Astronaut Who Had 'Medical Event' on ISS Comes Forward

NASA's mystery patient from last month's sudden International Space Station return has stepped forward: It was Mike Fincke. The veteran astronaut confirmed Wednesday that he was the crew member who suffered a "medical event" that prompted NASA to end the four-person mission early and send Crew-11 back to Earth in mid-January, CNN reports. Their rapid departure, which left just three people aboard the orbiting lab, marked the first time NASA has cut short an ISS staffing mission over a health issue. Until now, the agency had declined to name the astronaut.

Fincke didn't disclose details of his condition but said in a written statement that he needed "immediate attention" from his crewmates and support from NASA flight surgeons. "My status quickly stabilized," he said, adding that NASA decided the safest move was to return home to use "advanced medical imaging not available on the space station." The ISS carries basic medical gear but nothing close to a full emergency department. NASA has only said the astronaut was stable during the trip back and hasn't clarified whether the situation was ever life-threatening.

The episode triggered a domino effect: A scheduled spacewalk was scrapped, the ride home was moved up, and NASA accelerated the launch of the next long-duration crew. That replacement team, Crew-12, arrived Feb. 14, restoring the usual seven-person complement needed to keep research and maintenance on schedule. Speaking at a Jan. 21 news conference, before he identified himself as the patient, Fincke said the incident was a test the team was ready for. "How we handled everything all the way through, from nominal operations to this unforeseen operation, really bodes well for future exploration," he said.

Fincke, a retired Air Force colonel, has been an astronaut since 1996, the AP reports. He has spent 549 days in space over four missions. "I'm doing very well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston," he said Wednesday. "Spaceflight is an incredible privilege, and sometimes it reminds us just how human we are."