Space station astronaut shares stories about missions

Astronaut Karen Nyberg speaks Thursday at NASA Glenn Research Center about the end of her mission. After spending months in space aboard the International Space Station, she returned to Earth in November aboard a Russian capsule. She said that after they landed, she was sitting upside-down strapped into her seat and they left her until last after the Olympic torch, which was carried into space, was removed. BRUCE BISHOP/CHRONICLE

CLEVELAND Karen Nyberg has had a view of the world that most people will never see.

An astronaut for NASA, she spent six months living and working on the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 6 crew. During the expedition, the crew completed 2,656 orbits of the Earth while traveling more than 70 million miles.

The 44-year-old said spending time away from her family was hard, but theres nowhere shed rather be than in space.

If I can just go, like that, and live there, and be there, and have my family with me, that would be fantastic. Its really a neat place; its an amazing place to live, she said.

Now in her post-flight period, Nyberg is enjoying spending time with her husband, also an astronaut, and their 4-year-old son. Nyberg is also traveling the United States to discuss her experiences in space, stopping in Cleveland on Thursday at NASAs Glenn Research Center.

The center played a role in Nybergs expedition.

Nyberg supported several experiments that were managed by Glenn, including the capillary flow experiment, which examines liquids behavior in microgravity environments. The experiment was designed to allow NASA to better design systems to process liquids aboard spacecraft, such as liquid fuel tanks, thermal fluids and water processing for life support, according to NASA.

Nyberg said during downtime she worked on a square for a quilt project. She said the simplest things on Earth are very difficult and time consuming in space. Its not as simple as just holding down a piece of material and cutting.

Other experiments included combustion and flame extinguishing studies. The Glenn Research Center also designed improved harnesses for running on the treadmill in space with help from the Cleveland Clinic.

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Space station astronaut shares stories about missions