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Lucid talks about her record-breaking mission
October 24, 1996
Web posted at: 10:00 p.m. EDTHOUSTON (CNN) -- Shannon Lucid, the astronaut who set an American space endurance record on September 26, spoke Thursday about her experience during and after her six-month mission aboard the Russian space station Mir.
On her adjustment to life on Earth: "I would say within 24 hours I pretty much felt like I was back to normal. The one thing that surprised me the most, I thought my muscles were going to hurt but they never really did. That was the biggest surprise I had coming back."
"When you first come back, your nervous system is set to a different level than it is here. You bend over too far instinctively. You don't think about it, the kind of input your body makes."
- On staying in touch with home: Lucid said family members and friends in Houston kept her posted on events at home via a ham radio. She communicated regularly with them when Mir orbited within range of the radio. "I wasn't lonely because I was connected with my family," she said.
- On celebrity: "I guess I'm living like I've always lived. I come to work during the day and we're doing a lot of debriefs. I want to feed the experiences I had into the people here at NASA working on the space station, so everyone can benefit from the experience."
- On isolation: "There were a few times when it really hit you that you were isolated. I know there were times, like when I wanted a different kind of book to read and it suddenly hit you that you couldn't just run out to the store and pick up something different. You were really isolated."
- On mission gains: "Number one, I hope people will realize that long-duration space flight is possible and a very positive experience. I would like people to think that humans being in space for a long time is no impediment for a trip to Mars.
Related stories:
- Lucid returns home after record-setting spaceflight - September 26, 1996
- Atlantis undocks from fourth Mir docking - September 23, 1996
- Astronauts, cosmonauts say goodbye - September 23, 1996
- Lucid eager for return to earthly life - September 22, 1996
- Bionic Lucid treads in space - September 21, 1996
Related sites:
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- CNN's Space Exploration Gallery
- NASA Shuttle/Mir: Shannon Lucid
- Space Station Mir Info Page
- NASA Shuttle STS-79 Mission Page
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