14 DAY TRIAL // Astronaut Greg Chamitoff called the International Space Station (ISS) home for the last 183 days, as he spent an insane amount of time installing Japan's Kibo Laboratory and conducting other tasks, necessary for the crucial operations that go around in Earth's orbit. During this time, he celebrated NASA's 50th anniversary in October and spent Thanksgiving with just his colleague, worried about his family's safety, way below him, in Houston, Texas, when Hurricane Ike was wreaking havoc in those parts.
[ADAMRK=1]Now, a full 6 months later, he is still struggling to get used to gravity again, as this burden is very difficult even after a 2 or 3-day mission, let alone a 6 month-long one. His body is overwhelmed by the downward force, and, although he landed on November 30th, he still hasn't fully recovered after his return. "It's much harder to come back than it is to go to space. For the first three or four days, it was just so overwhelming to cope with it," he told Space website on Thursday.
"When I looked at the Earth at night and could see the stars everywhere and some cities below, I felt like I was looking at one island. This is our island and there are other islands everywhere, other planets to go to. And the space station is a place where we can test out and practice everything we need to to be able to make a bigger boat and go further," he said.
"It's kind of ironic that in a sense you're isolated, about as far away from some people on the ground as can be. But on the other hand, you're more connected to people, your family and friends and the world, than ever...I never felt disconnected," Chamitoff added.
Now that he has been reunited with his family the 46 year-old astronaut says that he enjoys spending time with his twins, and can once again sing to them before lights out. His mission was one of the longest in history, and he can be proud of it.