Top 10 Unbelievable Facts About Living in Space
#10: Cuisine
Most people have probably heard of Tang, but food eaten in space has come a long way since the early days. Foods taken into space used to be packaged in tubes to prevent spillage and for ease of consumption, but it’s a lot more normal these days. Like most things, weight is a major consideration, since it’s more expensive to transport the heavier it is. Nutritional value and the food’s shelf life are also important factors, as it needs to provide everything astronauts need to stay healthy for as long as it can. Often packaged in lightweight, specially sealed containers, space food comes in plenty of variety these days, particularly on the International Space Station, with hundreds of different dishes to choose from.
#9: Body Proportions Change
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The human body isn’t exactly made for being in space, so there are some side effects to spending a lot of time up there. These effects can range from vision problems to muscle deterioration. But one of the most pronounced changes is the shape of the body itself. Without gravity pulling on it, the spine straightens out; adding to astronauts’ heights. Blood flow also tends to move upward as well, giving space travelers a puffy face, a wider torso, and giving the legs a shrunken appearance. This “extreme makeover: space edition” is just temporary, however.
#8: Hygiene Problems
Staying clean is tough enough on Earth, but space adds plenty of its own problems. Naturally, showers and baths are untenable in a zero-g environment. So, astronauts are forced to use sponges to wash themselves. Special soaps and shampoos that don’t require rinsing are also used to cut down on water. Speaking of which, because surface tension keeps liquid close to the skin, so they can make do with a small amount of water overall. They also have to be very careful when shaving or combing their hair, because loose hairs float freely and can be inhaled or get in people’s eyes!
#7: Sleeping Difficulties
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Trying to sleep in space would probably be a nightmare for insomniacs! For starters, the International Space Station rotates around the Earth multiple times per day, leading to each “day” being only around 90 minutes. This can play havoc on sleeping schedules. In addition, astronauts must be strapped in so they don’t knock into anything while floating. Plus, the insides of the station are actually quite noisy, as all the machines produce sound; necessitating earplugs or sleeping pills to help put astronauts out. Although there are some benefits, such as a reduction in snoring, the journey to unconsciousness is an uphill one for many.
#6: Space Adaptation Syndrome
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Motion sickness is what happens when your brain can’t reconcile the fact that we’re immobile yet in-motion on Earth. Similarly… or rather, opposingly, astronauts’ brains have a difficult time adjusting to a lack of gravity and the strange sense of motion while in space. Space adaptation syndrome occurs usually upon reaching space, with over half of space travelers experiencing illness, vomiting, and other discomfort as a result of the sudden change. Even the specialized training astronauts undergo to withstand nausea isn’t enough to eliminate it completely. We’re getting queasy just thinking about it!
#5: Clothing
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The most famous pieces of clothing astronauts wear are the space suits used for moving around in the vacuum. These are incredibly cumbersome and difficult to put on, but offer protection from the conditions of space. Then there are the flight and entry suits donned by astronauts as they ascend or descend in a shuttle or re-entry pod. While aboard a spacecraft, however, most astronauts wear pretty typical clothing. The main difference, though, is that they can’t launder clothes, due to the aforementioned water considerations. Still, with less physical exertion, they don’t sweat as much, which means they can wear clothes for longer without changing. And when they do get too dirty, clothes are generally disposed of with other garbage.
#4: Toilets
Curious minds, young and old, have often wondered – how do you go to the bathroom in space? It’s actually one of the questions astronauts get the most, probably because, like the famed book says, everybody poops. Most of the toilets in space function using differential air pressure to dispose of waste. Liquids are sucked into a tube and eventually jettisoned into space. Solids, meanwhile, are retained onboard until return to Earth. Sending poop hurtling through space at high speeds is apparently frowned upon. We certainly wouldn’t want that to be our first contact with an alien world!
#3: The Dangers of Flatulence
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No – we’re not kidding! Farting can actually be hazardous in space. Farts may smell, but they quickly dissipate in the atmosphere – not so in confined spaces like space stations, shuttles, or long car rides. In space, farts linger because there’s nowhere for them to go. And while the odor might be bad, what’s worse is the gases they’re made of! Farts are flammable, and when their gas lingers in the air, the slightest spark could create an explosive situation. Silent but deadly indeed! Thankfully, with a controlled diet, astronauts can reduce the amount of certain gases they produce.
#2: Few Deaths in Space
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For as much as the idea of dying in space has ingrained itself in pop culture, there have been relatively few deaths while in outer space. As of 2020, there have been 19 deaths related to spaceflight, 15 of them astronauts and 4 cosmonauts. Furthermore, most of these deaths have been either during take off or reentry. That leaves only 3 deaths to happen while in space itself, or above 330 thousand feet, which occurred on the Soyuz 11 mission in 1971. The 3 cosmonauts were killed after a vent valve defect caused them to asphyxiate in the cabin. While fringe theories abound about undocumented space travelers, these 3 are the only people confirmed to have died in space as of this writing. Before we get to our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Getting Used to Gravity Again People Who’ve Spent Long Durations in Space Often Drop Things Vents Collect Everything Whatever Isn’t Strapped Down Gets Sucked Into Them No Alcohol Not Letting People Get Intoxicated Around Expensive Equipment Is a Smart Move You Can’t Burp Because Gravity Doesn’t Keep Gases Close to Their Mouths, Astronauts Can’t Belch There Is No Crying in Baseba-…Space! Tears Form, But They Will Not Fall
#1: Space Affects the Brain
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Cosmic radiation is some hair stuff folks. Although Earth’s magnetic field protects us, and those in sufficiently close orbit, astronauts are still affected more than most. The radiation can affect cognitive functions in the brain over prolonged periods and can accelerate the onset of diseases like Alzheimer’s. While most astronauts’ tours aren’t long enough for it to be too extreme, planned missions to Mars and other solar bodies like asteroids could prove difficult unless space agencies discover a way to better shield astronauts. After all, we wouldn’t want to send them all that way if their brains aren’t up for the tasks they have to perform when they get there!
