NASA astronaut Mike Finke, who experienced the agency’s first medical evacuation this year, remains uncertain about the cause of his sudden illness aboard the International Space Station. The episode occurred on January 7 while he was preparing for a spacewalk, unexpectedly leaving him unable to speak or remember any pain. Finke describes it as a distressing event that lasted about 20 minutes but reports feeling better afterward.
Doctors have ruled out heart issues, but the specific cause remains unknown, possibly related to his 549 days in microgravity. Following the incident, he underwent extensive medical tests and NASA is reviewing records of other astronauts for similar cases.
Finke, who has been healthy throughout his career, expressed regret about having to cancel what would have been his 10th spacewalk, which affected his teammates as well. Despite the setback, he remains hopeful about returning to space in the future.
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