A look into the lives of astronauts.
By: SiEun 8.3
Space…. A breathtaking, endless place. What do you think living in space will be like? Imagining myself in space gives me a funny feeling: inquisitiveness and fear. Imagine yourself in space. Floating, glorious stars are glistening around and your home planet, Earth is right in front of you. I think space will make you feel like you’re all alone in this world. Being alone might sound unpleasant, but space will help you forget your worries and give you real rest. A life away from consequences and not being chased by time. How does it sound? Living in space might sound like something that will never happen in your life, but there is a place in space where people can live. The space station. Not only it's the best place for entertainment, but the space station is important to us. The space station is the only place in space to explore and research for a long duration in zero gravity. The space station can make human existence possible out of Earth and increase human habitat.
What do you think the space station will be like? Do you imagine a monotonous, lifeless room full of living supplies? Wrong! Even though there are limited options for entertainment, the space station is an interesting place to live. The ISS(International Space Station) is one hundred and nine meters long, seventy-five meters wide, and weighs about four hundred and twenty tonnes. It’s larger than a 6-bedroom house and is about the same size as a soccer field. That is pretty humongous, isn't it? The space station contains all the things needed! There are bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, a 360-degree bay window, and even a gym!
You may have seen movies about astronauts in space stations online and around the internet. However, videos online are exaggerated and unreliable. Unlike in most films, an astronaut's daily routine is similar to ours. They wake up at 6 am and work until 9.30 pm. Their day starts with a morning wake-up call. When they’re up, they leave the sleeping station to get their hygiene needs. Even if it's slightly different, it’s like how we go to the bathroom to get a morning shower. An astronaut has a personal hygiene kit with supplies like shampoo, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. The only difference is that these supplies were made to be used with just a little water! How they use the restroom is unique as well. Their toilet works like a vacuum cleaner. They each have a personal urinal funnel that sucks liquid and air. After the morning routine, astronauts work on their assignments and science experiments based on space. Like an ordinary person, an astronaut consumes three meals a day and is required to have at least two thousand calories a day. Their meals come in packages, dehydrated and cooled. Depending on the food, some of their meals might need water or heating to eat.
Next, personally an uninteresting topic, exercise! Exercise is essential in space. Since there is zero gravity in space, their bones and muscles no longer need to support their body against gravity. Bones and muscles easily get fragile. Therefore, to prevent bone loss, 2 hours of exercise is essential.
Like how we need good sleep every day to recover our bodies, astronauts need to sleep as well. The only difference is that they sleep in the sleeping bag on the wall to keep them still and secure from floating around the station. According to NASA, an astronaut is scheduled to sleep eight hours a day.
An astronaut’s life isn't tough as it seems. Like most workers, an astronaut gets time for entertainment and rest daily! Astronauts can play card games, read books, watch movies, call their friends or families using a specialty-made computer in the station, and more! Also, they get a weekend off to rest before the workdays.
Space stations are commonly seen in movies and films. I’m sure most people must have seen or heard something related to the space station. However, I want to question this. Do they know the importance of it? Most people might have heard of it but not many know the importance. I believe more people must show more interest in the space station to learn the importance and the impact it has on human society.
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