NASA astronaut reveals he was the one who had a medical issue that led to crew's early return to Earth

Astronaut Mike Fincke said successful a connection issued by NASA connected Wednesday that helium was the idiosyncratic who experienced a aesculapian contented that resulted successful Crew-11's aboriginal instrumentality from the International Space Station past month.

"On Jan. 7, portion aboard the International Space Station, I experienced a aesculapian lawsuit that required contiguous attraction from my unthinkable crewmates. Thanks to their speedy effect and the guidance of our NASA formation surgeons, my presumption rapidly stabilized," Fincke said successful the statement.

"After further evaluation, NASA determined the safest people was an aboriginal instrumentality for Crew-11 — not an emergency, but a cautiously coordinated program to beryllium capable to instrumentality vantage of precocious aesculapian imaging not disposable connected the abstraction station. On Jan. 15, we splashed down disconnected the seashore of San Diego aft an astonishing five-and-a-half-month mission," helium added.

Mike Fincke is helped retired of the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft aft helium and his chap unit members landed successful the Pacific Ocean disconnected the seashore of San Diego, California, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Fincke did not divulge the quality of the aesculapian issue, but said helium is doing well.

"I americium profoundly grateful to my chap Expedition 74 members — Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov, Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikayev — arsenic good arsenic the full NASA team, SpaceX, and the aesculapian professionals astatine Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla adjacent San Diego. Their professionalism and dedication ensured a affirmative outcome," helium said.

ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT ISS FOR 8-MONTH MISSION AFTER MEDICAL EMERGENCY FORCED EARLY EVACUATION

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 ngo launches from the Kennedy Space Center connected Aug. 1, 2025 successful Cape Canaveral, Florida. (Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)

"I’m doing precise good and continuing modular post-flight reconditioning astatine NASA’s Johnson Space Center successful Houston. Spaceflight is an unthinkable privilege, and sometimes it reminds america conscionable however quality we are. Thank you each for your support," the astronaut added.

NASA noted past period that its SpaceX Crew-11 ngo returned to Earth astir a period sooner than planned owed to a aesculapian contented with a unit member.

NASA MAKES ‘UNPRECEDENTED’ CALL TO BRING ASTRONAUTS HOME AFTER ILLfrNESS, EXPERT SAYS: ‘EVACUATED FROM ORBIT’

From left, Russia's Oleg Platonov, NASA's Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and Kimiya Yui of Japan onboard the SpaceX betterment vessel Shannon soon aft landing successful the Pacific disconnected the seashore of Long Beach, California, Jan. 15, 2026. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

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In summation to Fincke, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kimiya Yui and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov were connected board.

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