Mike Fincke: 30 years of space exploration and his connection to the Euro Space Center
26/08/2026A story that begins in Belgium
This message from American astronaut Mike Fincke to the Euro Space Center did not come about entirely by chance. To understand the story behind it, we need to go back to 2022 and an unexpected encounter.
That year, Pierre-Emmanuel Paulis, a Space Instructor at the Euro Space Center, met Tarali Fincke, Mike Fincke's daughter, who was in Belgium at the time as part of a language exchange programme. A few months later, Tarali visited the Center during Space Week 2022, an event attended, among others, by Belgium's first astronaut, Dirk Frimout.
The story did not end there: she later completed an internship at the Euro Space Center and even gave a presentation about her unique experience of being the daughter of an astronaut.
Eventually, the connection crossed the Atlantic. During a trip to Houston, Pierre-Emmanuel visited NASA's Johnson Space Center, where this time he met… Mike Fincke himself.
In early August 2026, the story came back to where it had begun. Back in Belgium, Tarali visited the Euro Space Center once again and delivered a personal message from her father, just days before he concluded his 30-year career at NASA.
In his message, Mike Fincke encourages us to "keep reaching for the stars" and to "inspire the next generation". Words that naturally resonate with us: sharing a passion for science and space, introducing young people to careers in the space sector and, perhaps, inspiring new vocations are all part of our mission.
Having welcomed Tarali to the Euro Space Center and met Mike in Houston, there is now one chapter we would still like to write: welcoming Mike Fincke himself to the Center one day.
In the meantime, let's discover the remarkable career of this exceptional astronaut.
“Especially for the Euro Space Center!
Keep reaching for the stars!
Inspire the next generation and make planet Earth a better place.”
Who is Mike Fincke?
4 spaceflights, 549 days in space, 9 spacewalks and 2 commands of the International Space Station. The numbers alone give an idea of Mike Fincke's impressive career.
Born in Pittsburgh in 1967, Edward Michael "Mike" Fincke is an American engineer, pilot and astronaut. He joined NASA in 1996 as a member of the agency's 16th astronaut class.
Thirty years later, he ranks 4th among NASA astronauts for cumulative time spent in space, behind Peggy Whitson, Suni Williams and Don Pettit.
What also makes his career particularly remarkable is its longevity: between his first launch in 2004 and his final return to Earth in 2026, his career spans more than twenty years of evolution in human spaceflight.
From Soyuz to Crew Dragon: four missions, three decades of exploration
Between his first launch in 2004 and his final return to Earth in 2026, Mike Fincke experienced several generations of human spaceflight. Soyuz, Space Shuttle, Crew Dragon: four missions spanning more than twenty years of evolution in space exploration.
2004 — Expedition 9: first destination, the ISS
On 19 April 2004, Mike Fincke launched into space for the first time aboard Soyuz TMA-4. He joined the International Space Station for nearly six months as a flight engineer and NASA Science Officer.
It was already an intense first mission, during which he completed four spacewalks.
2008 — Expedition 18: ISS Commander
Four years later, Mike Fincke returned to the ISS aboard Soyuz TMA-13, this time with an additional responsibility: he took command of Expedition 18.
During his stay, the crew notably contributed to preparations that enabled the Station to permanently accommodate six people instead of three.
2011 — STS-134: Endeavour's final flight
In 2011, Mike Fincke switched spacecraft, flying aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-134, its 25th and final journey into space.
The mission notably delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) to the ISS, a major scientific instrument dedicated to studying cosmic rays. Fincke also completed three spacewalks.
After this mission, it would be 14 years before he returned to space.
2025 — Crew-11: return to space
On 1 August 2025, at the age of 58, Mike Fincke launched into space once again. This time, he served as pilot of Crew-11, aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon Endeavour.
He joined Expedition 73 before taking command of the International Space Station for the second time in his career during Expedition 74.
More than twenty years separate his first and last stays aboard the ISS. His career accompanied a profound transformation in human spaceflight: from Soyuz to Crew Dragon, via the Space Shuttle.
30 years at NASA: passing a generation of experience on to the next
On 19 August 2026, a new chapter came to a close. After 30 years at NASA, Mike Fincke left the US space agency.
Yet his legacy goes far beyond his 549 days in orbit. Throughout his career, he also contributed to the development of new generations of American spacecraft and qualified on several systems: Soyuz, Space Shuttle, Crew Dragon and Starliner.
His career alone tells part of the recent story of human spaceflight: from the Space Shuttle and the first permanent ISS crews to the commercial spacecraft that carry American astronauts today.
He also leaves behind a wealth of experience passed on to a new generation of astronauts, as NASA prepares for humanity's return to and around the Moon through the Artemis programme.
After contributing to the ISS adventure for three decades, Mike Fincke is gradually passing the torch to those who will write the next chapters of space exploration.
What if this story inspired the next astronaut?
Mike Fincke dedicated 30 years to exploring space, advancing science and passing on his experience to future generations.
At the Euro Space Center, that same desire to inspire future explorers comes to life every day. During a visit or a holiday camp, children and adults can discover the world of space exploration, experiment, take on challenges and step into the shoes of an astronaut.
For some, it's a first discovery; for others, the beginning of a true passion… and who knows, perhaps even the start of a future career!
From left to right: Mike Fincke, Pierre-Emmanuel Paulis and Tarali Fincke.
