One-on-one with Cmdr. Chris Hadfield

Cmdr. Chris Hadfield feels like a human lab rat.

One week after landing back on Earth, following a 146-day stint in space, the Canadian astronaut said every step in getting accustomed to life on solid ground is an experiment.

The 53-year-old explained to Global National’s Dawna Friesen, in a Skype interview, the transitions he is going through is a lesson for the scientists that are working with him as he re-adapts.

“I’m a wonderful case study of how the body reintegrates to the vector of gravity, and starts to ignore how I was living in space,” he said.

He said scientists are doing all sorts of experiments that can’t be conducted in any other situation.

But after months of educating Earthlings, young and old, about the science and life in space, he has one main goal at the moment.

“I just want to be able to walk in a straight line and not feel like I’m going to throw up all the time,” he said with a chuckle. “You would not want to feel the way I feel right now.”

He expects it will take him four to five months, about as long as he was on board the International Space Station, to recover from the mission.

After five months, he said he developed a “sense of oneness” from looking down at the planet from the space station. But, he also feels much closer to everyone — not just his family.

He’s not making any big plans for the future, other than taking part in Canada Day celebrations on July 1 and serving as the Parade Grand Marshal at this year’s Calgary Stampede.

When asked if he had any long-term aspirations he said “It’s like asking an infant on their knees if they’re going to run in the Olympics.”

For now, his focus is on his recovery and ensuring the space agencies get what they can out of his recovery process.