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NASA astronaut Mike Fincke retirement

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2026-08-14 21:43 UTC → 2026-08-15 09:48 UTC · added ~~removed~~

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke has announced his retirement following a 30-year career and a significant medical emergency during the SpaceX Crew-11 mission. During his time on the International Space Station (ISS), Fincke experienced a sudden episode in which he lost the ability to speak for approximately 20 minutes. Although medical testing ruled out a stroke or heart attack, the incident resulted in the first medical evacuation from the ISS in its 25-year history. This emergency forced Fincke and three crewmates—Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, and Oleg Platonov—to return to Earth earlier than scheduled, leaving the station with a reduced crew. Fincke, who has spent 549 days in ~~space,~~ space and completed four space missions including nine spacewalks, is noted for being one of only 13 individuals to have launched on the Russian Soyuz, the Space Shuttle, and SpaceX’s Dragon. While NASA and medical researchers continue to investigate the cause of the episode, Fincke suggests the event is likely related to the space environment. He intends to transition into a mentoring role to assist future explorers and ~~engineers.~~ engineers as they prepare for missions to the Moon and Mars.

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