After a 25-year gap, France has an astronaut in space once again. Sophie Adenot began her mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in mid-February, with official contact established on Thursday, February 26, 2026, from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) headquarters in Paris. The communication, facilitated through Teams and the NASA center in Houston, Texas, highlighted the unique nature of the collaboration – with Adenot orbiting 400 km above her colleagues.
The rapid pace of life in orbit was immediately apparent during a media briefing. As discussions with reporters began, Adenot was positioned south of Japan. Just twenty minutes later, as the conversation concluded, she had traveled approximately 6,200 miles, nearing the western United States, all while traveling at 17,400 mph. This demonstrates the challenges and complexities of coordinating with a crew member experiencing such extreme velocity and changing perspectives.
“It’s even better than I could have hoped for; the view of Earth is absolutely magnificent,” the 43-year-old astronaut shared, orienting herself for the discussion with her head upright and blonde hair floating freely. The ability to witness Earth from such a vantage point is a key benefit of space travel, offering a unique perspective on our planet.
“The Earth is so elegant from up there”
Adenot reported feeling remarkably well, both physically and mentally. “I was pleasantly surprised to experience none of the symptoms one might expect upon arriving in space, like motion sickness. From the very first second, I felt completely at ease,” she said.
Her first moments spent in the Cupola, the ISS module offering a 360-degree view of Earth, were described as “euphoric, as if every cell in my body felt this joy and happiness.” “The Earth is so beautiful from up there, you experience ‘one,’ united in all of humanity, and it lifts your spirits,” she added.
2h30 of Sport
Adenot’s daily schedule is rigorous, beginning at 5:30 AM with at least 2.5 hours of daily exercise to maintain muscle mass, and continuing until around 7:30 PM. The demanding physical requirements of spaceflight necessitate a strict fitness regimen to counteract the effects of microgravity. Between these commitments, her days are filled with “a bit of science, a bit of maintenance, and a bit of logistics.”
A trained engineer and former test pilot, the 84th woman to travel to space, admitted she hadn’t fully unpacked upon arrival, even jokingly noting it took her “a week to find [her] shampoo.” She has already begun perform for the Centre d’aide au développement des activités en micropesanteur et des opérations spatiales (CADMOS) in Toulouse, France, focusing on a kinesiology experiment designed to optimize movement in a weightless environment.
A “Bazaar”
The ISS, continuously occupied for 25 years, serves as a unique scientific laboratory and a rare space for international cooperation between Western nations and Russia. “Today, in a few hours, the SpaceX cargo ship will undock, returning all the science from the last six months to Earth. Last week, we were very busy preparing for that,” Adenot explained. Before her scheduled return in October, she will participate in over 200 scientific experiments.
Despite years of preparation, Adenot was surprised by some aspects of life on the station. “It looks like a bit of a mess from afar, as you can see in the Columbus module where I am,” she said with a gesture. “But the logistics team maintains an inventory system that ensures everything has its place.”
She also prepared for some unusual smells. “Some of my colleagues told me it doesn’t always smell very fine. I would say it’s a metallic hull odor.” The sounds, like the clatter of carabiners, also amused her. Her first spacewalk is planned for March: “Fingers crossed.”
(les/mc)
