Hello, hello, hello. Welcome to Smart Talks with IBM, a podcast from Pushkin Industries,

I heart radio, and IBM. I'm Malcolm Glabel. This season we're talking to the new creators, the

developers, data scientists, CTOs, and other visionaries who are creatively

applying technology and business to drive change.

Channeling their knowledge and expertise,

they are developing more creative and effective solutions

no matter the industry.

On the final episode of the season, our guest is NASA astronaut and retired Army

Colonel Mark Bandai.

Mark holds the record for the longest single spaceflight undertaken by an American.

He spent 355 days in orbit on the International Space Station returning to Earth on March 30,

2022.

During his nearly year-long stay in space,

Mark conducted scientific experiments on behalf of NASA,

including research where he himself was the test subject.

By documenting the physiological changes he went through, Mark serves as an important source of

data in understanding the impact of extended spaceflight on humans.

I spoke with Mark about his experience as an astronaut and what he learned from living in space for a year.

He told me about performing research only doable in space, times he felt true fear,

and how seeing Earth from orbit challenged his personal beliefs and led him to become an

advocate for mental health and sustainability.

Okay, let's get to the interview.

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