NASA astronaut says medical scare in space remains a mystery
abcnews.com • • science
Key Points:
- Astronaut Mike Fincke experienced a sudden, unexplained medical episode on the International Space Station on January 7, marking NASA’s first medical evacuation from the station earlier this year.
- The 20-minute incident involved Fincke losing the ability to speak without any pain, prompting immediate action from his crewmates and consultation with flight surgeons on the ground.
- Doctors have ruled out a heart attack and choking, but the cause remains unknown, with possible links to the effects of prolonged weightlessness during his 549 days in space.
- The episode led to the cancellation of a planned spacewalk and an early return to Earth for Fincke and three crewmates, who were hospitalized upon landing.
- Fincke has undergone extensive testing since returning and hopes to fly again, while NASA reviews other astronauts' medical records to identify similar incidents and ensure crew medical privacy.
