The American astronaut of Salvadoran origin
Frank Rubio, currently on a mission on the International Space Station (ISS)
, assured that there will be new opportunities for Latino astronauts in this research project in low Earth orbit.
"Many Hispanics in the future will have an opportunity," said Rubio, 47, born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Salvadoran parents, in an interview from the ISS in space, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) from la Tierra, awarded to the US Spanish-speaking network Univision.
Rubio, in a relaxed tone and sometimes on the verge of floating due to the effect of gravity, told Javier Serrano, Univision's head of meteorology, that he
felt very well after about 6 months on the ISS
, a period that will probably double and that it can make him the first American and Hispanic astronaut to spend a year in space.
Frank Rubio on the International Space Station during a repair.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio's life in space
Rubio became, on September 21 of last year, the twelfth Hispanic to reach the ISS,
aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in what is the first flight of the NASA astronaut since he was selected
-out of 18,000 people - by the agency in 2017.
"If I go back to Earth sooner, I'll be happy to be with my family," Rubio said given the possibility that the return would be faster, although he acknowledged that technical problems have caused him "to be able to stay from 3 to 6 more months in the ISS".
"Our ship was damaged," he clarified about the technical problems that may delay his return home, which, however,
would allow him to conquer a record for staying in space.
Frank Rubio on the International Space Station.
Rubio referred to a problem of a refrigerant leak in the Soyuz capsule that does not allow astronauts to be brought back to Earth,
a problem that, as he pointed out, seems to be in the process of being solved, although he did not give further details.
Before arriving at the ISS, Rubio prepared for five years to fly into space and two specifically for this mission, for which he flew in a T-38 supersonic plane on a regular basis.
He said that
to achieve a better adaptation with the rest of the ISS researchers, he learned Russian
, just as the crew members of the eastern European country had to study to communicate in English.
Frank Rubio: the Latino astronaut who speaks Russian
"Spanish helped me a lot to learn Russian," said the American, whose mother tongue is English, although he works in perfect Spanish learned with his parents.
Russian cosmonauts with NASA astronaut Frank Rubio.
Rubio arrived at the ISS in September 2022 along with Russian cosmonauts Sergei Prokopiev, commander of ISS Tribulation 68, and Sergei Petelin
.
They joined three other Russians and NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren and Jessica Watkins, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
"My family has always supported me and is very positive," he said before the extension of his stay and after dedicating words of special affection to his mother, who, as he recalled, always told him "that everything was going to be fine."
Regarding day to day, he pointed out that
it is difficult to get used to gravity and that "you have to learn to keep your feet glued to the floor."
Intensive work on the Space Station
The astronaut also
referred
to the scientific studies that are carried out on the Space Station, which includes
hydroponic and aeroponic crops to see if food can be sufficiently increased for future expeditions to the Moon and Mars.
The mission with Frank Rubio (left)
"This type of experiment is used to find out how plants grow,"
he said, after specifying that
one of the ultimate goals is to achieve self-sufficiency in space
.
Also
microgravity and its impact on the human body are other studies
underway that will be favored, especially if it finally remains for about a year on the ISS.
Rubio, who had words of affection for Miami, a city in which, he stressed, "I love the people and the food," said that he exercises every day to prevent loss of bone mass.
With information from the EFE agency
The
story of Frank Rubio: the Latino NASA astronaut who has been stranded for months on a Russian ship
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