In June this year, two American astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore flew to the International Space Center for an eight-day mission. But, due to technical fault, their hope of returning to Earth has been postponed for eight months.
NASA scientists are trying to bring them to Earth by February 2025. Currently, they are sharing space with nine other people in a space the size of a six-bedroom house. Sunita and Wilmore revealed in a recent video that they are living very well. But, is it easy or difficult to live 400 kilometers above the Earth? Former astronauts revealed this.
The astronauts told that living in the International Space Center is not easy. They have to exercise for at least two hours daily, wash their own clothes, take special care of what they eat. Most importantly, the smell of space is very strange. One of them also revealed that he sweats a lot even without exercising. He cannot even move so that the sweat drops do not float in the air. He had to spend three months in one pair of pants.
Starting the day by getting up early in the morning
Former astronauts reveal the secrets of surviving on the ISS to the BBC. They wake up at around 06:30 am. The astronauts have to sleep in a phone-booth sized bedroom in the ISS module called Harmony. American NASA astronaut Nicole Stott has spent 104 days in space on two missions in 2009 and 2011. She says there is also a corner for photos and books related to family when she misses them.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who was the commander of 35 missions in 2012-13, says that most of the time of the passengers in space is spent in maintenance or scientific experiments. There are six laboratories for various experiments in the ISS. The size of the center is as big as a football field. According to him, “From inside it looks as if many buses are connected together. Many times it happens that you do not see any person for half a day. There is a very peaceful atmosphere in the ISS.
What does space smell like?
Some lucky astronauts get a chance to walk in space outside the International Space Station. Hadfield says that he has got this opportunity twice. He says, ‘I spent 15 hours in space. Only my plastic mask stood between me and the universe. This time was also like the rest of the 15 hours of life.’ But during the space walk, I realized that the ‘space smell’ is like the smell of some metal. On Earth we smell many different smells. But in space there is only one smell and we quickly get used to it. ” Apart from this, there is no weather in space. It does not rain on your face nor does your hair fly in the wind.
Just one pair of pants for three months
Nicole Stott says that a lot of sweat comes out during the whole day of work. This is the biggest problem. “We have no laundry material. There is only water that forms in the form of droplets and some soap-like substance. The clothes get so dirty that they are put in space to be burned. She explains, ‘In zero gravity, clothes float on the body, so oil or anything else has no effect on them. I had the same pair of pants for three months.’ Instead, food was the biggest concern. She says, ‘For example, someone opens a lunch box, it contains meat and gravy. Everyone is alert that the fat of the meat should not start floating in the air.
