Four astronauts from NASA, Roscosmos and JAXA returned safely to Earth on January 15, 2026, after the International Space Station’s first-ever medical evacuation. Their SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour undocked and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego, completing a roughly 11-hour re-entry. The early return came over a month ahead of schedule after one crew member developed a serious but stable medical issue that could not be fully addressed in orbit. NASA did not disclose the astronaut’s identity or condition. The event marks a major milestone in spaceflight safety procedures.

Four astronauts from the International Space Station have returned to Earth about a month ahead of schedule after a crew member fell ill, Nasa said. The Dragon Endeavour capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast. The crew includes Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. They had reached the station on 1 August and were due to stay for six and a half months. A planned spacewalk last week was cancelled before Nasa revealed the medical issue. The agency has not shared details but said the affected crew member is stable and receiving care. 

NASA and SpaceX have carried out the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station (ISS), bringing four astronauts home early due to an undisclosed health issue affecting one crew member. The SpaceX Crew-11 team — Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov — undocked from the ISS on Jan. 14 and is set to splash down off the California coast on Jan. 15. NASA has not disclosed details of the medical condition, citing privacy, but confirmed the astronaut is stable. The mission was cut short from its original schedule to allow full medical evaluation on Earth. (PC: NASA)

India’s PSLV-C62/EOS-N1 mission launched from Sriharikota on January 12, 2026, aimed to place the EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite and 15 co-passenger satellites into sun-synchronous orbit. However, an anomaly during the third stage burn caused the rocket to deviate from its flight path, preventing orbital insertion and resulting in the loss of all primary payloads. This marks a significant second consecutive PSLV setback linked to third-stage issues. Despite the failure, a small Spanish technology demonstrator, KID, successfully separated and transmitted data briefly, offering a rare positive outcome for private space efforts. Detailed analysis is underway to identify the cause and prevent future mishaps. (PC: PTI)

A small Spanish satellite has survived Isro’s troubled PSLV-C62 mission and sent data back to Earth, its maker said on Tuesday. Orbital Paradigm said its 25-kg Kestrel Initial Demonstrator, or “KID”, separated from the rocket and transmitted signals for over three minutes. The capsule was launched as a co-passenger on January 12. The main mission failed after a problem in the rocket’s third stage, likely losing the primary payloads. Isro has confirmed a deviation and is studying the data. Orbital Paradigm said the capsule recorded peak loads of about 28g and high heat during its unexpected re-entry, providing useful test results. (PC: India Today)

Isro’s PSLV-C62 mission failed on January 12 after a problem during the third stage of flight, leading to the loss of all 16 satellites. The PSLV-DL rocket lifted off from Sriharikota at 10:17 am and worked normally through the first two stages. After the third stage ignited, mission control lost telemetry and the vehicle could not reach its planned 505 km orbit. Isro chief V. Narayanan said a “disturbance in roll rates and a deviation in flight path” was noticed. The mission carried DRDO’s EOS-N1 satellite and 15 other payloads. A failure analysis probe has begun. 

ISRO launched PSLV-C62 mission Monday from Sriharikota, marking India's first 2026 space launch carrying EOS-N1 Earth observation satellite and 14 co-passenger satellites. However, the mission encountered a technical anomaly during the third stage (PS3), causing flight path deviation. ISRO Chairman V Narayanan confirmed analysis is underway. The 44.4-meter, 260-tonne vehicle using PSLV-DL configuration aimed to deploy satellites into Sun Synchronous Orbit 17 minutes post-launch. NewSpace India Limited executed this ninth dedicated commercial mission. The flight also demonstrated Spain's Kestrel Initial Technology Demonstrator re-entry capsule, scheduled for controlled South Pacific splashdown. PSLV has completed 63 prior successful flights, including record-setting 104-satellite launch in 2017. 

ISRO launches its PSLV-C62 mission today from Sriharikota at 10:17 AM IST, carrying 16 satellites into Sun-Synchronous Polar Orbit. The primary payload is DRDO's EOS-N1 (Anvesha), featuring advanced hyperspectral imaging for Earth observation. Revolutionary highlights include AayulSAT, India's first on-orbit refueling demonstrator, and MOI-1, India's inaugural orbital AI-image laboratory offering space computing at $2 per minute. MOI-1 houses MIRA, the world's lightest space telescope at 502 grams. The mission includes international payloads: Nepal's Munal CubeSat, Spain's atmospheric re-entry capsule, Indo-Mauritius satellite, Brazilian maritime rescue satellite, and an "Orbital Temple" storing 14,000 names. This launch marks ISRO's ambitious start to 2026. (PC: X)

India’s Dust EXperiment, or DEX, has recorded repeated strikes from tiny space dust near Earth orbit. The 3-kg device flew on ISRO’s PSLV-C58 XPoSat mission in January 2024 and worked at about 350 km altitude. It was built by the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad. From January 1 to February 9, the instrument logged clear signals from fast dust particles formed by comet tails and asteroid crashes. Some hits were seen about once every 17 minutes. Scientists say such particles can damage satellites over time. The data will help plan shielding for future missions. (PC: India Today)

A high school student in the United States has identified about 1.5 million new space objects using artificial intelligence and old Nasa data. Matteo Paz built a machine learning system to study records from the retired Neowise mission. His model reviewed around 200 billion infrared entries and flagged objects such as quasars and supernovas that were missed earlier. Paz worked with astrophysicist Davy Kirkpatrick through Caltech’s Planet Finder Academy. His findings were published in The Astronomical Journal and are now guiding future observations by the James Webb Space Telescope. Nasa chief Jared Isaacman praised the work and publicly invited Paz to apply for a job, adding a fighter jet ride as a personal offer. (PC: India Today)