NASA decides to bring Crew-11 home early.

Summary

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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]

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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]

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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."

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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]

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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.

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

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to the N2K space network.

[B]

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[A]

Today is January 9th, 2026. I'm Maria Varmazis and this is T minus.

[C]

T minus 20 seconds.

[A]

Domspace Luxembourg says it has been selected by an unnamed North American space company for a mission focused on lunar explor. Innospace has selected the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium's spaceport on the island of Santa Maria Azores as its European launch partner. Ursa Major has been selected as a partner for Teledyne Brown Engineering's prime contract under the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command's design development, demonstration and integration Domain one contract. Satelogic has designed a seven figure contract with an unnamed customer for satellite imagery. NASA has made the decision to bring Crew 11 home early from the International Space Station due to a medical concern. And it is Friday, my friends, which can only mean one thing here on T - our [e-mail] are back with the weekly space traffic. They're going to be bringing us the latest launch news from the last seven days and taking a look at what's on the schedule for the coming week. You don't want to miss it. Happy Friday everybody. Let's get into it. We're kicking off today's show with an update on yesterday's top story. On Wednesday, NASA postponed a spacewalk due to a medical situation with a member of Crew 11 on the International Space Station. And now they have made the decision to bring the crew home ahead of schedule due to that same medical condition. Here is what NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman had to.

[C]

Say. For over 60 years, NASA has set the standard for safety and security in crewed space flight. 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. Yesterday, January 7th, a single crew member on board the station experienced a medical situation and is now stable. After discussions with Chief Health and medical officer Dr. J.D. polk and leadership across the agency, 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 the International Space Station with Commander Zena Cardman, Pilot Mike Fink, Kimya Yui from JAXA and Oleg Plutonov of Roscosmos and safely return them to Earth. We expect to provide a further update within the next 48 hours as to the expected anticipated undock and re entry.

[A]

Timeline. NASA is currently reviewing Crew 11 return dates. The Agency has also said that it's working with SpaceX and its international partners to to review the options available to advance launch opportunities for the Crew 12 mission. The agency anticipates a decision on a target crew 11 return date in the coming days. And by the way, if space medicine is an area you are interested in learning more about, make sure to join me tomorrow for our Deep Space Special edition with Charles Doran from solomed. Next Story Now Satelogic has just signed a seven figure contract with an unnamed customer for satellite imagery. Satelogic will support high frequency site monitoring and has agreed to provide daily revisit high resolution coverage. The agreement is structured to provide satellite imagery for ongoing visibility and predictable data availability versus tasking based on specific events. Satelogic did not specify the customer or the region, but said that this type of consistent coverage has use cases for defense and security, civil and environmental monitoring, infrastructure protection and commercial operations. Ursa Major has been selected as a partner for Teledyne Brown Engineering's prime contract under US Army Space and Missile Defense Command's design development, demonstration and integration domain. One contract. The D3I IDIQ contract vehicle funds threat representative ballistic and hypersonic target vehicles that are integral for missile defense testing. With this partnership, Ursa Major increases Teledyne's propulsion solutions and expands their product offerings for the missile defense community. South Korean company Innospace has selected the Atlantic Spaceport Consortium's spaceport on the island of Santa Maria Azores as its European launch partner. The contract enables Innospace priority access to a launch pad on the Portuguese islands. Innospace is one bit launch vehicle series plans to be launched to orbit from the Azores in the coming years. Innospace already has spaceport agreements already in place with Brazil and Australia showcasing the company's global launch ambitions. GOM Space Luxembourg says that it has been selected by an unnamed North American space company for a mission that is focused on lunar exploration. GomSpace says that the mission marks a major step forward in the understanding of the solar system and in the capabilities of small satellite platforms for deep space exploration. The contract covers the initial design of two spacecraft, and the company will use its experience with advanced technologies from previous interplanetary missions, such as the European Space Agency, Hera, Juventus and Ramses missions. The contract for this initial design is valued at 2.9 million euros, which is approximately 3.4 million US dollars, and will be executed during the first half of 2026. And that wraps up today's Friday intelligence briefing. You made it to the weekend, my friends. Congratulations. And as always, you will find links to further reading on all of the stories that I've mentioned in today's show in the Selected Readings section of our show notes. And tomorrow, be sure to check your podcast feed for T Minus Deep Space. It's our special edition Saturday show where we share an in depth interview and dive a bit deeper into fascinating topics with brilliant guests you know. Recently we have held a series of chats on this show with Solamed solutions about their organization and what they hope to bring to commercial companies who are exploring the future of human space travel. And tomorrow's Deep space chat is with Charles Doran, Solamed's chief operating Officer, who shares his insights from his experience with NASA to how he's approaching the problems that need to be solved with ethics for the future of space travel. That's on T Minus Deep Space tomorrow. Don't miss.

[B]

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[A]

Today. Let me hand you over now to our.

[D]

[e-mail] I'm Alicia Segal for NSF, and this is your weekly Space Traffic report for T minus Space starting off the week. We had the first launch of the year on January 3rd and it was of course a Falcon 9. The rocket lifted off at 2:09 UTC from SpaceX's Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg in California. Encapsulated in its fairing was the Cosmos Skymed FM 3 or CSG 3 for the Italian Space Agency. It's the latest to a constellation of small Earth observation satellites which specifically focus on the Mediterranean. The satellite on this Launch was the third of four to make up the constellation's second generation, replacing the first generation which launched between 2007 and 2010. Both generations used synthetic aperture radar to study our planet from a sun synchronous dawn dusk orbit which passes the equator around Sunset and Sunrise. Falcon 9 booster B1081 lofted the satellite into space on its 21st flight, after which it returned to Vandenber Landing on SpaceX's Landing Zone 4 where it successfully touched down. Next we had a Starlink launch lifting off from Florida on January 4th at 6:48 Universal Time. Falcon 9 lofted 29 Starlink V2 mini satellites which will be added to SpaceX's Internet constellation. SpaceX used a brand new booster for this mission, Booster B1101, which successfully made its way back to Earth and touched down softly on the deck of SpaceX's drone ship. Just read the instructions and closing out the week, we should have had another Starlink mission from Florida shortly before this episode was pub published. We'll cover that one next week. Going into next week, SpaceX has two more Starlink missions scheduled, both from Florida. On January 11th, we'll also have a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg which is set to loft a small space telescope for NASA. The telescope, called Pandora, will study exoplanet atmospheres during its one year mission. Pandora will be accompanied during its launch by the 39 payloads of SpaceX's Twilight rideshare mission. In addition to the Falcon 9 launches on the schedule, it looks like we might also get a launch from India next week. The country's PSLV rocket will loft the Eos N1 Earth Observation Satellite into orbit alongside several rideshare payloads. We might also get a couple of launches from China next week, as well as the early return of Crew 11, but the details on those missions are Sparse at this time. As always, we recommend checking in with the next spaceflight app and website to stay updated with the latest schedule changes. I'm Alicia Siegel for nsf, and that's your weekly space traffic report. Now back to T C.

[A]

Space. We'll be right back. Welcome back. How many lithium ion batteries do you have in your life? When you sit and really think about it, they really are everywhere. Our smartphones, tablets, laptops and power banks to start. And electric vehicles, earbuds, vape pens, toothbrushes, robot vacuums, power tools, heated vests, jackets and pet GPS collars. I mean, the list goes on and on. And I won't bore you, but point made, right? Lithium ion batteries, very important to modern life. They are everywhere. Okay, but class, what's the major dangerous downside of lithium ion batteries? I'm sure some of you got it, and I'm sure some of you have experienced it. It's the dreaded swollen battery, which is a major, major safety hazard. It can cause an extremely hot fire or an explosion. And the potential for a swollen battery is the reason you absolutely cannot put any kind of lithium ion battery in a plane's cargo hold, for example. So this is the place where I need to mention we have been using lithium ion batteries in space missions for quite a while now, but especially in human inhabited floating labs like the ISS and Tiangong. Those are certainly places where we do not want anything exploding accidentally. So it's not a surprise to anyone that China has launched a new series of battery experiments aboard Tiangong Space Station with the aim to make space power systems safer, more efficient and longer lasting. And this work is being led by Zhang Hongjiang, and he is a battery scientist from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics and is China's second civilian astronaut. By the way, Zhang is the perfect person to be studying how lithium ion batteries behave in microgravity, with a focus on how dangerous lithium ion dendrites form and grow. And those dendrites, don't worry if you've never heard of this, I'll explain. They're basically tiny needles that can pierce a key part of the battery called a separator. And when that happens, the battery's lifespan is significantly shortened and you can end up with a swollen battery. And yeah, that serious fire hazard again. On Earth, gravity does interfere with the battery's internal processes, so that makes it difficult to isolate dendrites true behavior. But microgravity removes gravity as a variable. Kind of makes sense. So researchers can then get a rare clean look at what is really happening. Inside the battery. So 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. And this is good for space missions, of course. But selfishly for us, 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. And that's T minus brought to you by N2K Cyberwire we'd love to know what you think of this podcast. Your feedback ensures we deliver the insights that keep you a step ahead in the rapidly changing space industry. If you like the show, please share a rating and review in your podcast app. Please also fill out the survey in the show notes or send us an email. Space2k.com is that email address we're proud that N2K CyberWire is part of the daily routine of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector. From the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies, N2K helps space and cybersecurity professionals grow, learn and stay informed. As the nexus for discovery and connection, we bring you the people, the technology and the ideas shaping the future of secure innovation. Learn [e-mail] N2K Senior Producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We are mixed by Elliot Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our Executive Producer is Jennifer Ibin. Peter Kilby is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazes. Thank you for listening. Have a lovely.

[C]

Weekend. T.

[B]

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