Astronaut Sophie Adenot returns to Earth after record space mission
French astronaut Sophie Adenot has returned to Earth after a record-breaking 235-day mission aboard the International Space Station. She set a new record for the longest European spaceflight and became the first French woman to perform spacewalks.
Why it matters
This mission marks a significant milestone for European space exploration and highlights the ongoing international collaboration in low-Earth orbit research.
Sophie Adenot spent 235 days 400 kilometres above the Earth. After a day-long journey, the French astronaut splashed down on Thursday 8 October at 5:35 p.m. (French time), together with three other members of the International Space Station crew, in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California.The final minutes of the flight brought intense sensations for the Frenchwoman, Russian cosmonaut Andrei Fediaiev and the two Americans Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway: a high-speed plunge through the atmosphere, then a slowdown under powerful parachutes, all while communications were cut.After exiting the spacecraft and undergoing a brief medical check-up, the four astronauts will be flown back to dry land in the United States, first to Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, then on to NASA's Johnson Space…
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