Nasa's mike fincke struggles with mysterious speech loss in space

Astronaut Mike Fincke faced a baffling medical emergency during his recent stint on the International Space Station, losing the ability to speak for 20 minutes.

Fincke's mysterious malady spurred early return to earth

The incident occurred on January 7, during a dinner aboard the ISS. Fincke suddenly found himself unable to articulate words, prompting his crewmates to quickly spring into action. Despite their efforts, Fincke himself remained unaware of his condition, experiencing no pain or discomfort.

A thorough investigation was subsequently conducted, with NASA determining that Fincke's condition could not be accurately diagnosed in space. As a precaution, the agency opted to bring Crew-11 back to Earth ahead of schedule, rather than risk any potential complications.

Fincke has since spoken publicly about the experience, expressing gratitude to his fellow astronauts and medical teams for their swift response. He also acknowledged that the incident has sparked a deeper examination of his own medical history, including the 549 days he's spent in weightless conditions throughout his career.

While initial tests have yielded no conclusive results, NASA is continuing to scrutinize the medical records of all astronauts, searching for any potential links to Fincke's mysterious speech loss.

Fincke's early return from the ISS also forced the cancellation of a scheduled spacewalk he was set to undertake with crewmate Zena Cardman. The duo had been preparing to install a new solar array on the station's exterior, a crucial task that ultimately fell to other crew members.