NASA astronaut Mike Fincke ends 30-year career after four spaceflights
The veteran astronaut leaves behind a legacy of 549 days in space, nine spacewalks, and pivotal roles in both the Space Shuttle and Commercial Crew programs.
NASA astronaut Mike Fincke has departed the agency on Wednesday, concluding a 30-year tenure that saw him complete four spaceflights, spend 549 days in space, and conduct nine spacewalks. Fincke, who ranks fourth among NASA astronauts for accumulated time in space, most recently piloted the SpaceX Crew-11 mission and commanded Expedition 74 on the International Space Station.
His career has spanned multiple generations of human spaceflight hardware. Fincke first flew to space in 2004 aboard Soyuz TMA-4 for Expedition 9, where he served as a science officer and flight engineer. He returned to orbit in 2008 as commander of Expedition 18 aboard Soyuz TMA-13, preparing the station for its transition to six-person crews. In 2011, he flew on STS-134, the final mission of the Space Shuttle Endeavour, where he helped install the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer.
Fincke’s most recent mission, SpaceX Crew-11, launched in August 2025 and returned in January. During this flight, he served as a flight engineer for Expedition 73 and commander for Expedition 74. His total time spent on spacewalks amounts to 48 hours and 37 minutes.
Beyond his flight assignments, Fincke played a significant role in ground operations and spacecraft development. As chief of the Astronaut Office’s Commercial Crew Branch, he contributed to Boeing’s Crew Flight Test program and the development of next-generation crewed spacecraft. He also supported station operations from the ground as a capsule communicator and crew procedures team lead.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman praised Fincke’s contributions, noting that few individuals have shaped as many chapters of the agency’s history. Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche and Astronaut Office Chief Scott Tingle also highlighted his impact on crew safety, mentorship, and the continuity of space station assembly and operation.
Fincke, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with over 2,000 flight hours in more than 30 aircraft types, joined NASA’s 16th astronaut class in 1996. He holds degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and the University of Houston, Clear Lake.
