Q. If you had the chance, how long would you want to stay in space? And how long would you be able to stay in space?
Astronaut Fincke working in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory (Courtesy of NASA)
Right now, for most Americans, the longest time has been a little over six months. I think we can stay for as long as a year aboard space stations without any ill effects on our body. We have some good exercise programs and equipment on the ISS, and we understand how to use them. So I think to send people into space for a year is possible. But we need to make sure that they have good support for their families back home, because it's not so easy for them, especially if there are little children. But with some support for families, one year is not a problem in space. And of course if I were given a chance, I would go back aboard the space station right away.
Q. What is the importance and purpose of trying to experience a longterm stay in space?
Astronauts Fincke and Magnus having Christmas cookies on December 25, 2008 (Courtesy of NASA)
For short-term stays, we know how to get to space and come back. We should maybe call that a visit. But a long-term stay means we live in space. We actually live there. And as we human beings expand our activity in space, we will be living on other planets, like the moon or Mars perhaps. We need to learn how to use the technology, and how people can stay up in space for a long time.
The space station has shown us that human beings can live in space, not just visit. And that we now have the technology to do it - such us our water recycling system, our solar power. We could actually live on the moon or on Mars because now we have the technology. And people know how to handle it, how to survive in space. This is very important.
Q. There is a lot of discussion in the United States about the future of your space program. Where do you think it's going?
Every country including United States needs to decide what kind of programs it will support. The space program is a very good investment in our future. It's a good investment for our children. It's a good investment in high technology. And it's also a good investment for the ideas of the United States, or Japan, or any country. Their traditions and culture will follow the people who go into space. So I fully hope that our country, the United States, sees the value of the space program and continues to invest in the future, even though we are in difficult economical times.
Q. What is your next goal?
Astronaut Fincke working in the U.S. Destiny Laboratory (Courtesy of NASA)
My first two missions were long-duration missions with launch aboard the Russian Spacecraft Soyuz. Now, my next assignment is to fly one time aboard the American space shuttle before it retires. So next year, on STS134, I will be a mission specialist and will fly for a visit to the space station. I am looking forward to the space shuttle flight - it will be my first time.
For the long term, I think my next plan is to support any programs that are going to take us away from low-Earth orbit and explore farther out. I fully believe that we human beings need to go to the moon and beyond. We need to get off our own planet and begin to live on another planet. This will be helpful on many different levels. As explorers, human beings are always expanding their horizons, and we need to continue to expand. The moon will offer us a great place for it, and it's is not so far away - only three days. So, it's not a problem. Hopefully the moon. I want to go to the moon.
NASA Astronaut
Colonel E. Michael (Mike) Fincke graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. This was followed by a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 1990 and then a second Master of Science in Physical Sciences (Planetary Geology) from the University of Houston, Clear Lake in 2001. Upon graduation from Stanford University in 1990, he entered the United States Air Force, where he served as a Flight Test Engineer. In 1996, he reported to the Gifu Test Center, Gifu Air Base, Japan, where he was the United States Flight Test Liaison to the Japanese/United States XF-2 fighter program. Colonel Fincke has over 825 flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft types.Col. Fincke was selected by NASA in 1996. He stayed on the International Space Station for six months in 2004 as part of ISS Expedition 9, and again for six months in 2008-09 as part of ISS Expedition 18, for which he was the commander. Col. Fincke is currently assigned to the crew of STS-134, a flight to the International Space Station. He is qualified to fly as a left-seat Flight Engineer (co-pilot) on the Russian Soyuz TM and TMA spacecraft.
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