NASA Post Flight Presentation With Astronauts Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei
During a post flight presentation June 15 at NASA Headquarters, astronauts Joe Acaba and Mark Vande Hei shared their experiences living and working on the International Space Station as members of the Expedition 53/54 crew.
Acaba and Vande Hei launched to the space station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Sept. 12, 2017 and returned to Earth on Feb. 27, 2018 after 168 days in space. During their time on the station, they conducted research studying bacteria, looked at the manufacture of fiber optics in microgravity, measured the total amount of sunlight Earth received, gathered data on space debris in low-Earth orbit, and studied self-replicating materials. They also conducted spacewalks and encouraged students around the world to pursue STEM careers and kicked off YES, the Year of Education on Station.