Preparing to leave the International Space Station (ISS)

Uploaded on June 17, 2019

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Preparing to leave the International Space Station (ISS)

2019-06-17 - After more than six months in space, David Saint-Jacques prepares to return to Earth on June 24, 2019.

The CSA astronaut has already started packing. Part of his personal belongings were aboard the Dragon spacecraft that left the ISS on June 3.

Here is what is in his luggage. (Credits: Canadian Space Agency, NASA)

David Saint-Jacques: Well, there is always an end to everything, so eventually, I have to pack up. It’s bitter sweet. Of course, looking forward to going back home, seeing my friends and family, but, you know, it’s a bit emotional, to have to leave Station. This is my crew quarters, my little personal space, in space, for six months. So, I got to take down all these photos of friends everywhere and pack them up. I have a big stash of them that I brought with me, that I took photos of the photos in space. Finish taking down the precious kids' drawings that I was sent from the ground over the months. There is no way I am leaving them in space! I’m gonna keep a few precious items, like toys the kids gave me, and jewelry, that I will bring with me on the Soyuz. We can bring about the size of a box of tissues with us in the Soyuz, but the bulk of the things we want to send back, we can send back using a Dragon spacecraft. So, a few weeks before departure, we have an allocation to send stuff down in one of those… transfer bags. So this will go back to the ground and in a few months I’ll retrieve it after return… after processing. Other things that go back to the ground on the Dragon spacecraft, of course, are the results of scientific experiments and equipment that needs to be repaired.

Alright! That one is ready for packing. Let’s go see that.

See you in a couple of months!

And when it’s really time to leave on the Soyuz, we’ll pack the last few precious items that we can bring back with us.

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