Minnesota native holds first news conference after record-setting trip on ISS

KSTP

Astronaut Mark Vande Hei works on the Combustion Integrated RackNASA astronaut and Expedition 65 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei replaces hardware inside the Combustion Integrated Rack that enables safe research into microgravity's effects on flames, fuel and soot aboard the International Space Station's U.S. Destiny laboratory module. Sept. 10, 2021[NASA]

Mark Vande Hei, a Minnesota native who spent a U.S. record of 355 days in space on the International Space Station (ISS), held his first news conference Tuesday since returning to Earth last week.

Vande Hei, who grew up in the Twin Cities, is back on U.S. soil after returning to Earth last Thursday. He answered questions Tuesday morning after spending nearly a year in space.

Vande Hei didn’t want to take credit for the record, saying it was what he needed to do to complete the mission.

He also described his bumpy return to Earth. Last Thursday, he landed in Kazakhstan around 6:30 am CT, where he was met by a team of NASA doctors and staff. Vande Hei, who grew up in the Twin Cities, is back on U.S. soil after returning to Earth last Thursday. They then immediately returned to the United States with the 55-year-old.