he goes “very well”. Back on European soil, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet spoke to the press on Tuesday, November 9, on the tarmac at Cologne airport (Germany), a few hours after his successful landing off Florida. “We get used to it very, very quickly”, he assured, while not saying himself ready to “run a 100 meters”.
Thomas Pesquet says he has “a little more enjoyed” of the re-entry phase into the atmosphere, thanks to “larger windows” of SpaceX’s capsule compared to the Soyuz capsule of its first mission. Braking was “strong” but the contact with the sea “a little softer” than landing in Kazakhstan in 2017.
What were his first striking sensations after his release from the Dragon capsule? The Frenchman spoke of “smells” : the crew members who came to pick up the astronauts “smelled super good of detergent and soap”, he stressed, “which also means that we may not have smelled very very good after six months in the resort”. He admitted that he was not “very stable” for his first steps and says he struggled to lift a phone, with “the impression of a rubber band that pulls everything down”.
The 40-year-old said he had “want a good shower”, a “experience” which promises to be “special” after more than six months in Spartan conditions. “Seeing all the water droplets falling in the same direction is going to be like in a science fiction movie”, he had fun.
“Not specially packaged” at the idea of finding a world still disturbed by the Covid-19, the astronaut recalled having lived “without a mask for six months” in the space. “We will get back to it”, he assured, mourning his dreams of “rediscover the world before” for his return to Earth.
And what plans for the future? The Norman hears “take a little time” for him after these two long cycles of missions devoted to the ISS since 2014. He has not denied his interest in a possible mission to the Moon. “We are explorers, convinced that it is useful for everyone”, he stressed. He promised to welcome his three companions from the Crew-2 mission to France: “We are united for life now.”