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This Cape Cod astronaut spoke to us from outer space

Loral O'Hara speaking with CAI's Patrick Flanary.
NASA
Loral O'Hara speaking with CAI's Patrick Flanary.

Loral O'Hara has been conducting research aboard the International Space Station for NASA since September.

"Everything is different in microgravity," she says. "Things float off pretty quickly."

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION—Before NASA selected her as an astronaut candidate seven years ago, Loral O'Hara worked as a research engineer in Woods Hole.

O'Hara spent eight years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she worked on the operation of underwater vehicles.

In 2019 she completed two years of astronaut training, and later served a year as NASA's director of operations in Russia. Since September, O'Hara has been researching how the space environment affects the human body.

"I still have a moment every day looking at Earth when I see something insanely beautiful," O'Hara told Morning Edition host Patrick Flanary. "I'm just in awe."

She expects to return to Earth in April.

"It's hard to believe that our mission is coming to a close," O'Hara said. "I still feel like there are so many things to do and see. I'd be delighted to come back."

Click LISTEN above for the full interview.

See the full video of the interview HERE.

Patrick Flanary is a dad, journalist, and host of Morning Edition.
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