NASA's Mike Fincke identifies himself as the ailing astronaut who prompted space station evacuation
ABC7 Los Angeles • • science
Key Points:
- NASA astronaut Mike Fincke revealed he was the crew member whose medical condition led to the agency's first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station last month.
- Fincke, 58, did not disclose the specifics of his condition but confirmed it stabilized quickly with the help of his crewmates and ground-based flight surgeons.
- The medical event forced an early end to their mission and the cancellation of a planned spacewalk; the crew returned to Earth on January 15 and were hospitalized briefly in San Diego.
- Fincke emphasized that while the situation was not an emergency, advanced medical imaging was needed, highlighting the usefulness of the space station's ultrasound equipment during the incident.
- A retired Air Force colonel and veteran astronaut
