On Thursday, February 26, during a live interview from the ISS with the French press, Sophie Adenot shared her first days on a mission in orbit. She stated, “The scientific work has begun,” in response to a question from Air & Cosmos. The French astronaut from the 2022 ESA class also mentioned that her initial days on the ISS went perfectly, without being bothered by the first effects of being in microgravity (loss of orientation, space sickness, etc.). Sophie Adenot also doesn’t seem bothered by the odors (it can sometimes smell strong in the ISS), which remind her of her career as a helicopter test pilot: “It smells like metallic cabin.” She is also not disturbed by the noises (valve openings, etc.), finding the sound of tools attached with carabiners amusing.
Context:
Sophie Adenot is a French astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) sharing her experiences from the International Space Station (ISS) with the French press.
Fact Check:
The article mentions Sophie Adenot’s positive experience in space, highlighting the challenges of adjusting to microgravity and the unique environment of the ISS.
Renforcement and tasks of the rookie
The schedule is very busy, with life returning to its robust cruising rhythm. The Crew-12 crew, including Sophie Adenot, arrived after a month with only three astronauts on the ISS, following the early departure of Crew-11 due to a health issue with one of the astronauts (Mike Fincke).
Since January 15, only Chris Williams has been on duty in the American segment of the ISS. With Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Sophie Adenot, they are now four, and the Americans were particularly busy preparing for the departure of the CRS-33 cargo, filled with experiments to be brought back to Earth. Sophie Adenot was assisting the Americans in taking blood samples before transferring them to the cargo.
Sophie Adenot found it amusing to perform tasks typically assigned to “rookies,” namely astronauts on their first flight, such as herself and Jack Hathaway. The task in question, of course, is the maintenance of the toilets (including the urine-to-potable water transformation system).
Première expérience française la semaine prochaine
Sophie Adenot clarified that the first of the 7 French experiments to be conducted on the ISS during her mission will be “EchoFinder,” a physiology experiment that involves performing ultrasounds autonomously and without any medical experience needed thanks to augmented reality and AI. This experiment could be useful in medical deserts or isolated environments, as well as in more distant space exploration missions (Moon, Mars).
