French astronaut Sophie Adenot addressed the press for the first time on Saturday, October 10, since splashing down in the Pacific Ocean three days earlier, describing her return from the International Space Station as both emotionally overwhelming and physically demanding.
Speaking from the tarmac of the European Space Agency’s training centre in Cologne, Germany, Adenot told reporters: “It’s very moving to be back among you all. It’s quite strange to be back on Earth.”
She continued: “For eight months, I was orbiting the Earth, seeing this beautiful planet.” Reflecting on her time in orbit, she said she had experienced “the entire spectrum of human emotions.”
A View Without Borders
From an altitude of 400 kilometres, Adenot observed, there are “no divisions, no borders” — only “one precious planet that we all share.”
The astronaut appeared at times tearful during the briefing and was physically supported by ESA medical staff as she walked to the podium. A wheelchair had been made available as a precaution, but she chose to walk unaided.
Three Weeks of Rehabilitation Ahead
Adenot will now undergo a recovery and rehabilitation programme at the ESA facility in Germany, expected to last until the end of the month. The programme includes rest, time with family, and targeted exercises to rebuild back muscles and restore balance.
“It’s a cocktail of astonishing emotions,” she said during a subsequent press conference. “It’s incredible, it’s wonderful to be back on Earth, but it also comes with its share of challenges — physiological ones above all.”
Prolonged exposure to microgravity takes a well-documented toll on the human body, causing bone loss, muscle wasting, cardiovascular deconditioning, and visual impairment.
A Difficult Splashdown
On Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying Adenot and her crew successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California, concluding a 27-hour journey from the space station. Adenot described the moment as “difficult” due to rough seas following splashdown.
With a smile, she recounted telling the recovery team: “When the commandos pulled me out of the capsule, the first thing I said to them was, ‘Send me back to space, please!’ It was much easier up there.”
Record-Breaking Mission
Adenot’s mission totalled 235 days in space, making it the longest continuous spaceflight by a European astronaut of any gender. She also became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk.
She was accompanied on the mission by American astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, as well as Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev.
