The name of Osvaldo Peinado It may not be as recognized worldwide as that of Neil Armstrong, but the man is a more than outstanding character for the Argentine community devoted to the study of stars, space travel and NASA.
And now, Peinado, surprisingly, has decided to give an endearing interview to a local newspaper while visiting his homeland to live together during the festivities of soccer World Cup Qatar 2022 where Leonel Messi made history, both on and off the field.
The NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) They are reference institutions for the space exploration industry. Although, the contemporary reality is that today there are too many projects with too many instances, both public and private, in the race for space.
However, before all this, this particular subject had the opportunity to collaborate with both agencies, generating throughout his professional career a considerable number of stories and anecdotes that little by little have come to light.
Osvaldo Peinado and his time at NASA: stories and unique moments of space exploration
the diary of The Andes 139º had the opportunity to chat with Peinado, publishing the warm interview with the specialist in its edition of January 8, 2023.
There, in the talk, which took place passing through Mendoza, his homeland, we witnessed a considerable number of stories and anecdotes that can only be experienced thanks to the opportunity to have collaborated on projects of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the POT.
Where perhaps one of the most memorable points of conversation is the revelation that explorers up there on the International Space Station (ISS) rarely want to go home, even if they have to do particular physical activities to avoid wear and tear. :
“They don’t want to go back to land. Sometimes the mission lasts longer than necessary and, far from getting angry, they celebrate it.
They must train three hours a day with elastic bands that simulate weights so as not to lose muscle mass and prevent osteoporosis. After two weeks of being in space, there is that risk and, when they go down to earth, their condition usually gets complicated and many do not recover.
If you don’t train, the lack of weight causes the bones to become decalcified and you have to be very rigorous and methodical with the exercise.”
The interview is not to be missed thanks to his other anecdotes, where he talks about a situation where there was a risk that a group of astronauts would have sex in space and the sector’s current obsession with returning to the Moon.
Peinado currently works as a specialist for the European project of the Global Positioning System, the famous GPS.
