Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Peggy Whitson

Pictures: After 9 months in space, record-breaking astronaut returns to Earth

Peggy and two of her colleagues landed in Kazakhstan this morning.

Space Record Whitson Engineer Peggy Whitson, left, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos, centre, and Flight Engineer Jack Fischer of NASA. Bill Ingalls via PA Images Bill Ingalls via PA Images

A RECORD-SHATTERING NASA astronaut touched down to Earth today, finishing a 288-day mission that makes her the American who has spent the most cumulative amount of time in space.

Peggy Whitson, 57, is also the oldest female astronaut in the history of space exploration, was the first female International Space Station commander, and holds the record for number of spacewalks (10) by a woman.

Kazakhstan Russia Space A Russian Soyuz MS-04 space capsule descends beneath a parachute. Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images

The biochemist completed a mission at the International Space Station that began in November 2016, covering 196.7 million kilometres and 4,623 orbits of Earth.

She and crewmates Jack Fischer of NASA and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russian space agency Roscosmos landed in Kazakhstan at 7.31am local time Sunday (2.21am Irish time) in a Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft.

Whitson has racked up 665 days in space in her career, more than any other American astronaut. She is eighth on the all-time space endurance list, NASA said.

Kazakhstan Russia Space Ground personnel carry U.S. astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson after landing in Kazakhstan. Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images

Her colleague Jack “2Fish” Fischer, 43, went into space as a rookie but has won over space-watchers with his boundless enthusiasm during his four-and-a-half months aboard the ISS.

He likened the feeling of his spacewalk with Whitson in May – the 200th ISS spacewalk – to a “ginormous fondue pot, bubbling over with piping hot awesomesauce”.

“Heading home soon… I hope I infected a few of you with my passion for space. Never stop learning and growing. I dare you to dream!” he tweeted on Friday.

Kazakhstan Russia Space The landing. Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images

NASA footage showed Whitson brought out last from the capsule before being seated and handed flowers by a member of the crew at the landing site.

Space veteran

After earning a doctorate in biochemistry in 1985, Whitson worked as a NASA scientist for seven years before starting as an astronaut in 1997.

On this most recent mission, Whitson conducted experiments with human stem cells, blood samples and grew several crops of Chinese cabbage, according to posts on her Facebook page.

Kazakhstan Russia Space US astronaut Peggy Annette Whitson smiles upon landing. Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images

“The best part, was that after we harvested for the science, we got to eat the rest!” she said of her greens.

In an interview before departing the space station, Whitson said she was looking forward to flush toilets (“Trust me, you don’t want to know the details”) and pizza.

But, “I will miss seeing the enchantingly peaceful limb of our Earth from this vantage point. Until the end of my days, my eyes will search the horizon to see that curve,” she said, according to a transcript of the interview posted on the NASA website.

Kazakhstan Russia Space Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images

She noted that she’s not totally comfortable with the attention she receives for her various records and her status as a role model.

“I honestly do think that it is critical that we are continuously breaking records, because that represents us moving forward in exploration,” Whitson said.

The scientist also has a silly side. To celebrate the 4th July holiday, she posted photos and a video of herself and Fischer wearing loud red, white and blue outfits, striking poses in zero gravity.

Kazakhstan Russia Space Ground personnel help US astronaut Jack Fischer after landing. Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images Sergei Ilnitsky via PA Images

“I am not sure what the future holds for me personally, but I envision myself continuing to work on spaceflight programs. My desire to contribute to the spaceflight team as we move forward in our exploration of space has only increased over the years,” she said of her plans.

The astronauts’ return comes as the Texas city of Houston, home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, has been struggling to get back to normalcy after a week of deadly flooding triggered by Hurricane Harvey.

“As a result of the impacts of Hurricane Harvey, NASA is reviewing return plans to Houston of Whitson, Fischer and the science samples landing in the Soyuz spacecraft,” the space agency said.

© AFP 2017

Read: North Korea says it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb

Your Voice
Readers Comments
7
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

    Leave a commentcancel