NASA astronaut Don Pettit celebrated his 70th birthday by returning from a space mission, becoming the oldest person to complete significant time in orbit. Landing in Kazakhstan, Pettit reflected on his unique journey in space and the challenges of readjusting to gravity after 220 days in orbit. Despite experiencing some physical wear, he felt largely the same as he did 20 years earlier. Pettit emphasized the emotional aspect of returning to Earth, strong desire to continue space exploration, and the inevitable need to come back home.
"When the flight docs say I'm ready to go back, I'm ready to do it."
"It's good to be back on planet Earth. As much as I love exploring space... you do reach a time when it's time to come home."
"I've got a few creaks and groans in my body, but basically I feel the same as I did 20 years ago."
"After every one of my missions, Pettit said the readjustment to gravity... is a challenge."
Collection
[
|
...
]