“We caught each other’s eye and we knew that we were really honored with this opportunity to inspire so many, and just hearing our voices talk to Mission Control, knowing two female voices had never been on the loops, solving those problems together outside — it was a really special feeling,” Koch said of that first spacewalk, on October 18.
During her mission, Koch completed six spacewalks — including another two with Meir — and spent 42 hours and 15 minutes outside of the station.
Koch also devoted much of her time to a variety of experiments and investigations. The space station acts as an orbiting laboratory that can be used to test how different aspects of everyday human life on Earth react to the lack of gravity.
On the station, astronauts experience a plethora of science activities. Sometimes, they’re the test subject, contributing to studies about human health in space. Other times, they’re working with scientists on Earth to test their experiments.
In addition to her firsts and records, here’s what Koch accomplished over 328 days in space along with some of her favorite moments.
Human health
Just by extending her original six-month mission and reaching this record of 328 days, Koch has contributed to a better understanding of what long-term spaceflight can do to the human body. It surpassed astronaut Peggy Whitson’s previous record of 288 days. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly still holds the all-time record with 340 days in space.
Weird science
What do leafy greens, atoms and fire all have in common? They’ve all been tested in unique ways on the space station that aren’t possible on Earth.
Koch was involved in multiple studies of plant biology, from the cellular level to studying how plants grow in space. She and the crew were able to taste test fresh Mizuna mustard greens grown on the station, which could lead to more fresh food for future spaceflight. More of the greens were frozen so they can be studied on Earth.
Memorable moments
Koch arrived at the space station on March 14, 2019. She was the first to go through the hatch.
“That was the day that I have seared in my memory,” she said. “Visions from when I first arrived here … I’m very privileged to have that as one of my favorite memories.”
She treasures moments that connected her with home — like the time she realized they were passing over coastal North Carolina, where she grew up. And then there were the care packages from home that included pizza kits to break the monotony of the meals they eat on the station.
Over time, Koch actually forgot she was floating. She adjusted to microgravity so well that she’s wondering how she’ll readjust to Earth’s gravity.
“Sleep in space has been some of the most restful I’ve ever had — no hotspots, no tossing, no turning, never too hot or too cold. I just float in my body’s natural position. How will I sleep when I return to Earth?”
But Koch is also looking forward to the things she’s missed about Earth, like the sensation of running water, food, sweet smells and the sensations afforded by nature.
“Oh, how I miss the wind on my face, the feeling of raindrops, sand on my feet and the sound of the surf crashing on the Galveston beach,” she said. “We take daily sensory inputs for granted until they are absent. The environmental inputs on the space station consist mostly of the constant hum of the ventilation system. It stirs the air, allowing the purification system to scrub and clean our atmosphere so it’s breathable. While some places on the space station are as loud as a lawn mower, others are as quiet as the vacuum of space. I cannot wait to feel and hear Earth again.”
Like other astronauts before her, photographing Earth and regarding it during her spacewalks has given her a new appreciation for her home.
“Earth is alive, and I have witnessed its power and beauty from a special vantage point 250 miles above the surface,” she said. “From the space station we see no borders, no boundaries — we are all part of one giant organism that breathes and adapts. I have been in awe of this perspective for almost a year now. Back on Earth I anticipate looking up and seeing the space station streak across the sky, wondering how my friends and colleagues are doing up there without me. For almost 20 years humans have continuously lived and worked in space and the mission continues.”
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