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American astronaut Mike Fincke announced his retirement on Wednesday after an impressive 30-year career with NASA, during which he spent a total of 549 days in space-ranking him fourth among NASA astronauts for time spent off-planet.
Fincke, 59, began his journey with NASA in 1996 and made his first spaceflight in 2004. Over the years, he completed four missions and conducted nine spacewalks totaling nearly 49 hours, all in support of the International Space Station (ISS).
“After exactly 30 years, I am departing NASA, but I remain deeply committed to the work of exploration,” Fincke said in a statement. “NASA gave me the extraordinary privilege of serving alongside remarkable people, flying and helping develop spacecraft, and contributing to the ISS from its earliest days through command in orbit.”
A native of Emsworth, Pennsylvania, Fincke played a key role not only as an astronaut but also in spacecraft development, flight testing, and mission operations. He was instrumental in testing and integrating some of the ISS’s initial modules before they launched. His flight experience covered multiple generations of space vehicles, including serving as a mission specialist and robotic arm operator on STS-134, the final mission of the space shuttle Endeavour.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Fincke’s contributions, stating, “Few people have had the opportunity to shape as many chapters of NASA’s history as Mike Fincke. Over a remarkable career, Mike served our nation as a pilot, engineer, astronaut, and mentor. From long-duration missions aboard the ISS to helping prepare the Artemis generation, his contributions have helped position NASA for what comes next.”
Fincke’s retirement follows an incident earlier this year when he experienced a medical event aboard the ISS, prompting an early return of Crew-11 to Earth in January. While he has not disclosed specific details, Fincke noted that he required advanced medical imaging unavailable on the station.
“Mike Fincke was one of the OG station guys,” said retired astronaut Scott Kelly, a former colleague. “He was there for the whole thing.
Extraordinary career. I salute you!”
With his departure, NASA bids farewell to a pioneer who played a vital role in shaping human spaceflight over the past three decades.