NASA astronaut breaks silence on medical emergency that prompted ISS evacuation
Only a skeleton staff of three crew members remains aboard the ISS
February 26, 2026
A NASA astronaut, who suffered the medical issue, prompting the space agency to launch the first-ever historical medical evacuation of astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has spoken publicly for the first time since returning to Earth.
Veteran astronaut Mick Fincke confirmed that he was the astronaut who experienced the medical emergency on January 7.
He added, “Thanks to the quick response of my incredible crew mates and the guidance of NASA flight surgeons, my status quickly stabilised.”
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), on Wednesday, the U.S. space agency quoted Fincke as saying, “I am doing well and continuing standard post-flight reconditioning at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.”
Neither Fincke nor NASA shared details about the medical issue.
Earlier, NASA evacuated four astronauts, including Mick Fincke, Zena Cardman, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov, in the first medical evacuation mission in mid-January.
The crew splashed down off the coast of San Diego on January 15, 2026, after a five-and-a-half month mission. Only a skeleton staff of three crew members remains aboard the ISS.
The space agency has a longstanding policy of withholding personal medical information about its astronauts. NASA said it released the statement at Fincke’s request, in line with its policy of protecting astronauts’ medical privacy.
