French astronaut Sophie Adenot, a member of the Crew‑12 mission, returned to Earth after spending eight months aboard the International Space Station. Her spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, marking the end of a long orbital stay. The return trip itself lasted 27 hours before she was brought to shore.
During her time in space, Adenot lived and worked on the ISS for a total of 235 days, which is equivalent to roughly eight months. Throughout those eight months, she circled 400 kilometres above Earth, observing the planet as it orbited below.
After leaving the orbital complex, the return journey that brought Adenot and her fellow crew members back to Earth took 27 hours. That extended return travel concluded with a landing in the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
The rehabilitation program addresses the physical challenges of readjusting to Earth's gravity after eight months living in orbit.
Following her splashdown, Adenot was transported to Cologne, Germany, where she arrived at dawn on Saturday morning. In Cologne, she arrived at the European Space Agency training center tarmac to begin her scheduled post-mission recovery.
On Saturday, October 10, 2026, Adenot made her first public appearance since landing. She arrived at the tarmac visibly weakened and occasionally in tears, receiving physical support as she addressed the public for the first time.
Speaking with visible emotion, Adenot said she had experienced "toutes les émotions humaines, des plus joyeuses aux plus difficiles," which translates to "all human emotions, from the most joyful to the most difficult." She repeated the sentiment in shorter form, noting she had felt "toutes les émotions" while in orbit.
From her vantage point approximately 400 kilometres above Earth, Adenot observed the planet and expressed deep emotion upon her return. She described seeing "juste une précieuse planète que nous partageons tous," meaning "just a precious planet that we all share."
The astronaut emphasized that the view from orbit reinforced a sense of unity across nations. She stated, "l'espace était une formidable aventure qui unit tous les pays du monde," or "space was a tremendous adventure that unites all countries of the world," and added that there were "pas de divisions, pas de frontières," meaning "no divisions, no borders."
Following her public remarks, Adenot entered a three‑week physical rehabilitation programme at the European Astronaut Centre. The rehabilitation program addresses the physical challenges of readjusting to Earth's gravity after eight months living in orbit.
Adenot took part in spaceflight as a crew member of the Crew‑12 mission to the International Space Station. Her return to Earth marked the end of her mission alongside her crewmates.
The chronology of her return shows that Adenot touched down in the Pacific on Thursday, October 8, 2026, after 235 days in space. Two days later, on Saturday, October 10, she made her first public appearance in Cologne and spoke to the media.
Fellow astronaut Jessica Meir offered a supportive comment upon the return, saying, "Nous sommes très heureux d’être de retour sur Terre après une mission incroyable," which translates to "We are very happy to be back on Earth after an incredible mission."
When Adenot spoke of experiencing all human emotions, she reflected on how her journey spanned both the most joyful and the most difficult moments. She appeared visibly moved, at times in tears, while reflecting on the intense emotional path of her eight-month stay in space.
Adenot highlighted that space serves as a unifying adventure, showing a world without borders or divisions when viewed from 400 kilometers away. She celebrated the unity that the planet represents when seen as a single shared home.
Adenot highlighted the beauty of the planet from space, noting, "C’est très émouvant d’être de retour parmi vous tous. C’est assez étranger d’être de retour sur Terre. Pendant huit mois, je tournais autour de la Terre, je voyais cette belle planète."
She also noted the physical challenges of readjusting to Earth's gravity after spending 235 days aboard the orbital outpost, an adjustment that made walking and standing upright physically demanding upon arrival.
Upon arriving at the European Space Agency training center tarmac in Cologne, Adenot was supported physically by staff, reflecting the strain and physical challenges she experienced after her 27-hour journey back to Earth.
The astronaut will now complete a three‑week rehabilitation program, remaining under care at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne to recover from the physical demands of her eight-month mission.
The European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, is where Adenot arrived on Saturday morning to undergo this three-week rehabilitation period as she readjusts to Earth's gravity following her long mission.