Mike Fincke, a NASA astronaut for over 30 years, is leaving his position at the agency. This news came months after Mike Fincke and his three co-workers were forced to end their journey prematurely due to a medical crisis aboard the International Space Station.
NASA announced in a press release that Fincke will be leaving the agency on Wednesday.
Fincke, who is departing NASA, said that he remains “deeply dedicated to the work” of exploration.
Fincke said, in a press release, “I’m deeply grateful to my crewmates and teams working on the ground. I am also thankful for our international partners as well as the families that make it possible.” Fincke joined the astronaut corps first in 1996. I am eager to pass on these lessons and prepare the next generation’s engineers, explorers and leaders. We will work together to return mankind to the Moon and to Mars. Together we’ll explore the moons, planets, and planets beyond Earth and reach the stars.
Fincke and NASA did not provide any details on what Fincke plans to do.
Fincke’s career spanned three decades. He flew four space missions, spent 549 orbital days — fourth among all NASA co-workers — and performed nine spacewalks.
His days spent in space were largely spent on the ISS, which is about as big as a football field. Fincke’s last visit to the orbital outpost attracted global attention after he was struck down by a mysterious illness, which caused him to lose the ability of speech for about 20 minutes.
NASA responded quickly to the ordeal. Fincke, along with his SpaceX Crew-11 colleagues — NASA astronaut Zena cardman, Kimiya yui from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Oleg platonov, a cosmonaut of Roscosmos, the Russian space agency and NASA’s partner, returned to Earth in mid-January. This was weeks sooner than anticipated.
This was the first time that NASA has ever had to cancel a staffing mission on the ISS due to health concerns. The space agency didn’t reveal which astronaut was ill or the specific issue at the time. This led to a lot of speculation.
Fincke was identified by NASA weeks after the incident. Normally, NASA doesn’t share medical emergency details or identify the astronauts involved in order to respect their privacy.
Fincke told AP that NASA researchers and Fincke are still trying to figure out the cause of this medical incident. Fincke says that he did not choke when he lost his ability to talk, but his crewmates were “definitely aware” of the situation and acted quickly. It was only a few seconds before all hands were on deck.
NASA said that during the crew’s return journey, the astronaut in question was stable. Fincke said in a statement released by NASA on February that they had decided the astronauts should return to Earth so as to benefit from “advanced imaging technology not available at the station”.
Although it lacks all of the equipment that is typical in an emergency room, there are still many medical tools available.
NASA’s unexpected medical issue triggered a series of rapid events. The agency canceled the planned spacewalk and scheduled the return of the entire group. It then rushed to launch the next mission of staffing to orbiting outpost.
Fincke’s departure and that of his Crew-11 colleagues left only three astronauts on the station for a short time.
Crew-12 is a group of four NASA astronauts who arrived on the station on 14 February. This brings the staffing level back to seven, the usual number NASA wants to maintain scientific experiments.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (AP) – President Donald Trump claimed Tuesday that he slipped off Air Force One during a recent trip to Turkey. The Secret Service and Military wanted him aboard a different plane due to a threat he said did not scare him.
Trump played down the unusual nature of his subterfuge, in which he stowed away in a catering container at the airport to sneak on another plane, while Air Force One flew in the air, basically as a decoy.
The risk he left behind for the White House staff and officials as well as the security, support and reporting personnel was also minimized.
After returning from an Ohio event, Trump said to reporters that he was forced to take a different flight.
I guess that there was some kind of threat. “I didn’t ask about it too much,” he replied. I get many threats.
Ses comments confirm a Washington Post report which stated that Trump was moved to a new plane after a NATO Summit last month because of an Iranian threat. It was kept secret until The Washington Post published its story.
Trump, who didn’t provide any details on the incident, said: “I believe that the plane I was flying in had a greater risk.” He said he was not scared by the incident.
Trump stated, “I’m not worried about anything. Whatever it is. “Whatever” is my answer. Whatever!”
Secret trips are often taken by presidents, but this is different
For safety, commanders-in-chief have kept their overseas travels secret for years. They also kept schedules and logistical details classified. The fact that Trump was kept in the dark about his whereabouts at the time, and even for a few weeks afterwards is considered unprecedented.
Garrett M. Graff is the author of Raven Rock, a book about the U.S. government’s secret plan to save itself while the rest of us die.
This was a secret I’m not sure we had ever heard before.
Trump, after hiding in a catering van and moving to another plane, stopped in Britain and sneaked aboard the plane without being detected. He even scoffed later when asked about possible danger.
“If I go, you go. “Right?” He told reporters at the time, ignoring the fact that the President would not have been on board if the aircraft had been shot down.
There are many details that remain unclear about the incident
At the time, the president’s departure from Turkey was a big deal because it involved boarding a Qatari-gifted luxury jet that did not have some of the older anti-missile systems and missile detection found in presidential jets.
Trump travelled in a small government plane from Turkey to United Kingdom. He then secretly boarded the fake jet and descended from it to climb aboard the Qatari aircraft.
The presidents regularly test the limits of their office by pushing their security advisors to travel to war zones in order for them and America’s leadership. This usually takes the form of secret trips, which are only announced once the president has been deemed safe.
The White House has not yet revealed the full details of what happened. Instead of revealing the incident to the public once it was no longer a risk, they have kept the information a secret.
Graff stated that the White House Press Corps is there to protect “the president and democracy”, as well as cover the story.
He said: “This demonstrates that the White House doesn’t really understand just how crucial this role is.”
Before, officials took great measures to ensure the safety of presidents on their covert travels.
A motorcade left the White House in 2023 at around 3:30 am on a sunday. President Joe Biden then boarded a modified Boeing 757, which is normally used to fly to small airports within the United States, to travel to Poland. Biden took a 10-hour train trip to Kyiv in secret to express his solidarity with Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
The White House press pool had expected a calm Sunday in Washington for Biden. Two journalists accompanied him to Ukraine and captured images, including Biden walking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump made a secret trip to Afghanistan for Thanksgiving in 2019. Officials kept a decoy aircraft and separate press group in Florida in order to keep the impression that Trump was at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump, along with another group of journalists, flew instead to Bagram U.S. Military Base, where he served turkeys to troops and gave a talk, as well as met Ashraf Gahani (then-President of Afghanistan), while reporters documented the event.
The news of President George W. Bush’s first visit to Iraq was only released when he was on his way home to the United States. In 2010, President Barack Obama made an impromptu nighttime trip to Afghanistan when he had planned to spend the weekend in Camp David.
The president’s misdirection is also a risky trip
Bill Clinton traveled secretly to Pakistan from India in 2000 to try to ease tensions around the Kashmir dispute. Clinton was seen talking to officials before a military aircraft that he seemed to be boarding. Clinton instead ducked behind the plane to get onto another aircraft nearby.
The two planes, along with a third aircraft painted in the baby blue of Air Force One took off to Islamabad.
Joe Lockhart was a White House Press Secretary for Clinton. He noted that the reporters were aware that the president would be on one plane, but not the specific one.
Lockhart posted on Facebook that “there was no attempt at hiding anything” and there were also no liars.
Bush visited an elementary school near Sarasota in Florida during the September 11th attacks of 2001. After all commercial flights were grounded, officials wanted him moved to an unknown location.
Bush and the full traveling White House press group flew from Florida to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. Officials reduced the number reporters and staff in the plane. Bush, the traveling press pool and his smaller group then flew from Florida to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana before returning to Washington.
Bush’s exact location was kept secret all day. The White House didn’t suggest the President was anywhere he wasn’t — like when Trump left Turkey.
Graff explained: “Imagine the many ways this situation could have turned out, and no one for some time would have known the exact status of President Obama or the person in charge of US government.” This is a very dangerous time for the entire world.

White House Correspondents’ Association asked the Trump administration to work with them on “a protocol to handle extraordinary security situations in future” after news leaks revealed his secret switch of planes last month.
Jacqui Henry, Fox News’ senior White House reporter and current president, spoke with Trump’s aides on the subject Tuesday, and conveyed concerns from the media about this subterfuge.
When Trump slipped into Turkey on a different military aircraft last month, the so-called press pool was not informed.
Unbeknownst to them, administration officials and media members flew in a dummy plane as part of a sophisticated ruse inspired by the Iranian threat.
The Washington Post exposed the trick in an article on Monday evening, which shocked the journalists who were flying with the flight of July 8.
Heinrich, a member of the association, wrote that the group immediately received concerns. These included “press safety,” the ability to keep an independent account of President Obama’s movements and the credibility and integrity of pooled reports.
Heinrich, in a memo sent to the members Tuesday night, wrote that they had “a candid and productive discussion” about these concerns.
Heinrich said that while the White House is yet to respond to many questions regarding the secret switch of planes, the White House credibility was on the line.
She wrote: “I emphasized WHCA’s recognition of the Secret Service as the primary protector of the President and the fact that real security threats may require exceptional measures. This includes situations where operational security restricts what information can be provided to reporters in the moment.” At the same time I argued strongly in favor of independent coverage by the press of the President and a historical account of his movements.
The Post interviewed anonymous sources a month after the incident to learn the truth.
Heinrich said that in a letter to Trump, she emphasized “that undermining the confidence of the pool reports has risks far beyond a single incident.” Uncertainty about the reliability of independent reporting in an environment that is already conspiratorial can be used by those who want to create confusion and undermine trust in journalism.
She said that the association would advocate for a new protocol which “recognizes Secret Service responsibility in responding to real threats, while protecting the press’ safety, maintaining independent coverage of President Obama, and providing an after-the-fact mechanism to rectify the record when needed.”
Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications, did not respond immediately to an inquiry about this meeting.

According to an official familiar with the plan, President Donald Trump left Turkey on a military plane last month in a complex plot designed to conceal his whereabouts amid fears about the security of the conflict with Iran.
The Washington Post reported the first details about the clandestine operations, including the use of a catering van to transport the president from Ankara, Turkey, to Royal Air Force, Mildenhall in Britain.
Officials in the United States confirmed that these facts were accurate. Trump again deplaned secretly the C-32 and then reboarded Air Force One to appear in front of the cameras. He then walked across the tarmac and onto the Qatari-donated newer jet.
Steven Cheung, the White House’s director of communications, did not contest the Post story when contacted for comment on Monday evening. The Post’s report was based on material examined by the Post and cited by a U.S. government official who is familiar with the operation, as well as another source with information about the President’s trip.
He said that the new Air Force One was a modern aircraft with the highest level of security, which ensures the safety and well-being of President Obama as well as his staff. As the president has stated recently, many of America’s enemies have their eyes on him. We use all tools at our disposal in order to combat these threats.
In July, he made a similar response when asked about why Trump chose to fly on an older Air Force One rather than the more modern one that Qatar donated between Ankara ad Mildenhall. He noted then that the “distraction” and the “misdirection”, were some of the instruments at the disposal of the government. This phrase was not included in the most recent statement.
Cheung stated in both of his statements: “The Air Force One aircraft is state-of the-art and has high-level safety protocols to ensure the safety for the President, as well as the staff.”
On Monday, the White House shared with the public a press release from the U.S. Air Force regarding the Air Force One, which Trump chose not to use as he left Turkey.
The Air Force stated that the aircraft was “safe, secure and fully equipped with all the latest technologies required to fulfill the mission of the president”.
A request from Monday evening for a comment was not responded to immediately by the Secret Service.
Senate Democrats are asking for a detailed briefing of what exactly happened.
The Senate must be informed immediately about any Iranian threats to President Obama, as well as the measures that were taken to remove him from Turkey. They should also know of any dangers posed to U.S. staff and to the Homeland.
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called Trump’s unannounced travels on Monday “absolutely terrifying.”
He said in an interview with CNN that a briefing for Congress was necessary because the issue is not only about the safety of President Obama. I want to know if any precautions have been taken for all the passengers of Air Force One. The plane was deemed too dangerous to allow the President to board. What precautions are being taken for staff members and journalists on the aircraft?
Trump said on July 8, that the former Air Force One would travel from Turkey to Britain “for the sake of old times.” The new Qatari plane, which was gifted to Britain by the Royal Air Force Mildenhall would also be brought to Britain separately so the troops could see it.
The old Air Force One was parked in Ankara that evening in full view of the TV cameras.
According to an old press report, as the mission progressed, the journalists, who normally travel with President Obama, were told to lower the window shades.
When Trump spoke to journalists on the Qatari plane that was gifted to him by the United States, the reporter asked Trump why the blinds had been closed. The reporter who asked the question thought this detail “weird”.
Trump stated, “You are probably on a risky flight due to the filthbags we must deal with.”
When asked at that time whether he knew of any credible threats against him by Iran, Trump replied that he “has a threat every time.”
“I’m No. “I’m No. “But if I leave, then you’ll also go,” Trump said to reporters. Maybe you’ll want to switch professions one day.
The president denied there was any security issue with the Air Force One that would have led him to change aircrafts in Turkey.
Before, the U.S. Government has sent decoys to cover up presidents’ whereabouts. However, their locations were revealed later to the public.
The White House claimed that, in the early hours following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, President George W. Bush had been transported to an undisclosed place. Later it was revealed that he’d been brought to a Nebraska military base. When Bill Clinton was in Pakistan the year prior, he descended a white unmarked plane which had been following Air Force One. In plain view, his exit revealed Clinton’s absence from the aircraft.
The broadcast press pool captured footage from the 8th of July showing an airport caterer pulling up next to Air Force One in Ankara after Trump had boarded, just moments before journalists and staff loaded that same aircraft.
About five minutes after Trump had boarded Air Force One, the catering truck drove away and toward C-32A. It was parked at the rear for about four minutes, before it pulled away.
Later that same day, a press release said that the flight between Ankara and Mildenhall was “uneventful.” It also stated that Trump did not visit the press room as he usually does. In Britain, the president deplaned from his jet. This meant he’d have to sneak aboard Air Force One at Mildenhall.
NBC News reported in the past that a decision made by Trump for security reasons led him to remove the Air Force One from Ankara a day following the end of the ceasefire agreement with Iran. NBC News reported in July that the Secret Service urged Trump not to use his old plane. This decision was taken in consultation with both the White House Military Office, and Defense Department. Sources said that the new Qatari plane did not come with all of the same security features as the previous one.
Trump announced a few days later that the plane, which was a gift from Qatar, would be “maxed-out” to receive upgrades. The $400 million Boeing was presented to Trump by the Qatari Government.

The Washington Post published a report on Monday that revealed President Donald Trump flew secretly out of the NATO summit held in Ankara last month on a different military aircraft, while White House gave the impression he was on Air Force One.
The Post reported that the assassination attempt against Trump by Iran was what prompted this operation. Journalists and White House employees were made to think they were traveling on the same flight as Trump as he returned to Washington after attending the NATO annual summit.
The Post quoted material that was reviewed by its newspaper, an American official who is familiar with the operation, and a third person who has knowledge about the President’s trip. The Associated Press did not confirm the report independently.
Trump flew to the summit on a red, white, and navy jet that Qatari had given him. He said that he was going to fly home in an older baby-blue Air Force One model before leaving Turkey.
At the time, the president said that the Air Force One was flown to eastern England to allow some U.S. soldiers based there to see the jet.
Trump climbed aboard the Air Force One jet, which was a jumbo-jet from the 1950s. He did this in front of cameras before the flight to Mildenhall Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom.
According to a report in the Post, Trump was shuttled secretly to a smaller aircraft — the Air Force C-32A – via ‘an airport catering truck, which is typically used for loading meals and supplies. Trump took that jet to Mildenhall.
The White House didn’t respond to direct questions regarding the Post article about a secret operation that was supposed to take Trump out of country in a third plane, or the elaborate trick to pretend he was flying on s baby-blue Air Force One to Mildenhall.
Steven Cheung, White House Communications Director, said that “as President Obama has recently stated, many of America’s enemies have their eyes on him. We use all the tools at our disposal in order to combat these threats.”
Secret Service officials declined to make any comments. Air Force, the agency that maintains executive travel aircraft fleet, directed questions to White House.
The safety of the plane gifted by Qatar has been questioned
The U.S. Military conducted large-scale strikes against Iran while Trump was in Turkey in response to its attacks on merchant ships in the area.
The New York Times reported and CBS News last month, that officials from the intelligence community had expressed concerns over a possible attack against the President or his aircraft. This prompted additional precautions as well as the decision to not use the recently inaugurated aircraft given to Trump by Qatar on Trump’s first trip back to the United States after Ankara.
After the Qatari aircraft was provided, there were questions raised about its security. Trump announced last month that the plane would be upgraded.
Cheung said on Monday that the plane, which Qatari gifted to Singapore, was “a high-tech aircraft with advanced security features that guarantee the safety of President Cheung and his staff.”
This new Post article on secretly placing Trump aboard a third plane and whisking him quietly out of the United States adds another layer on how serious U.S. officials took the threat to Trump in the war against Iran.
Paul Eckloff is a former Special Agent with the Secret Service. He said that such an unusual action could be either a reflection of intelligence which can lead to action or an excess caution due to the volatility in the area with wars in Iran, and Ukraine.
Eckloff, speaking to The Associated Press said: “I wouldn’t say it was unprecedented but I would call this an uncommon occurrence.”
The Post reported, to avoid being seen by people not involved in the operation Trump and his aides boarded an airport cater truck that was raised planeside with hydraulics, and placed at the door opposite Air Force One’s entry.
Before takeoff, the small group of journalists who believed they were travelling with Trump was advised to lower window shades.
News photographers caught images of Trump boarding Air Force One after arriving in Mildenhall. This suggests that he did not reboard the plane to avoid the journalists, who believed they were travelling with him.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal demanded a congressional inquiry.
He called the incident, “downright frightening,” and said that it was “unprecedented” on CNN.
Trump then boarded Air Force One to continue his journey to Washington.
In a conversation with journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump was directly asked if Iran had made any credible threats to Air Force One.
“Well, I’m always threatening.” Trump told the reporters, “I’m first on their list. You are second.” Trump told the reporters on their trip, “But, if I leave, so will you.”
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Reporting was contributed by AP journalists Josh Boak Aamer madhani Konstantin Toropin.