NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke shares 'medical event' that prompted early return from ISS

Over one month after SpaceX's Crew-11 returned to Earth earlier than expected due to a medical situation, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke decided to share his experience. 

What we know:

NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were set to conduct spacewalk 94 on Jan. 8. 

During the spacewalk, Fincke and Cardman were tasked to exit the station's airlock to finish preparations for the 2A power channel for future installation of the International Space Station's Roll-Out Solar Arrays, NASA said on its website. They would also swab the outside of the ISS to test for microbes at five locations near the airlock door. 

This mission would have been Fincke's 10th spacewalk – tying him as the NASA astronaut with the most spacewalks with five other astronauts. 

However, it was during preparations for this spacewalk, that Fincke experienced a medical situation. 

Mike Fincke: Medical event required immediate attention

While aboard the International Space Station on Jan. 7, Fincke experienced a medical event that required immediate attention, Fincke said in a released statement. 

Fincke's condition quickly stabilized after immediate attention from the crew and the guidance from NASA flight surgeons. His situation wasn't emergent, but Fincke needed advanced medical imaging not available on the space station. NASA determined that it was the safest course to return early from the ISS. 

The astronaut is stable and does not need immediate transport to Earth, however, the ISS doesn't have the "complete hardware" an emergency department has to complete a workup of a patient, Dr. James Polk, chief health and medical officer at NASA, said during a Jan. 12 press conference. 

"The medical incident was sufficient enough that we were concerned about the astronaut that we would like to complete that work up. And, the best way to complete that workup is on the ground where we have a full suite of medical testing hardware," Polk said. "… We're erring on the side of caution." 

The crew touched down in San Diego, Calif. on Jan. 15 after a five-and-a-half month mission.

"I am deeply grateful to my fellow Expedition 74 members—Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov, Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikayev—as well as the entire NASA team, SpaceX, and the medical professionals at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla near San Diego," Fincke said in a statement. "Their professionalism and dedication ensured a positive outcome."

Watch: Press conference

During a Jan. 21 press conference after Crew-11 returned, Fincke discussed how portable ultrasound machines helped the crew during the medica situation. 

Crew-12 arrives on the ISS

Space X Crew-12 launched on to the ISS on Feb. 13. 

All four astronauts docked on the ISS on Feb. 14.