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Astronaut Mike Fincke revealed through a NASA statement on Wednesday that he was the crew member who encountered a health concern, prompting the premature return of Crew-11 from the International Space Station last month.
“On January 7, while aboard the International Space Station, I faced a medical situation that demanded immediate attention from my exceptional crewmates. Thanks to their swift actions and the support of NASA’s flight surgeons, my condition was quickly brought under control,” Fincke shared in his statement.
He further explained, “Following a thorough assessment, NASA decided that the most prudent action was an early return for Crew-11—not due to an emergency, but to access advanced medical imaging unavailable on the station. On January 15, we safely landed off the San Diego coast after an incredible five-and-a-half-month mission.”
Mike Fincke is assisted out of the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft after he and his fellow astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, California, on January 15, 2026. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
While Fincke did not disclose specific details about the medical issue, he assured everyone that he is currently in good health.
“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.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission launches from the Kennedy Space Center 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.
From left, Russia’s Oleg Platonov, NASA’s Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and Kimiya Yui of Japan onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Shannon shortly after landing in the Pacific off the coast of Long Beach, California, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
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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