After an Astronaut completes a space mission, lasting from one week to six months, they are transported from a weightless environment to normal gravity.

Re-adapting to Earth’s gravity is hard because their muscles and bones have weakened, and the heart has to work much harder to pump blood around the body.

Astronauts returning back in a spacecraft have to be helped out by rescue staff, and they are carried to waiting helicopters for the first part of their journey home.

Some feel lightheaded, some may faint, while others may also have trouble standing up, walking, turning corners and keeping a sense of balance. If they close their eyes, they are likely to fall over. Even sleeping can be difficult.

Astronaut Training Types

  1. Underwater training: since floating in water is similar to floating in space, astronauts are trained in special water tanks to train for space walks
  2. Multi axis training: this involves spinning in a machine to get used to the out-of-control spinning feeling in space
  3. Weightless raining: this involves flying in a special plane known as “the vomit comet” to get used to feeling weightless
Credit: ESA - Underwater Astronaut Training

Do astronauts still go to the moon?

No, they visit the ISS. The last time a person visited the moon was in December 1972, during NASA’s Apollo 17 mission.

What happens when an Astronaut returns to Earth? (Adapted from ESA)

Credit: Reuters – Astronauts returning back home 2016

After an Astronaut completes a space mission, lasting from one week to six months, they are transported from a weightless environment to normal gravity.

Re-adapting to Earth’s gravity is hard because their muscles and bones have weakened, and the heart has to work much harder to pump blood around the body.

Astronauts returning back in a spacecraft have to be helped out by rescue staff, and they are carried to waiting helicopters for the first part of their journey home.

Some feel lightheaded, some may faint, while others may also have trouble standing up, walking, turning corners and keeping a sense of balance. If they close their eyes, they are likely to fall over. Even sleeping can be difficult.