Houston, we have a problem. NASA, in a rare move, is considering bringing U.S. astronauts home who are currently stationed at the International Space Station. The consideration by NASA comes as one of the astronauts at the ISS has a medical concern. NBC News provided more details on the medical concern that may end the space mission entirely: NASA is considering a rare early return of its crew from the International Space Station over an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts, after cancelling a planned spacewalk that had been scheduled for Thursday, the agency said. A NASA spokesperson said that the “medical situation” aboard the International Space Station “involved a single crew member who is stable.” In a statement, the spokesperson said that, “Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission.” The statement added: “These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely. We will provide further updates within the next 24 hours.” NASA said in an earlier statement it was “monitoring a medical concern with a crew member that arose Wednesday afternoon.” Astronauts typically live in six to eight-month rotations on the ISS, with access to basic medical equipment and medications for some types of emergencies. Reuters reported more: WATCH: NASA is considering a rare early return of its crew from the International Space Station over an unspecified medical issue involving one of the astronauts. NASA canceled a planned spacewalk scheduled for January 8, the agency said https://t.co/HCPTPzk4Qk pic.twitter.com/j2d7hxIA5L — Reuters Science News (@ReutersScience) January 8, 2026 The Guardian reported that before the end of his second term, President Trump hopes to send U.S. astronauts to the moon: With astronauts set to fly around the moon for the first time in more than half a century when Artemis 2 makes its long-awaited ascent some time this spring, 2026 was already destined to become a standout year in space. It is also likely to be one of the most pivotal, with new leadership at Nasa in billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman, and the tycoon-led private space industry assuming more than a mere supporting role to help win for the US its race with China back to the lunar surface. Combined with Donald Trump’s pre-holiday directive for “American space superiority”, which includes planting the stars and stripes on the moon before the end of his second term, it marks the beginning of potentially the most consequential period in human spaceflight in more than a generation. “This past year was actually a sense of defining, at least a turning point, for the Artemis program, firmly placing it as a priority and framing it explicitly as a race against China,” said Casey Dreier, director of space policy at the Planetary Society. “Now it’s about execution, and I think it’s going to see whether Jared Isaacman is going to be able to bring a certain kind of different approach and actually see results rapidly.” The December confirmation of Isaacman, a friend and ally of SpaceX chief Elon Musk, as the US space agency’s next administrator was almost a finishing touch to the Trump administration’s long-stated policy of landing Americans on the moon before China, which is looking to get there in 2030 through its Chang’e project. After a faltering nomination process that began more than a year previously, Isaacman was quickly on message in a post to X last week declaring: “Our number one priority: American leadership in the high ground of space.”