After 199 days in orbit more than 400 km around the Earth, the French astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) appeared smiling and “great physical shape“, during a press conference broadcast from Cologne and reported by theAFP.
There he will undergo a battery of examinations and a rehabilitation program at the European Astronaut Center. Thomas Pesquet’s second stay aboard the station will have him “learned a lot“, with his first experience as a captain. He had to face a “emergency situation“ last October 15, with accidental loss of control of the orientation of the vessel, caused by the inadvertent ignition of a propellant of the Russian spacecraft Soyuz MS-18, moored to the ISS.
It took “respond quickly, which is what we practice, but in real life, with the station spinning in the sky, and it’s not the same lemonade“, said the astronaut, who then took charge of”distribute roles“. This incident has”almost been lucky, because it’s such a rewarding experience“, commented the 43-year-old astronaut.”I had the full experience, I learned a lot“, he continued, congratulating himself on his luck to have made four extra-vehicular outings of which he was the actor and the leader.
This second stay on the ISS confirmed Thomas Pesquet in his vision of the crew as “a small space family“. And whose good understanding is essential in the perspective of even longer missions, such as a future trip to Mars.
Besides the “psychological profile“astronauts and contacts with relatives, Thomas Pesquet believes that”the key is to keep people busy“, to avoid thoughts that might”damage morale a little“Because after all, “the space station, if we have nothing to do, it’s a bit like a prison with a great view, and some fun stuff like floating“.
This observatory, where he was already standing more than four years ago during his first mission, also allowed him to observe the negative consequences of human activity, such as pollution. But he says he saw this time “many more extreme weather events“, such as storms and fires.
Now the astronaut will undergo an intensive recovery program. He considers himself to be 80% of his capacity today and he is counting on “six months to 100% recover“.
In the meantime, he finds some simple pleasures. His colleagues had told him about this “funny experience“from the shower on the way back. Unlike those, in the resort, where”the droplets go all over the place“, He had “the impression of a supernatural experience“, with “these drops and this water flowing in the same direction“.
With a question about his dreams to come. Because on the station, “we dream in weightlessness, with somewhat bizarre scenarios but with the rules of the physical environment … by floating“. He expects to return to Earth in the land of dreams within a few days.
He must also be delighted to find his partner, Anne Mottet, who had made the trip from Rome where she works to welcome her man.