NASA Astronaut Confirms Medical Evacuation Incident

On Wednesday, Mike Finke, a NASA astronaut, shared that he was the crew member who became ill, leading to the agency’s first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station.

The 58-year-old veteran disclosed that he faced health issues last month, but didn’t specify the nature of his condition. He noted that his health was quickly stabilized with assistance from ground personnel and flight medics.

Finke reassured everyone that he is doing well now.

“Spaceflight is an incredible privilege and sometimes reminds us of how human we are,” he remarked in a statement.

He had launched into space alongside three other astronauts during a SpaceX mission last summer.

The mission concluded earlier than planned on January 15, following an incident where he experienced a “medical event requiring immediate attention” from a fellow astronaut.

Additionally, health issues led to the cancellation of a scheduled spacewalk that involved Finke and another NASA astronaut.

After splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, all four crew members were transported to a hospital in San Diego, returning to Houston the following day.

While the identity of the sick astronaut was not disclosed initially, Finke confirmed at a press briefing a week post-return that the space station’s ultrasound equipment proved useful during the medical situation.

He mentioned on Wednesday that although his case was not critical, it highlighted the need for advanced medical imaging, which isn’t accessible on the space station.

A former Air Force colonel, Finke became an astronaut in 1996 and has a total of 549 days in space across four missions.