A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
Two astronauts are back on Earth after what was supposed to be a week aboard the International Space Station turned into nine months. The manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program said yesterday that Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore looked very healthy after their capsule splashed down. But what happens to the body and mind after that much time in space - on astronauts? Here to answer that question, we've called up Jack Fischer. He's a former NASA astronaut who spent more than a hundred days in space - also had a couple of spacewalks. Jack, so tell us about that feeling of landing back on Earth after spending that much time in orbit.
JACK FISCHER: Yeah, thanks, A. Man, it's a bit provocative. You turn off and start ignoring your equilibrium and your vestibular while you're in orbit because it just doesn't work. And then all of a sudden, you come back in, the chutes pop and you start rocking around like a crazy roller coaster ride. It gets pretty provocative. I landed in a Soyuz on land...
MARTÍNEZ: Oh, wow.
FISCHER: ...A little bit harder of a pop once you...
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
FISCHER: ...Land, but then it stops. And for Suni and Butch and Nick and Alexander, landing in the water, it's a little bit smoother in that first - you know, as you hit, it gives a little more, but then you kind of rock. And so all of that to say that it's not the most fun thing you'll ever do, but it's...
MARTÍNEZ: No.
FISCHER: ...Worth it to come home and get back to your families.
MARTÍNEZ: I mean, can you have, like, a beer right away if you wanted to?
FISCHER: You know, you could. And, you know, I landed basically in Russia, so I'm not going to say that no alcohol was involved in the filming, but it's maybe not highly suggested 'cause you're pretty much already three margaritas in. Your body is...
MARTÍNEZ: (Laughter).
FISCHER: ...Very dehydrated.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
FISCHER: The vestibular, being the way it is, you're just kind of off balance. So definitely not recommended.
MARTÍNEZ: So how long before you found, say, your - like, your Earth legs? How long before you felt, like, sturdy and connected to the planet?
FISCHER: Yeah, you know, it took about a - I don't know, a few days to a week. And it's a bit different for everybody. And then the big thing is your flexibility. It's really awful when you're on orbit and you come back, and all of a sudden, your leg weighs 30 pounds again. So you have to work on that. Strength is pretty good, but it'll take you a good month before you're up to full fighting form.
MARTÍNEZ: Does your body get a little taller, being in space?
FISCHER: Oh, my gosh, it does. I'm 5'11", and I was over 6 foot for...
MARTÍNEZ: Oh.
FISCHER: ...The first time ever. I was 6 foot 1. And I'm an old fighter pilot, test pilot, so my back is all messed up. I was - I felt great. I was taller. I get off the plane. I go into the doctor the next day. He's like, how tall are you? And I'm like, I am 6 foot 1, thank you very much. And he looks at me and he's like, yeah, let's measure. And I had already lost it.
MARTÍNEZ: Aww.
FISCHER: So it was like a day. I was taller for a day, and so...
MARTÍNEZ: I would just keep saying 6 foot 1. I would just keep lying about it.
FISCHER: I know.
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
FISCHER: Oh, well.
MARTÍNEZ: Real quick - I mean - so, like, in the days after, say you're taking a stroll in the evening and you see the - you know, the night sky. Do you ever look up and go, aww, I was just there?
FISCHER: Yeah.
MARTÍNEZ: Did you miss it?
FISCHER: Absolutely. The - just watching the Space Station cross overhead - it's part of you. It becomes...
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
FISCHER: ...Part of you. You miss it. And what an incredible experience. It's great to have Butch and Suni and Nick and Alexander...
MARTÍNEZ: Yeah.
FISCHER: ...Home.
MARTÍNEZ: Jack Fischer is a former astronaut with NASA. Jack, thanks a lot for your time.
FISCHER: You bet. Thank you.
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