> At a Glance
> – NASA scrubbed Thursday’s planned spacewalk after an astronaut developed an undisclosed medical issue
> – The affected crew member is now stable aboard the International Space Station
> – Mission managers are weighing whether to bring the four-person crew home early
> – Why it matters: Mission safety could change the length of the current expedition and future ISS operations
NASA has put its first spacewalk of 2025 on hold and may shorten the International Space Station mission after an astronaut experienced a medical problem in orbit.
Spacewalk Postponed
NASA announced the delay on Wednesday, citing an unspecified medical concern with one of the crew members. The spacewalk had been scheduled for Thursday.
> NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner said:
>
> “Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority.”
The agency disclosed only that the astronaut is now in stable condition inside the orbiting laboratory.
Early Return Under Review
With the crew member stable, flight controllers are reassessing the mission timeline. Options on the table include:
- Rescheduling the spacewalk
- Proceeding with other science objectives
- Potentially bringing the crew back to Earth ahead of schedule
Crew Profile
The four-person team-representing the United States, Japan, and Russia-arrived at the station in August after launching from Florida.
| Launch Site | Florida |
| Crew Size | 4 |
| Agencies | NASA, JAXA, Roscosmos |
Key Takeaways
- NASA postponed its first 2025 spacewalk hours before it was set to begin
- The affected astronaut remains stable, but the agency is re-evaluating mission plans
- An early return for the U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew has not been ruled out
NASA says it will release updates as decisions are finalized.
