Anousheh Ansari Space Blog

[CalliArcale]

Very true. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> If anyone in the world deserved to go on this trip as a tourist, it was her. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[kane007]

Second Birth 2006/10/05 1647<br /><br /><b>Many in Russia refer to the time when Cosmonauts are pulled out of the capsule as a Second Birth… Being there, now I knew why! In my last part of the story, I left you hanging in the Soyuz. So, let’s start from there…<br /><br />The hatch opened and a breath of fresh air took over the smell of burnt wire. I felt like I was hanging from the ceiling and had a hard time raising my head high enough to see who was at the hatch. The hatch door was also blocking the view…<br /><br />Finally I was able to stretch enough to see out. I recognized the face of one of the rescue team members who was trying to prepare us for the exit. He was the same person who assisted me in my Black Sea survival training. I could hear words of joy and congratulation in Russian… Pavel was responding to them and laughing… there were people with video cameras and mobile phones snapping pictures. I felt like something that was trapped and the captor was taking picture of his catch before releasing it.<br /><br />First we were handed some hard covers that we were supposed to put over the panels in front of us. Then they started getting Pavel released from his straps. We had tightened our straps so much that it was impossible to properly open them in the position we were in now.<br /><br />The Search and Rescue (SAR) team member took out a knife and started cutting out Pavel’s knee straps first and reached in to unbuckle his belt. Then two of them reached in and pulled him out.<br /><br />Being in space for six months does a trick on your body. Your muscles get so lazy that they have a big shock dealing with your weight back on Earth… I also experienced the same effects but mine, I suppose, were milder than what Jeff and Pavel were feeling. Your body is so weak upon return to gravity that it is almost impossible for you to crawl out by yourself…<br /><br />Next it was my turn… After a few moments of hanging there a</b>