Astronaut for a Day
Good morning, and welcome!
In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve wanted to do a post about the International Space Station since the time of the Languages of the Past article, or perhaps even further. Flying above us every 90 minutes are people, real people (Christopher Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin, and Ivan Vagner, as of now), whose tireless efforts in the ISS to advance space travel as we know it are going to change the world someday. We can already see it happening. And, everybody, I’ll make the obvious pun and admit that their work is out of this world.
When 6 in the Morning was first introduced back in April, I told you all that I’d do my best to keep your eyes to the stars whether they’re out or not. With any luck, that these 6 amazing facts about the ISS and the heroes that live there will do just that.
Life as an astronaut is a strenuous thing to prepare for, as candidates for the job must be trained in a variety of specialized skills. To apply to be an astronaut for NASA, candidates must be a U.S. citizen, have obtained at least a master’s degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) field, spent at least 2 years working in that field, and pass a physical and psychological exam given by NASA. Candidates can also log experience in a jet aircraft. Strong communicators are favored, as are those who have backgrounds in leadership positions or possess important leadership skills. Since 2016, NASA has received nearly 20,000 applications per year. In order to select the ideal candidates, the organization reviews each person’s qualifications and selects a small group of applicants to interview further. About half of those interviewed are given the title of astronaut, after which they begin an intense 2 year training program. Preparing to live in low-gravity is a challenging goal on Earth, where… well… we have gravity! NASA astronauts practice in specially made suits underwater, sometimes spending up to 7 hours submerged at a time. They take language classes to communicate with the representatives of other countries contributing to the ISS, public speaking classes, and learn survival skills in case of an emergency. Until we are able to send more people up to space at a given time, a NASA astronaut must truly be a jack of all trades for the ISS to continue functioning!
Think you have what it takes to apply for NASA’s new Artemis space program? Read more information here: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/explorers-wanted-nasa-to-hire-more-artemis-generation-astronauts
There is no oxygen in space. We know this. You can see it when a character dies tragically in ever sci-fi movie ever, in the way that we grow short of breath and sometimes even sick in places of higher elevations, and, of course, on the ISS, where venturing outside the comfort of your module sweet module unprotected could result in some undesirable circumstances. Enter electrolysis: a process utilized by NASA to limit the amount of oxygen they must send to the ISS during resupply missions. You could call this concept a bit of a hand-me-down from the past, as it was originally created for submarines that were unable to regularly resurface. The process starts with water. On the ISS, water is obtained in part by resupply missions, but also by the Water Reclamation System, which purifies condensation, Extra Vehicular Activity waste, and urine for reuse. Some of this water is used for drinking and bathing, but the rest is dedicated to… well… breathing! During electrolysis, an electric current passes through the water and rearranges the hydrogen and oxygen molecules that make up the liquid. New molecules, and therefore new substances, are produced: hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. In this way, the astronauts can continue living in space safely and effectively.
Electrolysis is still used in submarines today! Read more about it in this Interesting Engineering article: https://interestingengineering.com/interesting-engineering-behind-submarines#:~:text=the%20purpose%20entirely.-,Electrolysis,water%20or%20H2O.
Though “space food” was developed for astronauts, the information and processes discovered throughout NASA’s research has actually been essential for many other people on Earth as well, such as the elderly, hikers and campers, babies, and hospital patients. However, there’s one challenge for meals on the ISS that is not posed on our planet: lack of gravity. If not carefully contained, liquids would disperse and solids would float away. This is why drinks in space are shipped as powders to which water is added at the time of consumption. All foods are either partially or totally dehydrated for a longer shelf life and a more compact size, then rehydrated and heated in a convection oven by the astronauts themselves. Astronauts are kept on a strict meal schedule by their personal nutritionists back home, as appetites often decline in space. This is due to the fact that they cannot smell the food in low-gravity! At mealtimes, they are strapped into one place with their food containers and eat with ordinary utensils, taking care not to spill. Even the slightest crumb could be inhaled, caught in someone’s eye, or even damage the nearby equipment. However, in spite of restrictions and challenges, the astronauts are encouraged to eat foods they enjoy, and can even request goodies such as chocolate prior to resupply missions.
On the NASA website, you can apply to purchase your own pack of official space food! Check it out here: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/resources/artifact-opportunities/space-food/
In 2018, a group of 6 ISS astronauts took a photo after they all attempted to cram into the same cabin! See the picture, and read more about the astronauts, in this Space.com article: https://www.space.com/41641-space-station-crew-sleep-cabin-photo.html
In low-gravity, everyday tasks are infinitely less strenuous on the human body. This may sound relaxing, but it actually causes the loss of a lot of the body’s bone and muscle mass that is necessary to function on Earth. When returning home, this could cause numerous health problems for ISS astronauts. Therefore, astronauts are implored to spend at least 2 and a half hours exercising, six days per week, to maintain a fitness level that promotes a healthy and energetic lifestyle while working in space. To encourage interest and variety, a plethora of exercise equipment is housed on the ISS. There are weightlifting machines, a stationary bicycle, and, of course, the Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT). This machine is a “subtle” nod to comedian Stephen Colbert. In 2009, NASA took a census for the naming of the newest ISS module of the day, urging America to vote for the addition’s nickname. Colbert jokingly launched a campaign among his fans to write in his surname, which ultimately topped the census charts. While NASA ended up calling the vessel “Tranquility” instead, exercise equipment developers made the decision to salute the comedian anyway with the treadmill that was to be housed on the Tranquility module.
Read this NBC news article from back in 2009 to see more about this hilarious story: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30217550/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/nasa-colbert-name-treadmill-not-room/#.XzsIR5NKiL8
The majority of research performed in the ISS is dedicated to the advance of future space travel. Astronauts report on their own personal experiences, from the most frustrating setback to the most exciting triumph. They learn about the ways in which living in space for prolonged periods of time affects human bodies, technology, and even plants and animals. Additionally, they also work to maintain and build onto the ISS to make it more effective as a research facility. The feedback they give and the discoveries they make will pave the way for missions deeper into the void of space. Astronauts on the ISS have studied flatworms to learn about the process of tissue regrowth in space, researched a protein associated with Parkinson’s disease in the hope of someday finding a cure, tested humanoid robots, and experimented with the possible conditions for planet formation. Those of us on Earth have also encountered new issues concerning our astronauts in space that we may not have considered before, for example, voting for government leaders from the ISS or the eye problems that have been credited to life in low-gravity. As our exposure to space increases, so does our knowledge of how to best explore it. The list, and the ISS, goes on, at least until 2024, when the structure will disband and bring us into a new age of space research and discovery.
And yes, American astronauts really do cast their ballots from the ISS! Read more about it in this Scientific American article: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/be-like-an-astronaut-vote-2008-10-27/
******
The world is changing, more every day. Technological advancements are everywhere. It’s so exciting to live in such a progressive world! Each day, we can wake up and know that there is something new being created and improved that wasn’t there yesterday. The future is… now! And now! And NOW!
Good morning, and WELCOME!
Today, I dare you to contribute. Help to shape this new future by encouraging someone else, creating something that’s yours, or taking in something new and amazing. The future is now and now and now. How can you make something from it?
In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve wanted to do a post about the International Space Station since the time of the Languages of the Past article, or perhaps even further. Flying above us every 90 minutes are people, real people (Christopher Cassidy, Anatoly Ivanishin, and Ivan Vagner, as of now), whose tireless efforts in the ISS to advance space travel as we know it are going to change the world someday. We can already see it happening. And, everybody, I’ll make the obvious pun and admit that their work is out of this world.
When 6 in the Morning was first introduced back in April, I told you all that I’d do my best to keep your eyes to the stars whether they’re out or not. With any luck, that these 6 amazing facts about the ISS and the heroes that live there will do just that.
******
Preparation
(Photo "Astronauts Training in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility" by NASA Hubble is licensed under CC BY 2.0)
Think you have what it takes to apply for NASA’s new Artemis space program? Read more information here: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/explorers-wanted-nasa-to-hire-more-artemis-generation-astronauts
Breathing
(Photo "#TBT: ECLSS Oxygen Generating System Becomes Operational on ISS -- July 12, 2007" by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
Electrolysis is still used in submarines today! Read more about it in this Interesting Engineering article: https://interestingengineering.com/interesting-engineering-behind-submarines#:~:text=the%20purpose%20entirely.-,Electrolysis,water%20or%20H2O.
Food
(Photo "Space food, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX.JPG" by gruntzooki is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)
On the NASA website, you can apply to purchase your own pack of official space food! Check it out here: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/resources/artifact-opportunities/space-food/
Sleep
Sleeping in a low-gravity environment is a unique experience, because most astronauts do so vertically in sleeping bags that are strapped to the wall! The ISS is equipped with cabins the size of a phone booth that provide a safe, quiet place for astronauts to wind down for their eight hours of scheduled sleep. However, sleeping on the ISS can still be a challenge. On Earth, the human body has grown accustomed to a circadian rhythm of sunrise and sunset. When the sun is around, we know it’s still time for activity. When it’s dark out, our bodies grow tired and we know it’s time to recharge for the night. Living on the ISS can be incredibly disorienting for astronauts because, at a speed of 5 miles per second, the ISS astronauts orbiting the planet see a total of approximately 16 sunrises every 24 hours. This throws off their circadian rhythms and can make falling asleep a struggle. Luckily, special lights have been engineered for the ISS that can change in color and brightness throughout the day in correlation with the UTC (GMT) time zone, creating artificial “days” to encourage consistency and stability in sleeping cycles. In the mornings, popular songs from Earth are sometimes broadcast as wake-up calls for the astronauts, after which they depart from their cabins, ready for a new day.
In 2018, a group of 6 ISS astronauts took a photo after they all attempted to cram into the same cabin! See the picture, and read more about the astronauts, in this Space.com article: https://www.space.com/41641-space-station-crew-sleep-cabin-photo.html
Exercise
(Photo "Astronaut Suni Williams on COLBERT Treadmill" by NASA Johnson is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
Read this NBC news article from back in 2009 to see more about this hilarious story: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/30217550/ns/technology_and_science-space/t/nasa-colbert-name-treadmill-not-room/#.XzsIR5NKiL8
Work in the ISS
(Photo "Cygnus Spacecraft Attached to Space Station's Unity Module" by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0)
And yes, American astronauts really do cast their ballots from the ISS! Read more about it in this Scientific American article: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/news-blog/be-like-an-astronaut-vote-2008-10-27/
******
The world is changing, more every day. Technological advancements are everywhere. It’s so exciting to live in such a progressive world! Each day, we can wake up and know that there is something new being created and improved that wasn’t there yesterday. The future is… now! And now! And NOW!
Good morning, and WELCOME!
Today, I dare you to contribute. Help to shape this new future by encouraging someone else, creating something that’s yours, or taking in something new and amazing. The future is now and now and now. How can you make something from it?
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