Col. Shane Kimbrough, a NASA astronaut and Class of 1989 West Point grad, recently returned to West Point to give an in-depth lecture on his experience on the International Space Station April 20 at Robinson Auditorium.

Col. Shane Kimbrough, a NASA astronaut and Class of 1989 West Point grad, conducted a questions and answers session with cadets after an in-depth lecture on his experience on the International Space Station and the NASA program.

After spending six months traveling at more than 17,000 mph at nearly 220 miles above the Earth, Col. Shane Kimbrough is finally back on some familiar ground. Kimbrough, a U.S. Military Academy Class of 1989 graduate, returned to West Point to give an in-depth lecture on his experience on the International Space Station.

This recent mission set a record for the longest spaceflight by a U.S. crewed spacecraft. The crew traveled 84,653,119 statute miles and completed 3,194 orbits around Earth.

“I am so thrilled to be back here with potentially the future generation of space explorers,ˮ Kimbrough said. “It could be someone from here that will land on Mars one day.ˮ

As cadets packed Robinson Auditorium on April 20, Kimbrough discussed the importance of space exploration and how they performed science experiments and technology demonstrations during their mission.

“We were able to work aboard the ISS to expand the knowledge and importance of space,ˮ Kimbrough said. “We were doing experiments in space with scientists who were on Earth, and all that data helps propel us forward.ˮ

He also explained what it was like when he performed three spacewalks, bringing his total to nine throughout his career.

Kimbrough’s most recent trip to space was his third mission. He previously flew on the space shuttle in 2008 and onboard a Russian Soyuz rocket in 2016. Amazingly, he has now spent a total of 388 days away from Earth. Only three other U.S. astronauts have been in orbit longer.

This trip to West Point was to not only share his experiences but it was also to listen to cadets ask questions.

“I think it is pretty cool for Col. Kimbrough to visit back at West Point,ˮ said Class of 2024 Cadet Jackson Everett, Company D-1. “Not many schools have astronauts that are graduates that they can talk to about space and the NASA program.ˮ

Everett went on to say that he learned that Kimbrough was also in his company when he was here.

“People asked questions about his time at West Point, so I asked him if he prefers MREs or space food,ˮ Everett said. “Everyone laughed, and I thought it was funny that MREs are also used in space. Plus, he said that astronauts from other countries share their food with each other.

“I also asked him if his bench press was different in space than it was on Earth,ˮ Everett added with a smile. “I thought his answer was funny because there wasnʼt a difference because the machines adjust for the lack of gravity.ˮ

Kimbrough continued his lecture while also showing a few videos of his space journey. After the brief, he stayed back to answer more questions.

“I think people left inspired to chase their dreams,ˮ Everett said. “It was so incredible to hear all that he could do aboard the spacecraft.”

For more information on the ISS or to track it, visit https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/tracking_map.cfm.