Field Report: Behind the Scenes of a Space Homecoming

Last week's Expedition 72 Crew Debrief at Space Center Houston was absolutely incredible — and honestly, I’m still in recovery mode. It was a whirlwind of laughter, engineering insight, unexpected food debates, and the kind of joy that only four returning astronauts can radiate after a successful long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Here are some highlights and reflections from my first official assignment with Her Cosmic Orbit — and a moment I’ll never forget.

Dr. Allison McGraw at Johnson Space Center Houston, TX

✏️ Paper, Pencils, and the Coffee Pot

Before the crew took the stage in the main theater, I had the chance to ask astronauts Don Pettit and Nick Hague a question I’d been holding onto:

“This crew represents a unique moment in human spaceflight — flying aboard all three active crew vehicles: SpaceX, Starliner, and Soyuz. What did that diversity of experience teach you about where we are right now — and where we’re headed next?”

Nick Hague responded first, touching on how digital systems today are often designed to mimic the reliability and intention of analog systems — particularly those honed during the Apollo era. It was a reminder that progress isn’t always about flash — it’s about what works, and what endures.

Boeing's Starliner, Soyuz MS-26, SpaceX Dragon Freedom. Credit: NASA

Don Pettit, ever the experimentalist, chimed in with his now-famous “coffee pot” analogy — describing how life support on the ISS recycles water (yes, including filtered urine) in a closed-loop system that quite literally makes your morning brew. He also noticed my notebook and gave a shoutout to mechanical pencils — the preferred tool in orbit, apparently. I nearly blurted out, “Wait, pencils are allowed?” but he beat me to it with his note about mechanics. Classic Don.

🥬 Lettuce, Science, and Fortitude

One of the most charming moments of the evening came when Suni Williams, with her signature grin, lamented that she wasn’t allowed to eat the romaine lettuce she had grown on the ISS. Despite her love of salad — and her role in tending to one of the most famous science experiments aboard the station — the food safety rules were firm. She stared comically but pointedly at the program manager. It was both hilarious and revealing: the constraints of life in orbit are real, and they shape everything from meals to morale.

Red Romaine lettuce growing inside the Kibo laboratory module's Advanced Planet Habitat. Credit: NASA

When asked what word defined this mission for her, Suni didn’t hesitate: “Fortitude.”

That word stuck with me. As a planetary scientist who studies meteorites and asteroid surfaces, I think about this constantly — not just in terms of physical structures, but emotional ones too. Fortitude is how you sustain momentum in the most extreme environments, both in space and in science.

🎂 Space Cakes, Rodeos, and a Rodeo of Joy

The crew spoke candidly about their unexpected mission extension — particularly Suni and Butch Wilmore, who ended up spending far longer aboard Starliner than originally planned. When asked about it, Butch simply smiled: “That’s what we train for.”

They train for contingencies. For the unexpected. For fortitude.

And they also train for joy. The crew shared stories of baking honey-peanut-butter cakes (Don’s invention), celebrating Halloween and Christmas, and even hosting a full-on western dance night aboard the station. “We probably had space cake every two weeks,” they joked. It’s not just survival — it’s celebration in orbit.

Astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams share cookies on Christmas Eve. Credit: NASA

🌍 From the ISS to Earth — A Personal Reflection

When I look up and catch the ISS flying overhead, I always feel awe. But now, after meeting the people who live and work up there, that awe has shape and texture. It has laughter and salad debates and recycled coffee.

The astronauts are not just drifting — they are working. They’re running experiments for NASA, universities, and students around the globe. They take classroom calls mid-orbit. They embody education, outreach, and exploration in motion.

The International Space Station pictured from the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft. Credit: NASA

And for me, as a scientist who also dreams of connecting meteors, space dust, and asteroid families back to their cosmic origins, it was deeply motivating. One of the astronauts mentioned a robotics experiment to grab free-floating tools — technology that might one day help with orbital debris cleanup. I couldn’t help but wonder: What if we could catch a meteor before it burned up in Earth’s atmosphere? What if we could study its space-weathered surface before it was wiped clean?

💫 Her Cosmic Orbit, Grounded and Inspired

I couldn’t stop smiling at Suni Williams. At one point during the debrief, I caught her smiling right back at me. I tried to reach her after the event, but like most astronaut encounters, the PR team gently swept them away before I could say hello.

Still, I left with something greater — a sense that our work, whether in orbit or in the lab, is all connected.

As I wrote in my space log journal that night:

“They brought fortitude. I brought a notebook. That’s enough to build a bridge between Earth and stars.”

Thank you to Expedition 72 — and to Her Cosmic Orbit — for letting me witness it all.

– Dr. Allison McGraw

Founder & CEO of Mysterious Meteorites

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