Astronaut Mike Fincke reveals identity after ISS medical evacuation

The astronaut who faced a health issue in January while aboard the International Space Station (ISS)—an incident that prompted NASA to conduct the first medical evacuation in the station’s history—revealed his identity on Wednesday, saying he feels “very well,” according to a press release from the U.S. space agency, reported AFP, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

“I feel very well and am continuing standard post-flight rehabilitation procedures” in Houston, Texas, said 58-year-old American Mike Fincke in a brief statement.

NASA returned the Crew-11 mission team, which included Fincke, to Earth earlier than planned on January 15 after the medical issue arose. Until now, the agency had not disclosed the astronaut’s identity, only confirming that he was doing well.

Without detailing the health issue, Fincke confirmed that he was the astronaut involved in the evacuation decision.

“I faced a medical issue that required immediate attention from my extraordinary crewmates. Thanks to their quick response and NASA doctors’ guidance, my condition stabilized quickly,” he wrote.

Fincke emphasized that the return of him and his three fellow crew members—Zena Cardman (USA), Oleg Platonov (Russia), and Kimiya Yui (Japan)—was not an emergency evacuation. Rather, it was necessary for “advanced medical imaging” that “was not available onboard the station.”

The Crew-11 team spent about five months in space and had been scheduled to remain an additional month aboard the ISS.

The medical evacuation prompted NASA to advance the launch date of the Crew-12 mission to the ISS, which includes French astronaut Sophie Adenot from the European Space Agency (ESA). Crew-12 launched on February 13, and the four members arrived at the space station on February 14.