{"id":736,"date":"2026-05-26T19:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T19:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=736"},"modified":"2026-05-26T19:07:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T19:07:00","slug":"an-astronaut-suddenly-couldnt-speak-in-space-what-does-that-mean-for-future-missions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=736","title":{"rendered":"An astronaut suddenly couldn\u2019t speak in space. What does that mean for future missions?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<p>\n            Five months into his fourth International Space Station mission, veteran NASA astronaut Mike Fincke was having dinner the day before a routine spacewalk. Suddenly, he found himself unable to speak. The episode in January lasted just 20 minutes and while Fincke felt no pain, he became agitated.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=724\">The Justice Department wants to interview 2020 election workers<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cIt was completely out of the blue. It was just amazingly quick,\u201d Fincke recently told the Associated Press.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cMy crewmates definitely saw that I was in distress. It was all hands on deck within just a matter of seconds,\u201d he said.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Fincke\u2019s fellow astronauts and a series of emergency protocols kept him safe, but NASA still made an unprecedented move: The agency cut short the SpaceX Crew-11 mission, returning Fincke and three of his fellow astronauts to Earth a month early and leaving the station staffed by only three people. Now, this event might play a role in how future missions are designed.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Jared Isaacman, NASA\u2019s administrator, said in a post-splashdown news conference that the early return was due to a \u201cserious medical condition.\u201d He added that while astronauts receive extensive medical training, there are circumstances in which the option to come home is the best one, and that\u2019s why that possibility is built into the agency\u2019s flight plans.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThis is what we trained for. It\u2019s built in our planning. It was executed very well,\u201d Isaacman added. \u201cWe will capture any relevant lessons learned to inform preparations for subsequent missions.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            But as NASA pursues long duration missions farther into space, what if it\u2019s no longer as simple to just come back?\n    <\/p>\n<h2>\n        Health issues in space\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            SpaceX Crew-11 returned to Earth safely on January 15, eight days after the episode \u2014 meaning this wasn\u2019t an emergency evacuation, which would have unfolded in a matter of hours. Still, Fincke was the first in over 290 visitors to the ISS to return home early due to a health concern.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mike Fincke, second from the left in the top row, with the rest of the Expedition 74 crew aboard the ISS, a few weeks before he experienced a medical episode.\" class=\"wp-image-731\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/edfb8ef2cdf364090a6a0277b2b83694.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/edfb8ef2cdf364090a6a0277b2b83694.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/edfb8ef2cdf364090a6a0277b2b83694-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Mike Fincke, second from the left in the top row, with the rest of the Expedition 74 crew aboard the ISS, a few weeks before he experienced a medical episode.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>NASA<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            NASA hasn\u2019t revealed many details about the incident, which tracks with its usual approach of protecting astronaut privacy and keeping all medical matters confidential. Even when studies analyze specific aspects of astronauts\u2019 health, the research typically doesn\u2019t disclose identities. Fincke later revealed the early exit was due to concern for his health, without disclosing any formal diagnosis, though he told the Associated Press the symptoms were likely space-related.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            And while the response to his situation was unique, Fincke is far from the first person to experience a medical issue in space.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The strong forces and the weightlessness experienced during space travel have a variety of effects on the human body. NASA has been studying these effects for over 50 years and groups them into five key hazard areas:  radiation, isolation, distance, microgravity and hostile environments. These forces can cause ailments including bone and muscle loss, cardiovascular issues, immune dysfunction and vision impairment.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            One key process that weightlessness affects is blood flow. Away from Earth\u2019s gravity, blood and other body fluids are pushed up toward the head from the legs and torso, causing swelling in the upper body. In 2019, a study conducted on 11 healthy astronauts \u2014 nine unidentified men and two women with an average age of 46 \u2014 revealed that six of them suffered from stagnant or reverse blood flow, one experienced a blood clot and another a partial blood clot.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cThe environment of space can be disabling, and the strains of space can impact virtually every aspect of your body,\u201d said Dr. Farhan Asrar, an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Toronto. \u201cSpace affects your muscle mass, your bone health. We know that fluid shifts have been causing a lot of issues as well.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            He added that certain blood flow issues could also potentially lead to a temporary lapse of speech. \u201cThere is something known as a TIA, or Transient ischaemic attack, which is basically a brief episode of a neurological dysfunction, usually due to the blood flow to the brain being interrupted,\u201d Asrar said. \u201cIt tends to resolve by itself and not leave any kind of permanent damage.\u201d TIA symptoms can also include dizziness, confusion and loss of balance.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft shortly after it returned to Earth with Crew-11 astronauts Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov aboard.\" class=\"wp-image-732\" height=\"529\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/86139a295973208071b13fa3e8486c2d.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/86139a295973208071b13fa3e8486c2d.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/86139a295973208071b13fa3e8486c2d-300x207.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft shortly after it returned to Earth with Crew-11 astronauts Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov aboard.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>Bill Ingalls\/NASA<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            It\u2019s not clear, however, whether Fincke experienced any additional symptoms or if his condition had anything to do with blood flow. The crew used the space station\u2019s ultrasound machine to assess Fincke, likely with guidance from mission control.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cI think they probably looked to assess the overall function of the heart and perhaps some of the other structures,\u201d said Scott Parazynski, a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions who\u2019s also a physician. \u201cYou can assess whether or not there are any blockages or partial obstructions to the carotid arteries. That\u2019s what I would have done, had I been on board.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Fluid shifts are the cause of other types of conditions that astronauts often experience. One is SANS, or spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome. It manifests as swelling in the back of the eye and loss of visual acuity, and NASA estimates that about 70% of International Space Station astronauts have suffered from it. SANS was one of the subjects of study during the Polaris Dawn mission, a five-day private human spaceflight launched by SpaceX. Isaacman partially funded and served as commander of the mission before taking his NASA role.\n    <\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=720\">The best orthopedic shoes for foot pain, according to podiatrists<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\n            Spending more than six months in space comes with other potential health risks, including the weakening and loss of bone and atrophying muscles. Astronauts also experience blood volume loss, weakened immune systems and cardiovascular deconditioning, since floating takes little effort and the heart doesn\u2019t have to work as hard to pump blood.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cDeep space, it has its own set of challenges,\u201d Asrar said. \u201cWe\u2019re relatively new to exploring further distances in deep space, we\u2019re learning from Artemis II and kind of taking that further. But we know that the exposure to radiation is an issue \u2014 not just duration of exposure, but also the type of radiation which tends to be more penetrating in deep space.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Astronauts exposed to radiation \u2014 high energy particles and atoms traveling at the close to the speed of light \u2014 suffer an increased lifetime risk for cancer, central nervous system effects and degenerative diseases, according to NASA.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The early return of Crew-11 for medical reasons was the first in the history of the International Space Station.\" class=\"wp-image-733\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/15c78b03cc704f24daca403a58ee5f61.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/15c78b03cc704f24daca403a58ee5f61.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/15c78b03cc704f24daca403a58ee5f61-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>The early return of Crew-11 for medical reasons was the first in the history of the International Space Station.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>NASA<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\n        Planning for deep space emergencies\n<\/h2>\n<p>\n            NASA handled Fincke\u2019s medical emergency very professionally and in a measured way, according to Parazynski, who added that one of the advantages of the space station\u2019s close proximity to Earth is that a patient can be stabilized prior to committing them to a rather stressful return to Earth.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cSometimes it\u2019s better to evaluate the patient there, provide them whatever supportive care that they need, and then make your decision whether or not to bring the astronaut home.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            However, future deep space missions would carry an increased number of health challenges. \u201cThe ISS has the ability to be in almost 24-hour connection with Earth,\u201d Asrar said. \u201cSo if whatever training the astronauts have doesn\u2019t suffice, they can also get expertise from Earth. However, in deep space, we know communication delays can be an issue.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The Artemis II crew experienced a communications blackout of about 40 minutes as it transited behind the moon. Astronauts on potential future missions to Mars, once at their destination, would need to wait 20 minutes for any transmission to reach Earth, plus another 20 to receive an answer, due to the amount of time it takes for the signal to travel to Earth and back.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium_large\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A view of the moon from inside the Artemis II spacecraft.\" class=\"wp-image-734\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0460cbe627bf55b53f0b8f12fbeee45a.jpg\" width=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0460cbe627bf55b53f0b8f12fbeee45a.jpg 768w, https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0460cbe627bf55b53f0b8f12fbeee45a-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>A view of the moon from inside the Artemis II spacecraft.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>NASA<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            One way to manage the problem would be to include a doctor as a crew member, which wouldn\u2019t be too difficult since many astronauts are also physicians. The first American medical doctor to become an astronaut was Joseph Kerwin in 1973, and since then about three dozen NASA physicians have become astronauts. It\u2019s common in other countries, too: Four of the nine Canadians who have flown in space are physicians.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            There wasn\u2019t a medical doctor on board the ISS during Fincke\u2019s medical episode, but NASA administrator Isaacman said he doesn\u2019t believe things would have played out differently had that been the case. He did note, however, that when NASA embarks on missions to Mars, having medical professionals on board would be \u201cadditive.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            Crews may eventually be able to anticipate and plan for in-space health care, too. For example, NASA stowed \u201corgan chips\u201d on board Artemis II \u2014 bone marrow samples from the astronauts to assess the effects of deep-space conditions, including radiation, on human health. The insights gained from the experiment could lead to individualized treatments, such as personalized medical kits, that ease the way for the astronauts to embark on longer missions \u2014 perhaps deeper into the cosmos.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            The goal is to one day be able to send up organ chips for astronauts selected for deep space missions ahead of time, so crews can prepare for potential health concerns before they become an issue far from home, according to Lisa Carnell, director of NASA\u2019s Biological and Physical Sciences division.\n    <\/p>\n<div>\n<header>\n<span>\n      Related article\n    <\/span>\n<\/header>\n<section>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Expedition 35 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy complete a space walk on May 11, 2013 to inspect and replace a pump controller box on the International Space Station's far port truss.\" class=\"wp-image-735\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/7d2c13cd0956d09598551d857987ea37.jpg\" width=\"256\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<span>Expedition 35 Flight Engineer Chris Cassidy complete a space walk on May 11, 2013 to inspect and replace a pump controller box on the International Space Station&#8217;s far port truss.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<figcaption>NASA<\/figcaption>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>\n<span>Astronauts experienced reverse blood flow and blood clots on the space station, study says<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div>6  min read<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p>\n            \u201cWe like to say, \u2018Know before we go.\u2019 It\u2019s that simple,\u201d Carnell told CNN in a prior interview. \u201cLike, how do we know before we send them to ensure that we bring them back healthy and that they\u2019re as safe as can be? And this is such a simple \u2026 eloquent way to do that.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            According to Parazynski, even after 60 years of space missions there are still mysteries to be unpacked in terms of how the human body reacts to weightlessness and how to bring people back to their full health after a long duration spaceflight.\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n            \u201cGoing to space is a sort of accelerated aging process,\u201d he added. \u201cWhen we start to think about sending astronauts to the moon and Mars for long periods of time, how do we support them when they arrive there? And how do we bring them back safely to Earth\u2019s gravity after a year or more away from home? It\u2019s an exciting time in space medicine to start answering some of these questions.\u201d\n    <\/p>\n<p>\n    Sign up for CNN\u2019s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.\n<\/p><p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/relocationtimess.com\/?p=666\">Trump administration proposes having all federal workers sign NDAs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A health scare prompted the first ever early return from the International Space Station for a medical reason. Does it change the plan for deep space missions?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-science","category-space"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>An astronaut suddenly couldn\u2019t speak in space. 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