After 165 days on the ISS: German astronaut Maurer will soon be back on solid ground
Created: 05/05/2022, 11:09 am
By: Yasina Hipp
Astronaut Matthias Maurer started his journey to the ISS in November 2021.
Before returning to his home planet, he draws an emotional conclusion.
Cape Canaveral - Six months in a state of limbo, six months in the smallest of spaces, six months more than 400 kilometers away from Earth: This is roughly how Matthias Maurer spent the last six months of his life.
The German ESA astronaut flew to the ISS in November 2021.
Now it says: Mission complete.
Maurer and three of his US colleagues boarded a "Crew Dragon" capsule in the morning and headed for planet Earth.
After about 24 hours, the capsule is scheduled to land in the sea off the coast of the US state of Florida.
Maurer should be back in Germany towards evening.
Astronaut Maurer: "The dream goes on"
For ESA astronaut Maurer, a lifetime dream has come true with his six-month ISS mission.
The 52-year-old has worked hard for this for years.
That's why his last words before the return trip may also contain a bit of melancholy.
At the official farewell ceremony, he said, "It's been an amazing six months here on the space station."
And he also posted a photo of a sunset over Earth from space on Twitter and wrote: "The end of a beautiful mission - the dream continues."
Astronaut Maurer: Coming back to earth is an unusual feeling
How will Matthias Maurer feel as soon as the capsule arrives on earth?
It is definitely physically exhausting, reports astronaut Thomas Reiter, who was the first German astronaut on the ISS.
"One is surprised at how heavy arms and legs suddenly feel," said Reiter of the dpa.
After his return in 2006, he had a "queasy feeling" for half an hour after landing and avoided "rapid head movements".
Despite everything, most All-returners are happy to be back on earth.
The 52-year-old will be able to report in a few days how Matthias Maurer experienced his return journey.
After Thomas Reiter, Hans Schlegel and Alexander Gerst, Maurer was the fourth German on the outer station of mankind.
The war against Ukraine is also currently depressing the weightlessness of the ISS: the Russian space agency Roskosmos had already threatened to withdraw, but then shied away from it.
