Innospace: Selects Portugal’s Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (Azores) as its European launch partner, expanding its global presence alongside existing deals in Brazil and Australia.
• GOM Space Luxembourg: Awarded a €2.9 million contract to design two lunar exploration spacecraft for an undisclosed North American customer, highlighting advancements in smallsat deep space capability.

Weekly Space Traffic Report

[10:31] Weekly Space Launch Activity

Alicia Siegel for NSF / NASASpaceflight.com

Notable Launches ([10:31] – [13:03])

• Falcon 9 / CSG-3 (Italy)
  • Launch: Jan 3, Vandenberg SLC-4E
  • Delivered the third satellite to the Italian Earth observation constellation.
  • Booster B1081 successfully recovered (21st flight).
• Falcon 9 / Starlink
  • Launch: Jan 4, Florida
  • 29 Starlink V2 mini satellites launched for internet constellation.
  • Used new booster B1101, which successfully landed.
• Upcoming Missions
  • Multiple Starlink launches (Florida); Falcon 9 with NASA’s Pandora exoplanet telescope and SpaceX’s Twilight rideshare set for Jan 11 from Vandenberg.
  • India’s PSLV to launch EOS N1 Earth observation satellite and several rideshares.
  • Possible early Crew-11 return.

"Going into next week, SpaceX has two more Starlink missions scheduled...In addition...launch from India next week...as well as the early return of Crew 11, but the details on those missions are sparse at this time."

— Alicia Siegel, [12:45]

Science Feature: Battery Safety in Space

[13:03] Lithium-Ion Battery Hazards and Chinese Research

Maria Varmazis:

• Discusses the ubiquity — and dangers — of lithium-ion batteries, notably the risk of fires from battery swelling due to dendrite formation.
• Highlights China’s new experiment on the Tiangong Space Station, led by battery scientist and astronaut Zhang Hongjiang, to study dendrite growth in microgravity.
• The research aims to improve battery safety and longevity in space and potentially for terrestrial uses.

"By directly observing how dendrites grow in space on purpose in a controlled environment, of course, scientists hope to identify ways to suppress those dendrites, improving both lithium ion battery safety and durability."
— Maria Varmazis, [15:01]

Memorable Quotes

• Jared Isaacman (NASA Administrator, [03:44])
  "The health and the well being of our astronauts is always and will be our highest priority."
• Maria Varmazis (Host, [15:18])
  "A better understanding of battery physics in microgravity could lead to more reliable energy systems, reduced fire risk, and longer operational lifetimes for our much more mundane battery needs."
• Alicia Siegel (NASAspaceflight.com, [12:45])
  "As always, we recommend checking in with the next spaceflight app and website to stay updated with the latest schedule changes."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Main News & NASA Statement: [01:50] – [04:48]
• Industry Roundup: [05:18] – [08:59]
• Weekly Launch Recap: [10:31] – [13:03]
• Battery Research Feature: [13:03] – [17:04]

Final Notes

• NASA’s rapid, transparent handling of Crew-11’s medical situation exemplifies their safety-first approach.
• The episode contextualizes this event within broader space industry news.
• Upcoming Deep Space interview: Charles Doran on ethics and medicine in human spaceflight.

For more stories and deeper insights, visit space.n2k.com.
Subscribe and tune in for tomorrow’s Deep Space special on space medicine.