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Astronaut's Emotional Return: 'Send Me Back!'
10 Oct
Summary
- French astronaut Sophie Adenot returned after 235 days in space.
- Adenot set a new record for longest uninterrupted orbital stay by a European.
- She described a difficult splashdown and intense recovery ahead.
French astronaut Sophie Adenot expressed a mix of profound emotions upon her return to Germany after an eight-month mission on the International Space Station. Having spent 235 days in space, Adenot has now set a new record for the longest uninterrupted orbital stay by any European astronaut.
Adenot described her experience as encompassing "all human emotions," highlighting the profound beauty of Earth seen from 400 km above, devoid of borders. However, her return was marked by visible physical weakness and the immediate need for an intensive three-week recovery program to combat the physiological effects of microgravity, including bone loss and muscle wasting.
Reflecting on her mission, Adenot called the splashdown in the Pacific Ocean "difficult" due to rough seas. In a moment of levity and profound attachment to her experience, she humorously told the recovery team, "Send me back to space, please!" During her time on the ISS, Adenot also made history as the first French female astronaut to conduct a spacewalk, completing three such excursions.
