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Astronaut craves salsa and surf after record 11 months aloft:
After nearly 11 months in orbit, the astronaut holding the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman can't wait to dig into some salsa and chips, and swim and surf in the Gulf of Mexico.
NASA astronaut Christina Koch told The Associated Press on Tuesday—her 319th consecutive day in space—that taking part in the first all-female spacewalk was the highlight of her mission. She's been living on the International Space Station since March and returns to Earth on Feb. 6, landing in Kazakhstan with two colleagues aboard a Russian capsule.
Koch said she and fellow astronaut Jessica Meir appreciated that the Oct. 18 spacewalk "could serve as an inspiration for future space explorers."
"We both drew a lot of inspiration from seeing people that were reflections of ourselves as we were growing up and developing our dreams to become astronauts," Koch told The Associated Press from the space station. "So to recognize that maybe we could pay that forward and serve the same for those that are up and coming was just such a highlight."
[...] Koch's 328-day mission will be the second-longest by an American, trailing Scott Kelly's flight by 12 days. She's already set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman.
She took time out for a pair of news interviews Tuesday, the 34th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger accident that claimed all seven lives on board.
She said she loves her work—she conducted five spacewalks and tended to science experiments—but she also misses her friends and family.
[...] Her biggest surprise is how easily and quickly she adapted both mentally and physically to weightlessness.
"I don't even really realize that I'm floating any more," she said.
Why do chips and salsa top her most-missed food list? Crunchy food like chips are banned on the space station because the crumbs could float away and clog equipment. "I haven't had chips in about 10 1/2 months," she explained, "but I have had a fresh apple" thanks to regular cargo deliveries.
Anyone want to take a crack at figuring out how far she has traveled while on the ISS?
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Wednesday January 29 2020, @04:35PM (2 children)
May as well go to Lake Erie, in the wintertime. If you wanna surf, go to Oaxaca!
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 2) by istartedi on Wednesday January 29 2020, @09:13PM (1 child)
That was my thought too, but googling around there apparently
is Gulf surfing when cold fronts pass and during hurricanes. If the
storm is on the other side of the Gulf, it might be decent. If she
grew up there and is an avid surfer, she probably knows some spots.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Wednesday January 29 2020, @09:48PM
It's not just the surf, which can be great during hurricane season, but the water is yucky too. You need to wear that greasy stuff to avoid skin contact.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..