Five amazing facts about living in space
Find out some interesting facts about how astronauts have to adapt to life in space.
by Jonathan O'Callaghan,
1. Preparation for a space for a spacewalk takes hours
Astronauts don their spacesuits hours before going on a spacewalk, during which time they breathe pure oxygen in preparation for the activity.
2. You see a sunrise every 90 minutes
The International Space Station orbits the Earth at about 17,000mph (27,000kph). This means astronauts aboard the ISS see the Sun rise and set every 90 minutes. However, their clocks run to UTC and they work 9-5, just like on Earth, to keep their days ordered.
3. You must sleep next to a fan
Good ventilation is vital for sleeping astronauts, as warm air does not dissipate in space. Instead, it forms a bubble of carbon dioxide around them and, eventually, they’d run out of breathable oxygen.
4. The heart takes a breather
Due to the low gravity, the heart has a far easier time of pumping blood around the body in space than it does on Earth. This can be dangerous, as it gradually pumps less and less and becomes weaker, so astronauts must exercise for several hours a day to keep it working hard.
5. You’ll drop things back on Earth
Several astronauts have reported that when they come back to Earth they inadvertently drop objects like cups. This is because they’re so used to the weightless environment in space.
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Image courtesy of NASA
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