- "Splashdown"

The four crew members of Crew-2 will be brought back to Earth by Space X's Dragon capsule.

After re-entering the atmosphere, the spacecraft will make a dizzying descent that will end at sea, somewhere off Florida, Tuesday at 03:33 GMT according to the latest information from NASA.

This landing is a first for Thomas Pesquet, who in 2017 landed in the Kazakh steppes with the Russian Soyuz.

"We are going to descend 8 or 9 meters per second, it is quite fast and much stronger than a plane which lands in water", explained the astronaut on the radio France Inter.

Once the capsule has "hit" the surface of the sea ("splashdown" in English), it will float, and the crew will be recovered as quickly as possible by ships positioned nearby.

AFP International Space Station

The arrival is likely to rock a little: "We already have a little seasickness when we come back on land, so there is a risk of being even worse", anticipates Thomas Pesquet.

The medical team on site has provided the necessary care to avoid dehydration in the event of excessive nausea, told AFP Adrianos Golemis, the doctor of the Alpha mission.

- Stop in Houston and flight to Europe

A helicopter will bring the "Crew 2" back to dry land, from where they will take a plane to the NASA space center in Houston (Texas).

Thomas Pesquet, 43, will undergo rapid medical tests there.

"We will monitor his blood pressure which may be low because in weightlessness, the blood has circulated in a different direction," explains Dr. Golemis.

He will also undergo neurological examinations: his body having floated for six months, his balance system will have to get used to gravity again, and learn to stand up again.

"Like a little child learning to ride a bike," says Franck De Winne, chief astronaut for the European Space Agency (ESA).

(ld) Image from video released on April 23, 2021 by NASA of astronauts Thomas Pesquet, Megan McArthur, Shane Kimbrough and Akihiko Hoshide in the Crew Dragon capsule before the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Kennedy Space Center, Florida - NASA TV / AFP / Archives

It is therefore necessary to support the astronauts on their return to prevent any fall, especially since they have lost bone density, increasing the risk of fracture.

Also on the menu: tests to detect infections, especially Covid-19.

The astronauts may have vaccinated before their departure, their immune systems will be weakened after their stay in space, and will take two weeks to recover.

Once this "check-up" (about two hours) is finished, the Frenchman will say goodbye to his Japanese and American team-mates, who will remain in Houston.

It will fly to Cologne, Germany, where the European Astronaut Center is located.

- Fitness

Three weeks of intense physical rehabilitation program awaits him.

"The priority is to be sure that he returns to his functions and remains in good health," underlines Belgian astronaut Franck de Winne, who heads the center.

Thomas Pesquet will gradually rework the muscles supporting the spine, inactivated for six months.

He will gradually regain his skills.

"After a few hours, or a day at most, you can walk on your own. And a few days later, run," recalls the Belgian astronaut who spent six months in the ISS.

Astronaut Thomas Pesquet during his spacewalk on June 16, 2021 Handout NASA TV / AFP

"It's impressive to see their speed of recovery! And it has been observed that when an astronaut flies for the second time, it is a little easier than the first," comments Dr Golemis.

- Guinea pig

The astronaut will be subjected to the same tests as before and during his mission, in order to contribute to the collection of scientific data on the effect of micro-gravity on the human body.

"It is the whole body that we study" after this extraordinary upheaval, summarizes Dr. Golemis.

Certain pathologies observed only in space, where the blood circulates "as if in the opposite direction", are particularly interesting.

As this syndrome says "WITHOUT", a loss of visual acuity affecting some astronauts.

"It helps us better understand the eye."

(ld) Photo released on April 23, 2021 by NASA of astronauts Thomas Pesquet, Akihiko Hoshide, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur at Kennedy Space Center, Florida Aubrey GEMIGNANI NASA / AFP

- Vacation

Although restrictive, the program will not prevent the astronaut from seeing his relatives.

"And then I hope, first week of vacation for many months," he added on Friday.

"I even feel like it's been years."

© 2021 AFP