What’s like being an astronaut?
Tags: Science Communication, NASA, Astronomy, Astronauts, Space Exploration

I’ve fantasized too many times about what being an astronaut and being sent out in space would feel like. I often watched astronauts interviews and tried to imagine how would no gravity feel like, how they manage to eat “astronaut food” for long periods, how they go to the bathroom, sleep, and many things we most of the time ignore and take for granted here on Earth.

So here I wanted to share some of these kinds of challenges they go through.

First of all… How do they occupy their time? What do they do up there in the ISS!?

Actually they are very very busy. Astronauts and cosmonauts have to do a lot of work to operate the many science experiments on board. They have to monitor and make sure everything in the station is working, pretty much how people here make sure we pay the bill to have running water, gas, and energy. But 100 times more difficult, for starters they have to do all the work there’s nobody else they can call to fix the station like we call a plumber when we don’t know why we have a leak lets say.

Also, they have to make sure everything is clean and sanitized since nobody is getting out of there to get some fresh air. These basic maintenance tasks of checking equipment, repairing, replacing, and cleaning may take a lot of their time. Still, these people must also exercise two hours each day to stay fit and keep their bones and muscles strong. Let’s not forget that astronauts are, well, astronauts and some days they have to do spacewalks to work outside the station with their spacesuits. That’s a dangerous and tough job and they need to be 100% concentrated the whole time.

Another challenge astronauts face is coexistence!!! Its already a challenge to live with a roommate, or family; Imagine sharing 24/7 a small space with 3 to 6 other members from different cultures, since astronaut crews come from the U.S., Russia, Japan, Canada, and Europe.

All these new (maybe expected, because they are trained to) experiences start the moment they give the last hug (till they come back) to their family and get on that monstrous huge rocket. Three people are crammed into a small space. The crew gets in there about two and a half hours before launch. Once the crew is all strapped in, they perform a series of pre-flight checks of all the systems. When the checks are finished, the crew waits while workers on the launch pad do the final rocket preparations. Then, as if a giant beast is waking up they hear and feel the thumping and bumping of valves opening and closing as engine systems are pressurized. When the engines light things start to shake and rumble.

As they begin to move up and away from the launch pad the force of gravity or acceleration on their body increases rapidly and then drops immediately. About eight and a half minutes after launch there is a loud bang and they know they are there, in space. With nothing pushing them back into their seat anymore, everything just floats.

These things are practiced over and over again (during the three years of astronaut training) in a simulator that mimics the noise and shaking of launch, but cannot mimic the acceleration and speed of a real launch, the feeling of going from 0 miles per hour to 17,500 miles per hour in eight minutes. From there they have to learn how to live and work in the absence of gravity.

But…What effects does space flight have on their body? Immediately upon entering zero gravity, fluids in legs and the lower part of the body move upwards towards the head, which may cause occasional headaches and congestion. In fact, your face would feel and look swollen. Some astronauts feel dizzy and have an upset stomach during the first few days of a space flight as they get used to zero gravity. This feeling usually goes away after three or four days. After a few days almost everyone is used to zero gravity and feels great. Furthermore, if they don’t exercise at least two hours daily, their bones and muscles will get weak.

If you are a foodie like me you may be concerned about what kind of food do they eat!? Well as weird as it sounds most of the food they take has already been cooked, then freeze-dried and vacuum packed (meaning the water and air has been taken out of it), or it is thermally stabilized (meaning treated and sealed in a package to prevent spoiling), pretty much like camping food. They are able to eat them by adding water and then warming up them in a small warming oven. But hey, good news is that peanut butter, in fact, is the nearly perfect space food.(yay!)

A very important one…How do they go to the bathroom in space?Obviously the space potty is a little different than the Earth potty…but like I mentioned, they’re floating around, and you don’t want EVERYTHING floating around.To overcome this issue, they must use foot-loops or straps while ‘sitting’ on the seat, like a seat belt. Also, the space potty uses suction, not water, to ‘flush.’

What happens when they start missing home? Many astronauts carry pictures of their family with them on space missions. But we all know a picture will not do the same as a message, a call, or a video call. So yeah, until a few years ago, they were not able to communicate easily with people on the ground outside of mission control. But now, they can send email to friends and family directly, and make phone calls using a hook-up through their computer. Fortunately, our current technologies are enough to get the phone connection really clear.

My husband usually cries like a baby (or I feel it that way) whenever he gets sick, just imagine getting sick up there with no doctor to take care of you. Astronauts prepare for these scenarios(of course)…They carry first aid kits and some special medical equipment into space. They are also trained to take care of most minor and some major medical problems, and they can talk to doctors on the ground if help is needed. Apart from that, if someone gets very sick in space, they can make an emergency trip back to Earth.

Astronauts are well aware of the risks involved in space travel. But they are willing to take these risks because they believe in the mission of space exploration and think the risk is well worth the benefit. Yay! for astronauts, thanks for all your efforts and contributions to science!

Info is taken from an interview found at www.nasa.gov

Would you dare become an astronaut?

What do you think you will miss most about your terrestrial life?

Let me know in your comments what other doubts do you have about astronauts!

#astronauts#astronomy#ISS#space#science#mission#Earth#scicomm

By : blueskycele