EMF Aerospace
Edward Michael “Mike” Fincke is a veteran NASA astronaut, retired U.S. Air Force colonel, flight test professional, speaker, and aerospace leader with more than 549 days in space, nine spacewalks, and four spaceflights aboard Soyuz, the Space Shuttle, and SpaceX Dragon.
Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1996, Mike served as Science Officer and Flight Engineer on Expedition 9, Commander of Expedition 18, Mission Specialist on STS-134, and Pilot on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission. During Crew-11, he also served aboard Expeditions 73 and 74, including service as International Space Station Commander.
Mike brings deep operational experience across human spaceflight, international partnerships, crew systems, mission operations, safety, systems integration, flight test, and high-performance team leadership. His experience spans multiple generations of spacecraft and launch systems, from Soyuz and the Space Shuttle to commercial crew vehicles.
A graduate of MIT, Stanford University, and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, where he was the top graduate of his class, Mike has more than 2,000 flight hours in over 30 aircraft. Through EMF Aerospace LLC, he advises startups, aerospace companies, and mission-driven organizations on leadership, operational excellence, flight test, human spaceflight, safety, strategy, and the future of exploration.
Mike is also available for keynote speaking, executive talks, university presentations, corporate events, panels, and strategic conversations. His talks bring first-hand insight from spaceflight, leadership under pressure, international teamwork, innovation, exploration, and the optimistic future of humanity in space.