Astronaut Michael Foale who was minutes away from death explains how he survived when space vessel got out of control
Space travel is becoming safer with time, and space tourism is abuzz more than ever. However, in its evolving stages, astronauts suffered major tragedies, including the infamous Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, which led to the tragic deaths of all seven members aboard the shuttle. Despite the setbacks, the cause of exploring the universe has remained closer to the hearts of astronauts and space professionals. Despite the risks surrounding Russia's Mir space station in the 1990s, a British-American astrophysicist, Michael Foale, went on a courageous voyage and also ensured his safe return.
The former National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut, who had just been on three missions before undertaking the voyage, defined what it takes to be a space explorer in its true sense. When a cargo ship, Progress, accidentally ran into one of Mir station’s modules, Michael’s quick thinking saved the lives of his crew when they were just minutes away from death. Speaking to The Mirror, Michael, who is happily retired and still a passionate cosmos explorer, explained what went down on June 25, 1997, when the Spektr module was struck by the resupply vessel. He, along with two Russian cosmonauts, was losing air after the accident caused a reported leakage.
The safe existence of astronauts in space is ensured by a controlled environment inside the space vehicles. But, at that time, the safety protocol was breached, and the space explorers had only 23 minutes to save their lives, according to the outlet. Michael claimed that Moscow’s entire focus was to fix the space station while putting the lives of the crew at risk. The cosmonauts accompanying him, Vasily Tsibliyev and Aleksandr Lazutkin, were also preoccupied with the repair work, and they didn’t pay heed to his advice, reported The Mirror.
“My first thought was, ‘oh s***.’ We had about 23 minutes before we passed out,” Michael told the publication as he recalled telling the cosmonauts to retreat to safety in the other vessel. “I was thinking, ‘Okay, these guys aren't going, but we should be going.’ Russia wasn't giving them any chance to leave. They were breaking their own rules. They were accepting the risk they would die,” he remembered. However, the former NASA expert had some other plans. In his mind, the memories of his home in Houston, Texas, his geologist wife, Rhonda, and his two kids played vividly.
Michael wasn't ready to accept any other option than to return to his loving family. He had an impromptu escape plan, relying on his slightly older Russian colleagues. If they had passed out, the astrophysicist, with experience in diving, would float them to safety first. Unfortunately, the situation was not getting any better as the lights went out, and the space station was slipping out of their control.
On the brink of losing consciousness, the astrophysicist, who back then held the record for the longest spacewalk, thought of an out-of-the-box idea. “At that point, the solar arrays had no power, and the batteries were giving out,” he informed the outlet. “There wasn't a fan running. There was no communication with Moscow or anyone on Earth. The station was totally dead.” To stabilize the space vehicle, he notably fired the lifeboats’ engine in short bursts. As a result, Mir was saved and was prevented from spinning out of control.
Despite the warnings, Michael reportedly stayed at the Mir space station for four long months after the collision. While the Russians were busy blaming their own cosmonauts for the accident, as per The Mirror, Michael stayed there longer for a purpose. “I thought this cooperation with Russia was really, really important. We were cooling down the Cold War, well, warming it up. I looked forward to Russia integrating into Europe at that time in 1997. I just thought it was all for the good, you know?” Michael returned safely to Earth in September 1997 and has since been hailed as a hero.
