Astronaut Mike Fincke reveals it was his medical issue that led to unprecedented early mission end
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/25/science/nasa-astronaut-medical-issue-mike-fincke-iss?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=missions&utm_source=reddit
Astronaut Mike Fincke reveals it was his medical issue that led to unprecedented early mission end
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/25/science/nasa-astronaut-medical-issue-mike-fincke-iss?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=missions&utm_source=reddit
17 Comments
Apart from publicly naming himself, Fincke did not give details about his medical condition.
“I experienced a medical event that required immediate attention from my incredible crewmates,” Fincke said in a [statement](https://x.com/NASA/status/2026690961888161893/photo/1) on Wednesday. “Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilized.”
Whatever it is, I wish him speedy recovery
Was he pregnant? That was my guess.
It wasn’t unprecedented, unprecedented doesn’t mean something has not happened before, it means the rationale for something did not previously exist. NASA has had long established parameters and procedure for dealing with medical emergencies and a litany of evacuation scenarios on the ISS.
He’s had a long career in space and I’m glad he’s ok. But much like a pilot who ejects, I doubt he’ll visit space ever again.
Why are we saying he identified himself when the world seen him on TV being taken from the capsule in a gurney
When you got to go but can only go at home
Surprised no one else is saying this, but my guess for what it is? Something gross that they would be embarrassed about. Think incontinence, diarrhea, bed wetting, constipation, etc. Anything that would affect the public image of NASA/ISS/the astronauts, but is serious and random enough that they weren’t prepared to handle it onboard.
I highly doubt that someone as high-profile as an astronaut would feel the need to hide what happened if it was something like appendicitis, cancer, or something of scientific significance.
I’m sure a movie will eventually be made about it.
I would strongly suspect that we’ll eventually hear about exactly (or close to exactly) what happened. You don’t get to the point of being an astronaut without a pretty strong love of science, and since this is quite likely related to future science, he’ll want to share. I’m betting he just wants to have all the details, and at least most of the results, before he shares.
” . . . reveals it was his medical issue . . .”
I mean we kind of knew that already. Not newsworthy.
It was a deodorant stick stuck somewhere it shouldn’t be. It happens.
I bet his erection lasted for more than four hours.
Grok was out there baselessly telling everyone on Twitter it was Zena.
What could be the issue that they are not telling us what the problem is? My only guess is that it was some kind of mental health issue? Otherwise what would be the big deal about, “he had a small heart attack,” or “he broke is arm?”
Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I’ve seen in this thread:
|Fewer Letters|More Letters|
|——-|———|—|
|[DoD](/r/Space/comments/1relvoc/stub/o7dkha2 “Last usage”)|US Department of Defense|
|[F1](/r/Space/comments/1relvoc/stub/o7dl344 “Last usage”)|Rocketdyne-developed rocket engine used for Saturn V|
| |SpaceX Falcon 1 (obsolete small-lift vehicle)|
|[USAF](/r/Space/comments/1relvoc/stub/o7dn0jy “Last usage”)|United States Air Force|
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I would have liked it better if NASA would have exposed the general kind of medical issue without exposing the crew member. We now know a name but this is less than nothing, it’s just fluff. Sorry.
I’m absolutely not curious about WHO it was, I really don’t care. I’m curious about what kind of issue people may face up there and what would warrant an evacuation instead of sitting it out or treating it there. THESE are the things that are important to know and to deal with in the long run.