A seasoned NASA astronaut experienced a sudden, temporary loss of speech while aboard the International Space Station (ISS), in an incident that experts are still trying to understand.
According to reports, four-time space traveler Mike Fincke encountered the issue on January 7 while preparing for a scheduled spacewalk following dinner. Without any pain or warning signs, he suddenly found himself unable to speak.
Fincke described the sensation as striking “like a flash of electricity,” lasting approximately 20 minutes before his speech fully returned. He confirmed that he had never experienced anything like this before or since.
Medical specialists noted that the episode did not appear to be linked to a heart attack or respiratory failure, as the astronaut reported no discomfort or shortness of breath at the time.
Experts are exploring whether the mysterious event may be related to prolonged exposure to microgravity. Fincke had been on the ISS for around five and a half months during this mission, and cumulatively has spent 549 days in space over his career.
The astronauts were returned to Earth a month ahead of schedule on January 15 via a SpaceX spacecraft, after which detailed medical examinations began. NASA continues to investigate the cause of this unusual medical episode.
