Astronaut Lost Speech in Space: First Emergency Evacuation Explained

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA astronaut Mike Fincke experienced a sudden and unexplained medical event while aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in January, resulting in the first-ever medical evacuation from the orbiting laboratory in its nearly 25-year history. Fincke, a veteran of four spaceflights, revealed Friday that doctors remain unable to determine the cause of the episode, during which he temporarily lost the ability to speak.

The incident occurred on January 7th, while Fincke was eating dinner after preparing for a scheduled spacewalk the following day. According to Fincke, the onset was remarkably swift. “It was completely out of the blue. It was just amazingly quick,” he told the Associated Press from Johnson Space Center in Houston. He experienced no pain but his crewmates immediately recognized the severity of the situation and contacted mission control.

Fincke and his three fellow astronauts were forced to cut their mission short by several weeks, returning to Earth on January 15th after 167 days in space. The emergency return, which involved a splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California, prompted a period of silence regarding the astronaut’s condition, maintained to protect his privacy. Fincke broke that silence last month to preempt speculation, stating that his condition had stabilized thanks to the rapid response of his crewmates and NASA flight surgeons.

While doctors have ruled out a heart attack and determined that Fincke was not choking, the underlying cause remains a mystery. Fincke, who has logged a total of 549 days in space, suggested the issue could be related to the physiological effects of prolonged weightlessness. He emphasized that he had never experienced anything similar before or since the incident.

The Dutch news outlet AD.nl reported that Fincke is fourth on the list of NASA astronauts with the most time spent in space. The 59-year-old astronaut, a retired Air Force colonel, described the event as feeling like “a extremely, very fast lightning bolt.” He stated he felt well again within 20 minutes and continues to feel well.

The medical evacuation prompted considerable attention, as it was the first of its kind in the ISS’s history, according to the Dutch news source NOS. The VRT news outlet reported that Fincke’s sudden loss of speech was the key factor driving the decision to bring him back to Earth. The Independent noted that doctors are still baffled by the illness. De Standaard likewise reported on Fincke’s account of the incident, highlighting the speed with which his speech was affected.

NASA has not released a detailed report on the incident, and the agency has not provided a timeline for determining the cause of Fincke’s illness. The investigation remains ongoing, and the agency has offered no public comment beyond acknowledging the event and confirming Fincke’s recovery.