By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
Major Nicole Ayers, a former Del Rio resident, returned to Earth Saturday morning from the International Space Station.
Ayers spent more than a year here at Laughlin AFB learning how to fly from 2013 to 2014.
Saturday’s water landing was historic, as it was the first time in 50 years for a Pacific splashdown.
Ayers told People magazine in May that the experience was “memorable.”
“I like to say the English language doesn’t have the right words to describe how amazing the experience is. The launch was amazing. And then getting to come through the hatch of the International Space Station, just awesome, amazing, ecstatic.”
Ayers spent 146 days aboard the ISS as part of Expedition 73, where she conducted more than 200 experiments before safely returning to Earth, according to NASA.
Some of the experiments included protein fluid dynamics, space-grown Swiss chard, microalgae for food and biofuel, plant aging under radiation and in-space pharmaceutical crystallization experiments.
Although one local organization has already made a request to bring her to Del Rio to speak in 2026, Ayers told People she already has plans for the near future.
“I think I would love to get a nice big burger on the beach and just enjoy the sun and the sand and the waves.”
The writer can be reached at JoelaLangton@gmail.com .
