Astronaut Sophie Adenot Regains Full Fitness After 8-Month Mission and Reveals Her Moon Dream

French astronaut Sophie Adenot confirmed she has fully regained her physical fitness during a press conference held on Monday, November 2, at the European Space Agency headquarters in Paris, her first appearance since completing the physical rehabilitation program following her return from space.

Intensive Program and Promising Medical Results

Adenot spent eight months aboard the International Space Station before returning to Earth on October 10, immediately embarking on a three-week rehabilitation program at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany. The primary challenge lay in regaining balance and motor coordination following an extended period of weightlessness.

Although initial images following her landing showed visible physical strain and required the assistance of two physicians to help her stand, Adenot explained that this was expected as part of the natural physiological consequences of return. She described the medical evaluations conducted on her as "astonishing," noting that the prescribed exercise protocols prevented any loss of muscle mass or bone density, and even recorded increases in certain areas of the body—an outcome she viewed as offering significant hope for patients with osteoporosis, degenerative diseases, and the elderly.

Readapting to the Details of Daily Life

The French astronaut noted that mental readjustment requires as much time as physical adaptation; she recounted how she initially expected items placed on tables to float away, as they had aboard the station. She also recalled memories of her first extravehicular activity (spacewalk), describing an awe-inspiring, emotionally overwhelming moment when she found herself on the station's exterior facing planet Earth directly.

Adenot expressed her joy at rediscovering the simple pleasures of life on Earth, such as the sound of raindrops on windowpanes, confirming that she is now in a physical condition comparable to—if not better than—her pre-launch state, despite some mild muscle soreness in unusual areas such as the soles of her feet as they reactivated.

Looking to the Future

Regarding the next phase of her professional career, Sophie Adenot explained that formal negotiations have not yet begun, but acknowledged that the prospect of landing on the Moon remains a major dream, stating: "Yes, I dream of it." The astronaut is scheduled to appear in a television interview on France 2's main evening news broadcast to discuss the details of her extraordinary journey.