“Thanks to their quick response and the guidance of our NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilised”, wrote the astronaut.<\/p>\n
![\"Astronaut](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/skynews-mike-fincke-nasa-astronaut_7175587.jpg\")
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Image:
\n Astronaut Mike Fincke was helped out of a spacecraft after returning to Earth in January. Pic: Reuters<\/p>\n
NASA decided the safest course of action was to bring him and the other three members of Crew-11<\/a> back from the International Space Station so Mr Fincke could have advanced medical imaging, that was not available on the ISS.<\/p>\n “[It was] not an emergency but a carefully coordinated plan,” said Mr Fincke.<\/p>\n The crew, which also included fellow NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, splashed down on 15 January after spending five and a half months on the space station.<\/p>\n As well as thanking his crew, NASA and SpaceX’s team and his doctors, Mr Fincke said he is doing “very well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning” at NASA’s base in Houston.<\/p>\n More on International Space Station<\/p>\n “Spaceflight is an incredible privilege and sometimes it reminds us just how human we are,” he said.<\/p>\n After the crew returned to Earth in January, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said it was a “serious situation” in orbit but that the crew member in question had been safe and stable ever since.<\/p>\n Image: Read more science and tech news: Share<\/p>\n \n Moment new astronauts blast off to International Space Station\n <\/p>\n The evacuation left only three crew members on board the space station – one American and two Russians – and prompted NASA to pause space walks and reduce research output.<\/p>\n![\"Mike](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/skynews-nasa-space-station_7175531.jpg\")
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\n Mike Fincke at Johnson Space Center in Houston on 29 January. Pic: Josh Valcarcel\/NASA<\/p>\n
Sky News forms consortium to drive push for AI standards<\/a>
Meet the children who want a social media ban<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/skynews-iss-space-astronauts_7164137.jpg\")
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