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Early Start with Rahel Solomon

SpaceX Crew-11 Safely Back On Earth. Aired 4-4:30a ET

Aired January 15, 2026 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[04:04:33]

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RAHEL SOLOMON, CNN HOST: Good morning and welcome to our viewers joining us from the US and all around the world. I'm Rahel Solomon. It is Thursday January 15th 4:00 AM here in New York.

[04:05:04]

And we begin this morning with our breaking news off the Southern California coast. That's where the SpaceX Crew-11 capsule splashed down safely just about 20-25 minutes ago. NASA decided to bring the spacecraft home early from the International Space Station, that's because one crew member was experiencing a health concern.

Now, we don't know which crew member or what exactly the issue was. The two American astronauts, one Japanese astronaut and one Russian cosmonaut are expected to be brought out of the capsule soon on stretchers. That is standard procedure. And NASA also says that it's expediting plans to launch a replacement crew, which had been originally scheduled for mid-February.

We have team coverage for you this morning as all of the action unfolds. We have CNN's Ed Lavandera, who is live for us at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. We also have former Astronaut David Wolf and Editor-in-Chief of Space.com Tarik Malik. Great to see you all, gentlemen.

Ed, let me start with you. You've been out there sort of watching all of this unfold for the last few hours or so. It's been incredible to see the footage. We just saw splashdown a short time ago.

Walk us through these pictures on our screen right now. What exactly is happening? What are we seeing?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what you're seeing right now is that capsule being loaded onto one of the vessels out there off of the coast of San Diego in the Pacific Ocean. They're about to load up the space capsule onto ship and then they will begin the process of getting the astronauts out of it.

And then what is going to happen is that, these astronauts are going to be taken to a hospital in San Diego. And that is where presumably that the one astronaut that needs the most medical attention at this moment will begin the process of getting evaluated and checked out. Space officials, NASA officials have been saying over the last week that the medical condition that this astronaut faces, that the medical capabilities that they had in the International Space Center were not enough to deal with what this astronaut are not needed. So that is why they had to cut this mission short and get this crew back onto Earth so that they could be properly evaluated here on the ground.

This is a mission that lasted 167 days. They departed the International Space Station almost 11 hours ago, so it was about 10 and a half hour journey leaving the International Space Station to what just ended about 25 minutes ago there off the coast of San Diego. And from what we could tell, everything went incredibly smoothly on the return back to Earth here, that capsule splashing down.

And as you see here, Rahel, the crew beginning the process of -- they have those cables hooked up to the capsule, dragging it over to this ship. And here in the coming moments, they will start taking the astronauts out of that capsule. So this crew experiencing gravity for the first time in six months, which is already kind of a stressful thing and experience on the body.

Many of these astronauts that I've spoken to over the years deal with this moment very differently and have very different experiences. And what is striking about this particular crew is that, two of these astronauts have just completed their first space mission. So this is actually the first time that they are experiencing this return to gravity. So that is obviously a very intense moment for these astronauts who have trained for this moment extensively, but nonetheless, they're experiencing this particular moment for the very first time.

But clearly, what is the most pressing issue here at the moment is to get that medical attention for that one particular astronaut that needs it the most at this moment. And that process will begin here very shortly as they get this crew onshore. But it is very possible that we will not find out exactly who is affected and what the extent of the medical issue is, because NASA and space officials keep all of that very close to the vest because of health privacy reasons. And that is something that many astronauts have told us.

Unless the astronaut themselves feel comfortable sharing the information, so it's very possible that we don't really get the full extent of why this was cut short. But this is a mission that was cut short by about 30 days or so, and now NASA and SpaceX going through the process of getting the next crew back up to the International Space Station. Right now, there are only three astronauts on board the International Space Station until they get that crew, the next crew, flown up there here in about a month or so.

SOLOMON: Yes, fair enough. There is a lot of public interest surrounding what the health issue is, but as you pointed out, I mean, this is obviously a very private issue for the astronauts, so we may not learn.

David, let me ask, I imagine for you and perhaps everyone at NASA right now, you must be breathing a sigh of relief. As Ed just said, everything going smoothly thus far, and my understanding is that last stretch is really the most dangerous component of the dissent. How are you feeling right now?

Are you feeling relieved? Are you feeling sort of comforted that they are now back on Earth?

[04:10:07]

DAVID WOLF, FORMER ASTRONAUT: Well, of course you feel relieved. Getting back to gravity after a long time is a great stress on the cardiovascular system. You have the wrong amount of blood in your body, your heart is not reacting, its reflexes are not correct. And all that has to be readapted over the first few days.

And then other things take a year to come back, bones. For example, I was in five months of space, lost 15 percent of many of my bone mineral, my bones' mineral. It's a profound readjustment.

SOLOMON: Wow, that's incredible. So 15 percent of your bone mineral and how long, David?

WOLF: That was in five months. But at that time we did not have the countermeasures that we have today, which are very effective. That was 20 years ago when were developing the countermeasures.

SOLOMON: Tarik, let me ask. I mean --

WOLF: And that was -- go ahead.

SOLOMON: I'm sorry. Continue your thought, David.

WOLF: I was saying that was at a time we were learning to work with the Russians and do space stations, and we were just initially developing medical countermeasures and the medical system itself that is used in space now.

SOLOMON: Mm-hmm. Tarik, let me ask you, being editor-in-chief of Space.com, what's it been like covering this story? I mean, even initially when we first learned that this crew would be returning a month earlier for an undisclosed medical issue. What's it been like covering both that, and what's viewer and reader appetite been like to understand what happened?

TARIK MALIK, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, SPACE.COM: You know, this has been a really unprecedented situation. We've been covering these continuous crews on the International Space Station for 25 years since that first crew took, you know, took charge back in 2000. And for the first time ever, we have seen this situation where NASA called a medical evacuation.

And quite quickly, from the actual arise of the situation on January 7th, just about 24 hours before NASA chief, Jared Isaacman, actually made that call. And so, you know, what we've seen is a bit of an uptick, obviously interest to understand, like what the health is of these astronauts. Are they going to get back safely? And for the most part, as you mentioned earlier, it's been a very smooth return once that decision was made. You know, we've seen a lot of interest in the personal reactions of the astronauts. You know, Mike Fincke, Crew-11 pilot, veteran Space Station astronaut, discussing how bittersweet the feelings have been.

He was commander of the Space Station's Expedition 74 crew, had to turn over control early to his Russian counterpart on the Space Station who remained behind. And Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posting a lot of farewell imagery and video, just spectacular views that he very clearly is going to miss coming home a bit earlier than he had planned.

So it's been very interesting to watch that develop and have that faster than usual pack up and return to Earth for these astronauts as they bid farewell to the station and return to Earth. And we're going to continue to watch these live pictures as I believe we're waiting for the hatch to open.

Ed, help me understand what we know about the location of this splashdown. What has NASA said about why they chose off the California coast near San Diego? What's the relevance or importance of that?

LAVANDERA: Well, a lot of this, you know, came together very quickly. I'm not exactly sure why this particular spot but, you know, obviously calculations go into making this and figuring out a way where the capsule can land in a convenient place where they can get these crews. Obviously a great deal of manpower is needed to get the capsule out of the water.

And then obviously, more importantly in this situation, get the crew and the astronaut quickly onto land so that they can get the medical attention that they need.

SOLOMON: OK. I also want to bring into the conversation -- gentlemen, stand by. I want to bring in to continue discussing with us Dr. Farhan Asrar, a Space Medicine Researcher. He is also an Associate Dean at Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine. Doctor, appreciate you being with us.

You know, as our guest just said, this is the first time in the 25 years or so of the ISS that we are seeing a mission be cut short because of a medical issue. Obviously it is up to the astronaut to disclose whether they want to disclose what the medical issue is. But it wasn't an emergency landing.

I mean, they chose to clearly do this in this sort of way. They scheduled it ahead. What does that signal to you about what might be the underlying issue here?

[04:15:10]

FARHAN ASRAR, SPACE MEDICINE RESEARCHER: Well, there could be a number of different causes. I think even look at it from my, I would say my medical experience point of view though as well. Anytime when we look at a health situation, we first have to see is the individual needing immediate management treatment. And if not then could that lead to life threatening or dire consequences versus could they basically have something that is, let's say, stable for now, could be managed, whether that could be various different conditions.

Even on Earth where someone has, let's say, I'm just giving an example, like high blood pressure. So those can be really high at times and low, but then they could be stabilized. But then there are certain cases that if it goes untreated or is not being properly managed or monitored, it could then worsen over time as well.

So there could be a number of different reasons. And it's just kind of looking at that the way it was, that it didn't need the immediate de- orbiting. And as long as that they were stable, they could be evacuated, brought back now. And this is giving them the sufficient time to let's say, manage and continue their care over here on Earth.

SOLOMON: And, doctor, let me just stay with you for a moment. Our former astronaut or astronaut, David Wolf, mentioned earlier just sort of how much stress that descent and returning back to Earth after being in space for months can really have on your body. Talk to us a little bit about that. What does it feel like? What does it do to the human body after you've been in space for so long?

ASRAR: Well, space as a whole does put the extreme environment of space puts a real strain on the body itself. It puts a strain, let's say, on our muscles. We lose muscle mass exactly as how Dr. Wolf indicated. We do even lose our bone density, our bones' minerals as well. Additionally, it's even impacting let's say our eyes.

Now there was a recent study showing that even our brain moves and shifts its place and causing changes, and issues as well. So once someone is coming in now the reentry space itself, the G force put on the body, that is even more strenuous as well. And they've really kind of de-conditioned in that time that they've been in space.

So it really is kind of like adapting back to the norm, getting used to gravity, even moving your hands, walking, using your legs. It is really kind of getting used to that process. And at the same time, it's just this whole process of rehabilitation. And hopefully coming back to one's baseline, I mean, there have been incidences of perfectly healthy astronauts even having fractures after coming back to Earth though as well.

So it's really kind of looking at do we come back to the baseline or unfortunately, could there be some that are left with some complications that impact their health over time?

SOLOMON: Yes. I mean, speaking of fractures, I mean, David Wolf just told us that, I mean, he lost about 15 percent of his bone mineral when he was in space for five months or so, so certainly can understand that.

And, David, let me just bring you back into the conversation. I imagine that it must feel a bittersweet for some of these astronauts who live for this experience. I mean, help me understand even just based on your own experience, sort of what they might be feeling right now as we wait for the hatch to open.

WOLF: Yes. You've hit it right, it's bittersweet. Space becomes a home. Mike, for example, has been to ISS twice. I've been there twice. It because you have favorite places to sleep, you have favorite places to eat, spots that you like.

And it is a home in space that you can return to actually. And Earth is also a home, and we have the people we care about. And it's very bittersweet. There's no other way to put it.

SOLOMON: Ed, if I can bring you back into the conversation. As we watch what appears to be that recovery ship sort of, you know, getting pretty close to the capsule to ultimately bring these four astronauts out of the capsule, what happens once they are on the ship? Walk us through the sort of TikTok or play-by-play as far as we understand it, in terms of what will happen now.

LAVANDERA: Right. Well, now you see the crews, they're getting closer to opening up the hatch there to the capsule. There will be a medical doctor that goes and checks on each of these astronauts. And that is part of just standard procedure of how all of these returns are handled.

These astronauts will be assisted out of the capsule. You can imagine, and as all of our guests here have spoken so eloquently way better than I can about just how difficult and how strenuous this moment is on these astronauts after having spent almost six months in space. So they will be assisted off of that capsule. You'll see them briefly there unless the camera angle is changed, but all of this about to start unfolding.

[04:20:05]

And there on the ship, they will continue with medical checkups and that sort of thing. And then they will be taken to land in hospitals there in the San Diego area. And then in the coming hours, I'm not exactly sure of timing, but eventually the astronauts will make their way back here to Houston where they will have a series of meetings and debriefs, and everything that will continue to happen.

But right now what we're about to see is that capsule door about to open and the first, you know, face to face communication with the medical doctor there with the crew, checking on them, making sure -- and that they'll be OK to be able to be transported off of that capsule. And all of that's about to start unfolding right now.

SOLOMON: And let's listen together. OK, they're actually pausing. Once they start talking, we'll go back and listen live to understand exactly what's happening.

Tarik, while I have you, let me ask. I mean you've been covering space for a very long time. As we said, this is without precedent. I'm wondering what you're going to be looking for and watching once we see the astronauts in the moment.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As previously discussed, the first team member to check on the crew is SpaceX medical doctor. Just giving them a once- over, making sure everyone's feeling alright and ready to exit the spacecraft. This is something we do with all crew members who return.

MALIK: Yes. I think what I'll be looking for is seeing exactly what the crew, you know, looks like, depending on what we see as they are pulled from the spacecraft. You know, some of the astronauts when they return are able to support themselves as they come out. But after six months in space, sometimes they need more assistance.

You know, this view here sometimes we've seen NASA and their recovery teams with SpaceX assist the astronauts with like stretcher type equipment or whatnot if they're having trouble supporting themselves. And sometimes the astronauts want to show that they're in good spirits, that they're in a really good shape and wave to the cameras that we're seeing here.

SOLOMON: All right, let's listen together again. OK, so there's a bit of a pause, but what we just heard, if you're just joining us, is the hatch opened obviously to the space capsule. Now, we're seeing the four astronauts who look like they're in good spirits. Thumbs up from the four astronauts --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- after 167 days in space.

SOLOMON: After 167 days in space, a bit early, a month earlier than expected due to an undisclosed medical issue according to NASA. There is a press conference happening in the next hour that of course we will be listening to. But what we're watching here is you saw the hatch open, there's a recovery ship right there.

That recovery ship will ultimately take the astronauts from the capsule onto the ship in stretchers, which I believe you can start to see one stretcher on the left side of your screen there on my left. They'll then take them --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- or exit. Team members will be assisting them as they are helped out of the spacecraft. Again, it's been 167 days since they were back on Earth, so our standard procedure will be followed here as well, where they are assisted out of the spacecraft and placed on essentially a gurney. And then they will receive some medical checks aboard the ship before flying back to land.

SOLOMON: So I'm going to pick up now where there are pauses because I'm actively listening as well to understand what we're watching here. And so as you just heard there, they're going to be sort of taken off the capsule onto a gurney or stretcher, common protocol.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: SpaceX recovery team are helping remove some of those extra items that are in the spacecraft. You just saw the foot rests being handed off. This will just make it easier for us to bring the crew out of the spacecraft.

SOLOMON: OK. So now as they lower the gurney, they're going to start to have the astronauts lie on the gurney. They'll come out, they'll come to the recovery ship and ultimately that recovery ship will return the astronauts to land. One thing we already have heard from NASA is that one of the first people, once the hatch opened to look into the capsule was a NASA doctor.

Just to give them a quick once-over, presumably quick observation, make sure every, you know, everyone is OK and is as expected. Again, one of the astronauts had a medical issue that has not been disclosed, may not ever be disclosed, depending on the desires and wishes of that astronaut. That prompted NASA to decide to end this mission a month early. So it was supposed to be a six month mission, it ended up being a five month mission.

And so right now, there are three astronauts aboard the ISS, which just to give you a sense of perspective is apparently like the size of a football field. It is massive. And so, there are three astronauts still aboard the ISS. These four astronauts, however, are obviously returning back to earth, returning home as we watch this all unfold.

[04:25:02]

Splashdown was about 3:41 Eastern Time, so a little less than an hour ago. And again what we're watching is as the capsule splashed down, the recovery ship approached the capsule. The hatch was then opened just, I want to say maybe five minutes ago. They just opened the hatch.

A NASA doctor looked inside, gave the astronauts a once-over. They started to get the gurneys together or the stretchers together. You can see one of those on your screen right now. And then the astronauts one by one will be taken off of the capsule, onto the gurney, onto the ship where they will ultimately be transported back to land.

This is happening off the California coast, close to San Diego. Unclear at this point why San Diego was chosen, but that is something that we may ask one of our guests, we may get to with one of our guests over the next 90 minutes or so of special coverage.

Let me bring in my guests if I have you. David, again just sort of walk me through, former astronaut who's been to space yourself, the sort of feelings that NASA and some of these astronauts are likely feeling. I know we talked about how bittersweet it must be for the astronauts, but I imagine for NASA it must also be a relief to have them back on earth safely after deciding that the safest thing to do was to bring these astronauts back home because of this medical issue.

WOLF: Right. So you have to look at this as a -- it's not one mission, it's a sequence of mission now for 20 plus years. And in order to maintain a risk posture that's acceptable for long term human spaceflight, you have to make certain individual decisions that are maybe over conservative or so that you so you don't make a mistake over 20 years.

You have to take out some good appendix to make sure you get all the bad ones out, you know what I mean? So I would put this in that category. In order to be safe for 20, 30 plus years, you have to now and then make a decision that's not very tasteful like this that's conservative.

SOLOMON: Mm-hmm. Doctor, if I can bring you back into the conversation, Dr. Asrar, what are you going to be watching? As I said, one doctor has already sort of glanced inside, done a once-over. At least one, perhaps more than one, but they've announced at least one. What are you going to be watching and what would you expect to see in the moments ahead from these astronauts?

ASRAR: Well, I think they're looking at two perspectives. So obviously one is all the astronauts as a whole just like every other mission. It's really seeing that like -- are they like completely like stable in terms of their health wise? And then just that whole process as they move from one facility to another, and eventually then heading to Houston, it's basically just overall how is that process of (inaudible) -- and coming back to gravity and just how they are kind of adjusting back, as well as that entire process of rehabilitation and then eventually kind of coming back to their usual baseline.

So really seeing how they're progressing and how that's been going. The other aspect is also just keeping in mind the astronaut with a medical concern. Just to see in terms of even the re-entry, like did that impact it? Obviously the G force puts a strain on the body, the health, the overall perspective as well.

So would that have impacted anything further? Are they still continuing to be stable through these processes as well as them providing any specific and more focused care with that specific condition that might be there as well.

SOLOMON: And, Tarik, let me bring you into the conversation. I believe who we're looking at now is Mike Fincke. Give me a sense of what we know about Mike Fincke. And, I mean, from what I can see, he looks to be in good speed spirits, smiling, thumbs up and he is on the gurney and obviously shaking hands.

MALIK: Exactly. We saw like a good thumbs up and a wave there as they extracted him from the spacecraft. You know, Mike Fincke is a veteran of the International Space Station. He was a flight engineer on his earlier missions and then now commander on this flight there. Flying into the Space Station both during the Space Shuttle era and then now in this, this Crew Dragon SpaceX era as we the space station kind of nears the end of its life.

A long time like military serviceman as well and a parent. In fact, one of his children I believe was born while he was in space on an earlier mission there. And this might be, I think one of his final flights of his career. He actually shared a very personal, I guess, a farewell to the Space Station on his LinkedIn profile for folks to see about how bittersweet this moment was and how lucky he felt to be commander of the Space Station on this most recent flight.

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