Astronaut Mike Finke Discusses Early Return from ISS

Astronaut Mike Finke recently shared that he was the one who faced a medical issue, leading to Crew 11’s early return from the International Space Station (ISS) last month. This revelation came in a statement from NASA.

“On January 7, while on the ISS, I encountered a medical incident that required prompt attention from my incredible crew. Thanks to their swift action and the support from NASA’s flight surgeons, I was able to stabilize quickly,” Finke explained.

He went on to say that after additional evaluations, NASA decided that the safest option was to bring Crew 11 back earlier than planned. “This isn’t an emergency, but rather a well-thought-out decision that utilizes advanced medical imaging that isn’t accessible on the space station. On January 15, we safely splashed down off the coast of San Diego after an amazing five-and-a-half month mission,” he added.

While Finke did not disclose the specifics of his medical situation, he did express that he was feeling well now. “I am incredibly thankful to my fellow Expedition 74 members—Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov, along with Chris Williams, Sergei Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikayev—as well as the entire NASA team, SpaceX, and the medical staff at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. Their skill and commitment led to a positive outcome,” he remarked.

Finke noted that he is currently recovering at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. He reflected, “Spaceflight is an extraordinary opportunity that sometimes reminds us of our humanity. I appreciate all the support.”

Last month, NASA had highlighted that SpaceX’s Crew 11 mission returned to Earth about a month ahead of schedule due to health concerns among the crew.

In addition to Finke, the crew included NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.