“It feels wonderful to be back,” expressed NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, who served as the capsule commander for the mission.

The mission, which commenced in August, concluded in an unforeseen manner, leaving the International Space Station with only one American and two Russian astronauts aboard.

In light of recent events, NASA and SpaceX are considering advancing the launch of a new crew of four astronauts. The liftoff is currently planned for mid-February.

Accompanying Cardman on the return journey were NASA’s Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Russia’s Oleg Platonov. Due to medical privacy concerns, officials have not disclosed the identity of the astronaut who encountered a health issue last week, nor have they elaborated on the specifics of the situation.

Although the affected astronaut remained stable while in orbit, NASA prioritized their swift return to Earth to ensure they could receive appropriate medical care and undergo necessary diagnostic tests.

The entry and splashdown required no special changes or accommodations, officials said, and the recovery ship had its usual allotment of medical experts on board.

The astronauts will receive more in-depth medical checks at a local hospital before flying to their home base in Houston, NASA said. Platonov’s return to Moscow was unclear.

The astronauts emerged from the capsule, one by one, after it was aboard the recovery ship. They were helped onto reclining cots and then whisked away for standard medical checks, waving to the cameras.

Jared Isaacman, NASA’s new administrator, monitored the action from Mission Control in Houston.

NASA stressed repeatedly over the past week that this was not an emergency. The astronaut fell sick or was injured on January 7, prompting NASA to call off the next day’s spacewalk by Cardman and Fincke, and ultimately resulting in the early return.

It was the first time NASA cut short a spaceflight for medical reasons. The Russians had done so decades ago.

The space station has gotten by with three astronauts before, sometimes even with just two.

NASA said it will be unable to perform a spacewalk, even for an emergency, until the arrival of the next crew, which has two Americans, one French and one Russian astronaut.