David Saint-Jacques became just the fourth Canadian to complete a spacewalk on Monday.
He and NASA astronaut Anne McClain left the International Space Station for roughly six-and-a-half hour to conduct a series of tasks.
Those tasks included upgrading the spacecraft’s wireless communication system and connecting jumper cables to an alternative power source.
Saint-Jacques described the experience as “pure joy,” but also compared it to running a marathon in the sense that it was both physically and psychologically grueling.
He said he was so full of adrenaline when he returned inside the space station that he couldn’t fall asleep that night.
According to the Canadian astronaut, every move during a spacewalk is choreographed and he didn’t have much time to sit back and take in the incredible feat he was apart of.
He said that it’ll likely take him years to fully absorb the experience of walking in space outside the International Space Station.
Saint-Jacques was able to relay his thoughts on the historic feat to reporters on Wednesday through a live video link from the space station.
With files from the Canadian Press.
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