NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke Leaves NASA, Career Includes 4 Spaceflights

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke is retiring on Wednesday after three decades of service, concluding a career marked by four spaceflights, 549 days in orbit, and nine spacewalks supporting the International Space Station. Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Fincke’s contributions, noting his roles as pilot, engineer, astronaut, and mentor across multiple NASA programs, including Artemis preparations. His 48 hours and 37 minutes of spacewalk time rank fourth among NASA astronauts in cumulative spaceflight duration.

Fincke’s most recent mission was piloting NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 flight in August 2025, serving as flight engineer for Expedition 73 and commander of Expedition 74. He began his NASA career in 1996, first flying in 2004 aboard Soyuz TMA-4 during Expedition 9, where he maintained station systems and completed four spacewalks. Subsequent missions included commanding Expedition 18 in 2008 and flying on STS-134, the final flight of space shuttle Endeavour, delivering the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.

Fincke played a foundational role in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, bridging spacecraft development, flight testing, and mission operations. He contributed to early International Space Station module integration, worked with Boeing’s Crew Flight Test program, and supported station operations from the ground as a capcom and procedures team lead. His end-to-end experience provided critical insights into space station assembly and crewed missions.

Fincke, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with degrees from MIT, Stanford, and the University of Houston, expressed gratitude for his NASA career and commitment to future exploration. He highlighted his work alongside international partners and the importance of mentoring the next generation of engineers and explorers as NASA prepares for Moon and Mars missions.