What You Don't Know About Living in Space 298
Ant writes "There are spectacular moments, as well as the mundane, in space. Over the years, living in space has forced astronauts to make a few concessions to things you would not give a second thought about when staying at a hotel/motel. The article lists a few things that people may not have known about living in space." Your iPod needs to be modified to use Alkaline batteries. And also, did you know... that in space... you only get one spooooon. And some people, are spoon millionaires...
Re:I weep for national news services (Score:5, Insightful)
I also find it hard to believe that the standard battery on an iPod is going to suddenly going to turn into an explosive device if they take it into space. That sounds like more of a bureaucratic oversight than anything else.
Re:spoon millionaires? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Implications for exploring other planets (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I weep for national news services (Score:5, Insightful)
They've caught fire [wsbtv.com] here on Earth. I expect the effect of such a fire in space would range anywhere from serious to catastrophic.
Re:I weep for national news services (Score:4, Insightful)
As for the iPods, I'm sure that's a technicality. They are a bit paranoid about safety up there since you can't just dial 911 in an emergency and get help on the way in 9 minutes. They probably remove the batteries and then attach them to the external packs you can buy around here, that take four AA batteries.
It's also very likely they have an alternate adapter to jack into the ISS's grid to power it, a bit like a cigarette lighter jack but something smaller I'm sure. The batteries are probably only needed when they are inconveniently away from an outlet, or say out on a space walk.
I bet they have even more stringent requirements though for what you can take on your person when on a space walk. It would not surprise me if ipods are barred. And for some of those 8 and 11 hour marathon walks we hear about from time to time, that's gotta be a bummer.
I'm surprised this article gave so few details though - I've heard offhand of numerous other issues I was expecting to read about in this article. It had all of what, five interesting factoids? Lets hear about
- toilets
- showers
- drinking liquids
- anything to reduce weight on liftoff, like hair cutting
- I wonder if there's an "in case of emergency" bean-o pack on board? heh... y'know, one recirculating air system and all...
- the sorrid details of a long space walk. how do you drink? anything for food in 8-11 hr walks? yes, you get to wear a diaper and WILL be using it, etc
- stories of what happens when an astronaut gets sick - flu etc. I recall someone on Appolo getting appendicitis in mission.
- do astronauts sign an agreement not to have sex while up there? or how was that addressed? you know they had something to say about it.
- personal limitations? we saw max height mentioned, but is there a minimum? how about weight? (of course!) are implants ok? glasses barred am guessing? are contacts ok? medical history? I assume the same rules of being a pilot apply, plus more, as far as medical are concerned. Minimum strength requirements?
- what is their contingency plan for if an astronaut dies while up there? (aneurism, accident, whatever) Again you KNOW they have an action plan for this because they HAVE TO. Do they keep body bag(s) on board or just gonna wrap the body in a lot of duct tape?
- cross training? I have to assume all astronauts have at least basic knowledge of 100% of the critical systems?
That article is soooo lacking.
Re:I weep for national news services (Score:4, Insightful)
It's not a "bureaucratic oversight".
NASA hasn't certified (those) lithium batteries for space.
And NASA hasn't certified iPods for use on the space station.
If it isn't tested, it doesn't fly.
It may seem like bureaucratic red tape, but that kind of meticulousness is what keeps the space program so safe.
On the upside, at least astronauts get to have iPods with replaceable batteries.
Re:spoon millionaires? (Score:4, Insightful)
Never mind that - the largest problem is to cut down on the amount of items that you may bring with you. I think that the best way to figure out what you REALLY need is to during several years going for extended hikes and holidays on bicycle. Note every item that you use and next year only pack those items. After a few years you know what you really can't do without.
From what I can understand most problems arises around hygiene handling in space. It can be a smelly situation...
Re:No Pizza? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Implications for exploring other planets (Score:4, Insightful)
But somehow, they figured it out, and we will, too.
Re:spoon millionaires? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Illusion and reality (Score:2, Insightful)
Even giving half of our (the U.S.) military budget to other more socially minded programs (I'm thinking education, healthcare, energy and general infrastructure) would have huge positive effects on our country. It's a really absurd amount of money and manpower, and the results of late have been kind of lackluster. We could be throwing that money at useful things and be getting actual results, but we aren't.
Re:Implications for exploring other planets (Score:4, Insightful)
Ocean going ships are traveling in an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere at 1 G. All you need are sufficient provisions, and if you want a change in diet, throw a net or line over the side for some fish. Space ships are in Space (near vacuum, no gravity, nothing).
Grow up, future space cadets. Space travel is not Star Trek.
Re:Implications for exploring other planets (Score:4, Insightful)
My point was not that space travel will be easy -- it won't. My point was that the early explorers of the New World faced very serious problems that pushed the limit of their science and technology, and space travelers in our age will also have to face problems that challenge the limits of our science and technology. But mankind has always risen to the challenge; we will do so again.
Local currency develops ... (Score:3, Insightful)
People in an isolated environment, with restricted access to status goods use a lower status material of restricted availability as a proxy for other items of value. Look in any prison at the trade in "contraband" tobacco. Look also at the submariner's tale (up-thread, look for a typo of "submarien", IIRC) of tobacco rations being treated similarly. Look back to the rationing in the war (any war), and what a GI could get for a pair of nylons. Come out to an oil rig with my colleagues and I for a couple of weeks and notice how the "can of coke and a Mars bar" becomes a local variant of a gold standard.
To be honest, I'd suspect that the mission planners DELIBERATELY included the sweeties etc. - in a "stashable" form - so that people would develop this sort of economy. It then naturally provides a (seemingly) self-developed social lubricant to minor awkward moments. Good psychology.
That's probably why the submariners had a "smokes" ration too. This isn't exactly a novel situation.
Which would you prefer - chocolates, smokes, or a good dose of Rum, Sodomy and The Lash [winstonchurchill.org] (allegedly Winston Churchill's list of the traditions of the Royal Navy).