NASA astronaut Mike Fincke says his medical emergency triggered space station evacuation

WASHINGTON, DC: Mike Fincke has confirmed that he was the astronaut whose in-orbit medical emergency led to an early return from the International Space Station in January. The incident resulted in a rare evacuation scenario for the orbiting laboratory, drawing attention to how space agencies handle medical crises hundreds of miles above Earth.

In a February 25 statement shared by NASA, Fincke described the health scare and credited his crewmates and flight surgeons for stabilizing the situation before a carefully coordinated return plan was put in place.

Mike Fincke details in-orbit medical emergency aboard International Space Station

“On Jan. 7, while aboard the International Space Station, I experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates,” Fincke said. “Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized.”

According to the statement, further evaluation determined that the safest option was an early return for Crew-11. While not classified as a chaotic emergency evacuation, the decision was made to allow access to advanced diagnostic imaging unavailable on the station.

“On Jan. 15, we splashed down off the coast of San Diego after an amazing five-and-a-half-month mission,” Fincke said.

He expressed gratitude to fellow Expedition 74 crew members — Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov, Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikayev — as well as to NASA, SpaceX, and medical professionals at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla.

“Their professionalism and dedication ensured a positive outcome. I’m doing very well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston,” he added.

Spacewalk postponed as NASA reviewed Crew-11 return timeline

The medical event also led to operational changes aboard the station. A spacewalk scheduled for January 8 was postponed as NASA monitored the situation.

At the time, the agency confirmed it was addressing a medical concern involving a crew member but declined to release details, citing privacy. Officials stated the astronaut’s condition was stable and that updates would follow once plans were finalized.

NASA also noted it was coordinating with SpaceX and international partners to evaluate return options and review launch opportunities for the upcoming Crew-12 mission.

Fincke had been aboard the station since early August 2025. His disclosure now clarifies the circumstances behind the early return and highlights the contingency planning required to manage medical emergencies in orbit.