Level 1 - Absolute Beginner
Sophie Adenot is a French astronaut. She lived on the International Space Station for almost eight months. That is a record for a European.
She came home in a SpaceX Dragon capsule on October 8. The capsule landed in the Pacific Ocean near San Diego, in the United States. Three other astronauts came home with her.
After the landing she flew to Germany. She looked weak, and doctors helped her. She will rest and do tests for two or three weeks.
- astronaut
- a person who travels in space
- record
- the best result ever
- capsule
- a small spacecraft for people
- ocean
- a very big sea
- landing
- coming down to the ground or sea
- weak
- not strong
- doctor
- a person who treats sick people
- test
- a check to learn something
Level 2 - Elementary
French astronaut Sophie Adenot returned to Earth on October 8 after a record stay on the International Space Station. She spent about 235 to 237 days in space, the longest continuous stay in orbit by a European astronaut.
Her SpaceX Dragon capsule, with the Crew-12 team, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego at 5:35 in the evening, French time. The crew then went to a naval air station in San Diego and on to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.
From Houston she flew on a French military plane to the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, and arrived on October 10. The 44 year old looked weak, and two doctors from the European Space Agency helped her. Seeing Earth from space, she said, showed 'no divisions, no borders'.
- continuous
- without stopping
- orbit
- the path of a spacecraft around the Earth
- splash down
- to land in water after a space trip
- crew
- the people who work together on a ship or spacecraft
- naval
- connected with the navy
- military
- connected with the army, navy or air force
- centre
- a main place for an activity
- border
- a line between two countries
Level 3 - Intermediate
European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot is back on Earth after the longest uninterrupted orbital stay by a European, between 235 and 237 days depending on the source. Her SpaceX Dragon capsule splashed down in the Pacific off San Diego on October 8, at 5:35 pm French time, carrying her and three other members of the Crew-12 mission.
After recovery at Naval Air Station North Island, the crew were taken to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Adenot then boarded a French Air and Space Force Airbus A330 MRTT bound for the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, where ESA says she landed at 06:21 local time on October 10.
The 44 year old looked visibly weakened and was supported by two ESA physicians. She will spend the next two to three weeks readjusting to gravity and giving data to scientists at :envihab, a German Aerospace Center facility beside the centre. Speaking of the view from orbit, she said there were 'no divisions, no borders'.
- uninterrupted
- without a break
- mission
- an important task or journey
- recovery
- the act of getting someone or something back safely
- physician
- a medical doctor
- readjust
- to get used to something again
- gravity
- the force that pulls things toward Earth
- facility
- a place built for a purpose
- orbital
- relating to travel around a planet
Level 4 - Advanced
Sophie Adenot has come home having completed the longest uninterrupted orbital stay by any European astronaut, a span ESA puts at 237 days and other outlets at 235. Her SpaceX Dragon capsule, carrying her and three Crew-12 colleagues, struck the Pacific off San Diego at 5:35 pm French time on October 8.
The logistics of a return are deliberately gradual. After recovery in San Diego the crew moved to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Adenot then travelled aboard a French Air and Space Force Airbus A330 MRTT to the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, touching down at 06:21 local time on October 10 according to ESA.
The 44 year old arrived visibly depleted and leaning on two agency physicians, a normal consequence of months without gravity's load on bones, muscles and the inner ear. She now faces two to three weeks of rehabilitation and data collection at :envihab, a German Aerospace Center facility. Asked what orbit had taught her, she offered a line that has travelled widely: from up there, there are 'no divisions, no borders'.
- logistics
- the detailed organisation of moving people and things
- gradual
- happening slowly in small steps
- depleted
- greatly reduced in strength
- consequence
- a result of an action or condition
- inner ear
- the part of the ear that helps balance
- rehabilitation
- treatment to regain health or ability
- agency
- an organisation that provides a service
- span
- a length of time
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