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Astronaut Mike Fincke said in a statement issued by NASA on Wednesday that he was the individual who experienced a medical issue that resulted in Crew-11’s early return from the International Space Station last month.
“On Jan. 7, while aboard the International Space Station, I experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates. Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized,” Fincke said in the statement.
“After further evaluation, NASA determined the safest course was an early return for Crew-11 — not an emergency, but a carefully coordinated plan to be able to take advantage of advanced medical imaging not available on the space station. On Jan. 15, we splashed down off the coast of San Diego after an amazing five-and-a-half-month mission,” he added.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke helped out of the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON after he, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
Fincke did not divulge the nature of the medical issue, but he said that he is doing well.
“I am deeply grateful to my fellow Expedition 74 members — Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov, Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikayev — as well as the entire NASA team, SpaceX, and the medical professionals at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla near San Diego. Their professionalism and dedication ensured a positive outcome,” he said.
ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT ISS FOR 8-MONTH MISSION AFTER MEDICAL EMERGENCY FORCED EARLY EVACUATION
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov onboard at Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A on Aug. 1, 2025 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)
“I’m doing very well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Spaceflight is an incredible privilege, and sometimes it reminds us just how human we are. Thank you all for your support,” the astronaut added.
NASA noted last month that its SpaceX Crew-11 mission returned to Earth around a month sooner than planned due to a medical issue with a crew member.
NASA MAKES ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ CALL TO BRING ASTRONAUTS HOME AFTER ILLNESS, EXPERT SAYS: ‘EVACUATED FROM ORBIT’
Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, left, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui are seen inside the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship SHANNON shortly after having landed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Long Beach, Calif., Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
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In addition to Fincke, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov were on board.
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