8 Things I Have To Deal With As An Astronaut
What exactly do astronauts do when they're up in space? We dive into the life of an astronaut and what it takes to be one!
By Melody Oei — 23 Sep 2013, 11:18 AM — Updated over 10 years ago
1. I sleep without a pillow
American crew members' sleeping quarters are well-ventilated (to prevent breathing in the carbon dioxide you just breathed out), soundproof private cabin-for-one setups where an astronaut can not only catch some Z's but also catch up on e-mail.
howstuffworks.com
2. I can't have high blood pressure or bad eyesight
An astronaut's near and far vision must be correctable to 20/20 in each eye. Yep, getting LASIK is okay. As for your physical health, your blood pressure must not be above 140/90 when in a sitting position.
3. I have to exercise regularly, it helps me readjust more quickly to Earth's gravity when I get back
Astronauts must exercise - They may lose muscle and bone loss so they must exercise daily if they are on a long mission. Exercise also helps them readjust more quickly to Earth's gravity when they return
thinkquest.org
A NASA-funded study of astronauts freshly returned from six-month stays aboard the International Space Station found that their calf muscles were about 15 percent smaller and 25 percent weaker than when they left.
Image via wired.com4. I have to be a good swimmer
Because of that pesky phenomenon known as gravity, day-to-day air living isn't great for simulating the likes of the universe. Some of your training will be done underwater. If you can't swim, you probably won't make the cut.
NASA puts candidates through military water-survival training and make sure you can tread water for 10 minutes in addition to swimming 75 meters in a flight suit and being SCUBA-qualified.
5. I have to be picky about hygiene because germs multiply faster in space
Living in the cramped quarters of the space shuttle or the International Space Station for weeks or even months at a time can get stinky if astronauts aren't careful about their personal hygiene.
howstuffworks.com
6. I take showers in a big cylinder that is enclosed by a plastic sleeve to prevent my bath water from floating away
Astronauts spray themselves with water from a nozzle to rinse off, and then use a vacuum hose attachment to suck up all the water from their skin. To wash their hair, they use a rinseless shampoo.
howstuffworks.com
7. I "wet burp" (kind of vomiting) when I drink Coke in space
Astronaut Anthony W. England, mission specialist, drinks from a special carbonated beverage dispenser labeled Coke while floating in the middeck area of the shuttle Challenger during the STS-51F mission in 1985. Note the can appears to have its own built in straw.
Image via space.comToday, astronauts on the space shuttle eat food in much the same way as they do here on Earth. In a low-gravity environment, food and drinks would simply float away if they weren't handled correctly.
howstuffworks.com
Carbonated drinks have been tried in space, but are not favored due to changes in belching caused by microgravity; without gravity to separate the liquid and gas in the stomach, burping results in a kind of vomiting called "wet burping".
8. I have to learn how to repair complex aeronautical equipment and conduct experiments while floating around Earth, in a big suit
Spacewalkers wear protective suits when they enter the airless vacuum of space. These suits have many different layers which keep the wearers at the right temperature, enable them to breathe, and protect them from harmful radiation.
To stop astronauts from floating away and being lost in space, they are connected to the Station by thin cords. Spacewalks can last for many hours.
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