Space, vast and mysterious, offers astronauts a unique perspective on our planet. Dmitri PetelineRussian cosmonaut who spent an entire year aboard the Station spatiale internationale (ISS)shares his amazed impressions of the beauty of Africa, seen from Earth’s orbit.
Pour Petelinel’Africa was a revelation. Far from the usual clichés, he enthusiastically describes the diversity of landscapes observed from theISS. The vast desert expanses of the north particularly capture his gaze. What he thought were uniformly arid territories reveal themselves, seen from above, as living paintings with changing colors. The sand, from white to yellow and brick red, forms dunes with graceful curves that seem to dance in the sunlight.
But it’s not just the desert that has fascinated Peteline. In southern and central Africa, he discovers landscapes of lush greenery, sparkling bodies of water that contrast with the traditional image of an arid continent. He emphasizes the abundance of vegetation in the tropics, describing equatorial Africa as a veritable jungle where green stretches as far as the eye can see, a vision far from the usual prejudices about African nature.
The work of a cosmonaut is not limited to panoramic observation of the Terre. Peteline also discusses the technical and physical challenges encountered in space. Weightlessness, far from being a familiar sensation, requires rigorous adaptation. Cosmonauts train intensively before their mission, simulating reduced gravity conditions in swimming pools and rehearsing complex procedures to ensure their safety and efficiency in orbit.
International cooperation in the space field is another crucial aspect for Peteline. He stresses the importance of working together despite political and economic challenges. For him, the future of space exploration lies in collaboration between nations, a conviction reinforced by the joint missions with the NASAl’ESAand other space agencies.
