Instagram orbital celebrity, Anton Shkaplerov, the cosmonaut who posts the most unconventional selfies ever, has given an exclusive interview to RT on the 50th anniversary of the first spacewalk.
“One of the most favorite ISS locations for cosmonauts is the cupola module, it has seven large windows, through which we can see our Earth around us in full. It a 360-degree view. Also, in the shadow area, you can see different constellations, celestial bodies,” Shkaplerov commented on the video.
A photo posted by Anton Shkaplerov (@anton_astrey) on Mar 19, 2015 at 12:05pm PDT
Shkaplerov is a dedicated Instagram user, and shares his pictures from space with the world.
“There are many people who are interested in preparations for a space journey, and in what we do on the ISS,” he said. Many are also interested to learn “how ordinary cosmonauts live.”
На #МКС настало время космической стрижки! // It is space-haircut-time. #ISS
A video posted by Anton Shkaplerov (@anton_astrey) on Mar 11, 2015 at 2:02am PDT
Shkaplerov likes taking photos of the places he has already been to, especially his hometown of Sevastopol in Crimea.
“Also, we’re trying to take photos of the places that seem the most beautiful from here, from the perspective of a space flight. I hope that after my mission is complete, after I go through recovery, I hope I’ll visit the places I’m carefully taking photos of now,” he added.
A photo posted by Anton Shkaplerov (@anton_astrey) on Mar 6, 2015 at 7:32am PST
The cosmonaut’s main priority is Russian cities, and he thinks he would need to go to the final frontier a few more times to capture them all, despite taking pictures every day.
“We can take clear pictures of Saint-Petersburg, while Karelia to the north is already on the horizon, and blurred,” Shkaplerov said.
Dear #ElenaSerova,@AstroSamantha and all the women of the world,congratulations on March 8 –international women’s day pic.twitter.com/dwafDvXgsE
— Anton Shkaplerov (@AntonAstrey) March 8, 2015
“However, when we start lifting off from the Vostochny cosmodrome, we would be able to capture the whole territory of Russia,” he added.
Shkaplerov disagrees with the widely received notion that cosmonauts are remote from all earthly affairs.
A photo posted by Anton Shkaplerov (@anton_astrey) on Feb 24, 2015 at 4:30am PST
“Of course we’re immersed in our business during the day, but every day after working hours, we contact our loved ones, our relatives. We can call to any location on Earth using satellite phones, and check out the news,” he said.
Asked about what they would wish to everyone on Earth, he said, “Certainly, peace. Peace on Earth. Our planet is so beautiful. I don’t want people to be at war with each other, to kill each other.”
A photo posted by Anton Shkaplerov (@anton_astrey) on Jan 27, 2015 at 1:43am PST
“And, by the way, the ISS shows how everyone can work, be friends, and develop science beyond the Earth atmosphere – and do it all together,” he said in conclusion to RT.