NPR’s Ari Shapiro talks with NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, who holds the U.S. report for longest area flight, about his unexpectedly lengthy keep aboard the Worldwide House Station.
ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio holds the report for the longest U.S. area flight, however he wasn’t making an attempt to earn that title. In September 2022, Rubio was deployed to the Worldwide House Station together with two Russian cosmonauts. It was presupposed to be a six-month mission, however their unique journey sprung a coolant leak whereas docked to the station. That 180-day mission became a 371-day keep.
Rubio returned to Earth in September 2023, and he is on the road with us now. Welcome again to Earth. Is it too late for me to say that?
FRANK RUBIO: Hey, Ari. Thanks a lot. It is nice to be with you. And, no, it is at all times – feels nice to be welcomed again.
SHAPIRO: You realize, while you go to area, there’s a entire group ensuring every part goes proper, checks and re-checks and backup plans. However nonetheless, issues occur. So how did you’re feeling while you came upon that you’d be in area six months longer than you had anticipated?
RUBIO: You realize, it was initially form of difficult. However once more, we had been very, very assured of the truth that the group was going to handle us. And finally, they got here to the conclusion that the most secure path ahead was to ship a brand new spacecraft up. You realize, it was difficult since you knew you would be away from your loved ones longer than anticipated, however you additionally knew that they had been making the suitable resolution as for our security. And in order that clearly made it slightly bit extra palatable. And backside line is we’re all mission centered. And we knew that is what wanted to occur to make the mission occur. And so as soon as you bought over the preliminary shock and shock, you simply form of centered on making the very best of it and ensuring that the mission was completed.
SHAPIRO: For many of us, a mechanical problem means we now have to – I do not know – keep house from work for the plumber for a day or one thing like that. This appears like a extremely massive deal. In that second while you came upon what was occurring, had been you scared? Like, can you are taking us into the way it felt on that day?
RUBIO: Yeah. You realize, nicely, so initially, there was no imminent sense of hazard since you do take that spacecraft as much as the area station. However when you dock, primarily the area station itself turns into your security car. However you do at all times should have a strategy to get house in case one thing goes mistaken. And so your spacecraft, whether or not or not it’s a Soyuz or a Dragon, primarily is parked on station in order that if something had been to occur, you’ll be able to shortly get in and get your self safely again house.
And so for the month or two that the broken Soyuz was up there, we knew that we had been primarily with out a utterly protected car. However on the similar time, , the station has been working for 23 years, and a security car’s by no means been obligatory previously. And so although you had that at the back of your thoughts, there was no imminent sense of hazard. And finally, the truth that the group was in a position to say, hey, we’ll launch a whole new spacecraft to come back get you was a reasonably large deal as a result of that is not a cheap endeavor.
SHAPIRO: Proper.
RUBIO: And so we felt grateful for the truth that they had been prepared to try this. And, yeah, finally, it labored out nicely.
SHAPIRO: What did you miss most about life on Earth?
RUBIO: Effectively, my household for positive. After which, , I really like the outside. And in order that was really actually difficult as a result of the area station is nice, however it is vitally small. And it is a very enclosed area. You realize, we are saying it is in regards to the measurement of a two- to three-bedroom home, however actually it is a two- to three-bedroom home composed totally of hallways, proper?
SHAPIRO: (Laughter) Proper.
RUBIO: And so there isn’t any massive room that you could go and simply get pleasure from slightly little bit of area. And, , our crew quarters, which is basically the one privateness you will have, is in regards to the measurement of a small telephone sales space. And so, yeah, you do have to only be disciplined about the truth that – to not concentrate on the truth that it is so enclosed. After which the remaining, , once more, it is actually such a extremely distinctive expertise that you do not actually concentrate on the truth that you are in outer area, that you just’re touring at 17,000 miles per hour, , the truth that the partitions are lower than a half-centimeter thick, all these issues. Though if you concentrate on them, they might appear actually harmful. I believe all of us simply settle for that that is the place the place we’re working and that it is, , labored nicely for 23 years.
SHAPIRO: What was it like coming house?
RUBIO: It was implausible. Yeah. And it was truthfully – considered one of my favourite experiences was simply the entire technique of de-orbiting and appreciating the engineering and the science that goes into ensuring that that occurs safely each single time a crew comes house is fairly particular, proper? All of it has to work completely proper each single time and it has so far. And so primarily changing into a meteorite your self as you are reentering the Earth is fairly unbelievable.
SHAPIRO: And, I imply, there have been so many, like, first time in months that you’ve fill within the clean. Is there one which particularly stands out?
RUBIO: Yeah. You realize, once more, we keep actually clear up there. You mainly do a towel tub day by day that you just’re up there. However taking an precise bathe with working water for the primary time felt extremely good.
SHAPIRO: I guess.
RUBIO: And that is one thing that I had been wanting ahead to.
SHAPIRO: OK. So I’ve to ask in regards to the tomato…
(LAUGHTER)
RUBIO: In fact.
SHAPIRO: …As a result of whilst you had been on the ISS, you harvested the primary tomato grown in area. That tomato went lacking. The story bought plenty of consideration on-line and within the media. You had been at one level accused of consuming the tomato. And after you landed again on Earth, the tomato was discovered, and also you had been exonerated. However there may be nonetheless a lot we do not find out about this story. Are you able to please set the report straight for us? What occurred?
RUBIO: Yeah. You realize, it is form of humorous as a result of everybody talks about being exonerated. I am at all times like, wait, meaning you did not consider me within the first place.
(LAUGHTER)
RUBIO: And I assume simply to make clear, , my two mates that did discover the tomatoes, they’re actually good mates of mine. And they also had been taking each alternative to make enjoyable of me, to not get me out of bother that I used to be in. However, yeah, , stuff occurs in microgravity. Issues simply float away. And the Ziploc that I assumed was safe to the wall wasn’t, and it simply floated away. And, I imply, we lose issues on a regular basis, however 99% of the time, you find yourself discovering it, whether or not it is a couple hours later, a number of days later. I misplaced some AirPods for about three weeks, after which someday they simply – there they had been floating close to the Cupola.
SHAPIRO: I am shocked there are locations a factor might disappear into within the Worldwide House Station. It appears so nicely organized, like each sq. inch is accounted for.
RUBIO: Yeah. You realize, it is – once more, it is a small area, however we fill it with each possible factor. And so it is vitally cramped, plenty of nooks and crannies. And you would be amazed with the airflow how issues simply are inclined to crawl into, like, probably the most sudden locations. I am glad my buddies discovered it. The unlucky half is that, , it’s – it was a science experiment. And so I did really feel dangerous that we misplaced that little little bit of science. And I do not know that they are going to have the ability to use those that they discovered for a lot of something.
SHAPIRO: Pomodoro, perhaps.
RUBIO: (Laughter) Yeah. They’re fairly far alongside. They don’t seem to be going for use for a lot.
SHAPIRO: NASA has been learning the results of long-term spaceflight on people for some time now, and also you now maintain the report for the longest spaceflight for any American astronaut. So how do you’re feeling bodily and mentally? I imply, you have been again on land for a number of months. Are there lingering results?
RUBIO: Thankfully, once more, I am form of glad that this occurred when it did, which implies 23 years into this system, as a result of we have form of found out the way to preserve people wholesome up there. One of many largest issues being resistance train as a result of we discovered that the most important results had been actually on our musculoskeletal and cardiovascular programs. And so doing power coaching and doing cardiovascular coaching actually retains us in fairly good well being. I really misplaced much less bone density than plenty of the six-month missions used to lose previously. And that is simply because day by day you are placing within the work and also you’re form of constantly doing that all year long.
So I really felt actually, actually good after I bought house. The one issues that form of damage had been my decrease again, and that is slightly bit anticipated simply because, , although you are strengthening it, it is actually not used to preserving your posture each single second of the day. After which the bottoms of my toes really damage fairly a bit. And that is, , you actually cannot practice that. And the strain and the sensitivity that comes with standing and strolling was slightly bit sudden. However that is all resolved. And yeah, I really feel – I might say I am about 90 to 95% again to completely regular.
SHAPIRO: That’s NASA astronaut Frank Rubio. Thanks a lot.
RUBIO: Nice speaking to you. Thanks a lot. I respect it.
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