First interview with Alexander Gerst back on Earth

Just hours after returning from his Horizons mission on the International Space Station, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst gives a short interview at the German Aerospace Centre’s ‘:envihab’ facility in Cologne, Germany.

Alexander returned to Earth alongside crew mates Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Sergei Prokopyev on 20 December 2018 in the same Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft that flew them to the Station on 6 June 2018.

The trio’s landing in the Kazakh steppe marked the successful conclusion of over six months in space during which Alexander conducted over 60 European experiments, became the second ever European commander of the International Space Station, welcomed six resupply vehicles, installed the first commercial facility for research in the Columbus laboratory, delivered an important message on climate change for leaders at the COP24 climate change conference, captured real-time footage of a Soyuz launch abort and much, much more.

#Horizons was Alexander’s second mission to the International Space Station – the first was Blue Dot in 2014.

Now back in Cologne, Alexander will take his time to readapt to Earth’s gravity supported by ESA’s team of space medicine experts. He will also continue to provide ground-based data for researchers to support experiments performed in space.

[astronoteek]

Welcome back Alexander and greetings from France!

[Chris-nsty]

Willkommen zurück Alexander. Großartige Bilder und Botschaften die du uns vermittelst.

[GerritSchulze]

Willkommen zurück, Alexander! Na, denn zwei schöne, freie Weihnachtstage :-)

[DC]

Welcome back mr Gerst! This was a real pleasure to follow your journey aboard the ISS, allowing us to have the opportunity to see our beautiful world from up there and explaining us what you and your colleagues are doing and the meaning of this hard work. Happy xmas and new year! And of course, thanks ESA!

[nicku]

Willkommen zurück, viele Grüße aus Polen!

[thorstenschocklmann]

Tut gut dich wieder heil hier zu sehen ! Vielen lieben Dank für deine tolle Arbeit da draußen ! Das Du uns teilhaben hast an deinem wirken und wie du uns von da oben gesehen hast ! Ich wünsche Dir das du noch einiges als Astronaut da draußen erleben wirst ! Danke Dir Alex - unser Columbus der uns auf diese wundervolle Reise mitgenommen hat ! Erhole dich gut, schöne Weihnachten und auf ein friedvolleres Jahr 2019 !
Es wäre wirklich schön wenn eure Arbeit noch viel mehr Beachtung geschenkt würde weltweit ! Keine Grenzen, einfach nur Mensch sein miteinander ! Danke Dir und all denen die für uns da draußen in den “ unendlichen Weiten “ forschen für uns alle ! God bless you !

[Braunix]

Gerst ist wirklich ein fantastischer Repräsentant Deutschlands!

[Jesus]

What a great Human being thank you for all that you do stay safe out there Danke!

[Fluffileinalice]

herzlich willkommen zurück vielen lieben Dank für deine wunderschöne Mission und ich wünsche dir jetzt ein paar schöne Feiertage erhol dich gut!

[ImTheJellyMan]

He looks so tired haha
Welcome back alex!

[LS-Moto]

Awesome ... it was fun with him. Hope he gets to do another mission in the future. But give this man a break and let him get some sleep ... he looks really tired 😂😂😂

[katibzasworld]

Welcome back home!!! You are so awesome!!.

[Ryusennin]

During the trip back, Sergey Prokopyev's mic didn't work and Alex had to relay every communication between the Soyuz and Roscomos, from reentry to touch down. That's why it's paramount to learn Russian if you want to work up there, something many US astronauts have unfortunately neglected, contrary to their European collegues.

[lenkapcolinska]

Welcome on the Earth, from Slovakia... thank you for your thoughts and reflections, especially "to the future generations" from heaven above... we have been more times looking from the Earth to the night sky to see ISS :) now I know who was there ;)

[Elizabeth-sozp]

WELCOME Although, we are going to miss those amazing photos and videos from space.
But I'm happy the three of you are healthy and save.

[Powellman]

Vítej zpět na Zemi! Welcome back to Earth! :)

[LeonidasSthlm]

Welcome back! You did a great job up there.

[theypeedonmyrug]

His humble and professional yet devoted and passionate demeanor somehow reminds me of Roger Federer. Both unparalleled heroes to me.

[nn]

Most waited to see alex g's interview, enjoy holiday's on earth

[marcfreudenberg]

Thanks for posting this interview! One suggestion though: please leave in the questions asked by the interviewer. Sometimes it's difficult to put the answers into context. It would also break up the monolog and make it easier to watch. Thanks