NASA sends 4 astronauts back to Earth in first medical evacuation

NASA conducted its first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station, sending four astronauts back to Earth after one crew member required medical care that couldn't be provided in space. The crew from the U.S., Russia, and Japan departed Wednesday for an early Thursday splashdown near San Diego, cutting their mission short by over a month. Officials declined to identify the affected astronaut or specify the health issue, emphasizing it wasn't an emergency but required proper ground-based medical evaluation.