NASA Astronaut Shares What It's Like Watching Earth From Space [Watch]

NASA astronaut Drew Morgan shared his experience on leaving Earth and living in the International Space Station (ISS) in an episode of "Down to Earth," as the 20th anniversary of the ISS inhabiting people approaches.

"There's an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the experience that so few humans have had," began Morgan in a video posted Thursday, Oct. 15, at 1:04 p.m. EDT by the ISS' official Twitter account (@Space_Station). The NASA astronaut expressed his moment of awe towards the home planet upon reaching outer space and peering down at it.

"We're so fortunate to live on such a perfect planet positioned where it is in the solar system. We know of nothing quite like it," continued Morgan.

The brief four-minute video posted by the ISS featured several astounding moments the crew members shared while in the space station, including spacewalks. On one occasion, Morgan had to sit on a robotic arm for 20 minutes, where he marvelled on the view of the Earth.

"Without the obstruction of the atmosphere, without life being refracted, stars are much more distinct. They don't have that twinkle anymore, everything is very crisp." he described, adding that one could see infinitely more stars from where he was seated during his spacewalk on January.

The NASA astronaut who returned home in April also recalled some moments in the weeks that preceded their journey back home to Earth. During this time, the pandemic was already affecting the course of everyone's lives, and even the astronauts felt its oppressive effects on the ISS.

Asked to make a video on their impressions of going back to Earth in the middle of a global pandemic, Morgan recorded himself panning the camera toward the Earth. In the video, Morgan said a line that struck the hearts of many back here on the planet:

"An Earth in crisis is still an Earth worth returning to."

During a moment of reflection, Morgan explained how he and his crew members appreciated their time in space, but they still longed to return to the planet in all its greatness, problems and everything in between.