Anna Kikhina, the only active Russian cosmonaut, described an “amazing situation” on Thursday while aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of US company SpaceX’s Crew-5 mission.
Ms. Kikina returned to Earth on March 12 after five months with Japan’s Koichi Wakata and Americans Nicole Mann and Josh Kasada. ISS.
“I really liked this plane (…) everything was comfortable,” the 38-year-old engineer said by training during an online press conference.
“I didn’t experience any difficulties (…) We always felt supported by each other, and a good sense of humor reigned in the station, just like on the ship,” said Mrs. Kikina.
“It’s a wonderful atmosphere!” she exclaimed.
According to him, each team member was “interested in finding mutual understanding” and demonstrated “his willingness and desire to establish better communication.”
After returning to Earth, Anna Kikhina spent the first stage of her rehabilitation at the NASA center in Houston, and then underwent extensive medical tests in Russia.
The ISS is one of the last areas where Washington and Moscow have been working together since Russia launched its offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.
The Soviet Union launched Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in history, into space on June 16, 1963.
She was followed by Svetlana Savitskaya, the first woman to walk in space in July 1984.
In October 2021, Russia also sent actress Yulia Pereshild to shoot the first movie in orbit, ahead of Tom Cruise’s competing project.
