(WHDH) – Two hundred and fifty-four miles above the Earth, Massachusetts native Scott Tingle is on the adventure of a lifetime.
“The days are full, and they’re busy and some of the most rewarding days I’ve ever had,” Tingle said.
Tingle, along with five other astronauts, is part of “Expedition 54” on the International Space Station. The expedition group is living on the ISS and conducting more than 250 scientific investigations.
The life and activities of the crew are their own kind of research.
“We’re living as humans in space and that’s always a challenge because it’s not our natural environment, we make it as natural as we can. We’re also doing maintenance up here on the systems, the life support systems and the International Space Station itself,” Tingle said.
Tingle’s long road to space began in Massachusetts—he was born in Attleboro and grew up in Randolph. He earned his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from what is now the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth.
“I haven’t lived in New England for quite a while but you never forget where you come from and that’s home. Randolph is home town for me, I still have family and friends there and I’m proud of having that in my past,” he said.
Tingle has an impressive resume, including service as a naval aviator with more than 50 combat missions to his name. He said the experience in space has given him a new appreciation for the small blue orb we all call home.
“A phenomenal, beautiful view and how delicate our earth is, how we need to take care of it,” the astronaut added.
Tingle said he’s making sure that amid all the business of everyday life on the ISS, he can step back and appreciate the magnitude of what he’s doing.
“We’re trying to enjoy it as much as we can, we’re trying to be as productive as we can, and reveling in the camaraderie and the stories that we’ll tell our grand kids someday,” he said.
Tingle said he will make his return back to Earth in April.
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