‘The Speed of Heat’! Happy 1-Year Anniversary! One year ago today, I sent this picture and tweet from space, at the end of my 6-month journey. Just before Shannon, Fyodor and I strapped into our Soyuz capsule to begin our fiery return to the planet. It is difficult to describe the re-entry through the atmosphere in this small capsule. I’ve jokingly described the ride home as riding over Niagara Falls in a barrel that is on fire! The memories of those moments of ‘peak heating’ will stay with me forever...thankful for the accurately engineered ‘ablative’ heat shielding on the Soyuz. ‘Ablative’...just a fancy word for ‘Comes Apart’...

Thanks, Stefy...for remembering this moment.

Original Tweet from November 25, 2010:

From the ISS Cupola reflecting on a life challenge I heard long ago – 'Be strong enough to know when you are weak... brave enough to face yourself when you are afraid... never substitute words for actions. Learn to stand up in the storm, but have compassion for those who fall. Always have a heart that is clean, a goal that is high... learn to laugh but never forget how to weep.' - Until we meet again...