We’ve all heard the phrase “it’s like riding a bike. Once you learn how, you never forget.” Vande Hei had four years between visits to the ISS, but he said one of the most pleasant surprises for him was how easy it became to adjust to space life.
Vande Hei blasted off from the Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in April of 2021 and received word in September his stay was going to be extended to March of 2022. That puts him in space for 353 days, beating the old record of 340 days set by astronaut Mark Kelly. One of the most challenging parts about being gone for so long is that he misses the outdoors.
Speaking of spacewalks, he has done four of them. He said they need to stay focused on the spacewalks, but he loves looking around.
Just like litter and debris we see on the roads and sidewalks here on Earth, there is debris floating around in space that poses a risk to the ISS, but Vande Hei says they are prepared.
When the crew is not conducting experiments, they do have some free time on their hands, and Vande Hei says he plays around with the freedom of movement they have in zero gravity by practicing his triple backflips, and he says he will never tire of just looking out the window.
He says astronauts are explorers at heart, and to contribute to furthering exploration is a “great opportunity. Honestly, it’s got a sense of novelty to it. For me, it’s a new experience. And I’m looking forward to as a human being, understanding how it feels to do something like this.”
Vande Hei says there is a psychological element to being in space and away from Earth and his family for so long. He says he meditates and keeps in regular contact with his wife and children.