Conditions of Use
Living In Space
Space Station and Space Orbiter
I am writing about life on the International Space Station and the space shuttles. Life in space is a lot like life on earth, think of it as a very long different camping trip. Things are needed, such as food, warmth, air, and a comfortable to place to sleep. All of these things are put together to make your tent or your space shuttle. On the orbiter, the name of the shuttle, there are three main components, the two rocket boosters the external tank and the orbiter itself. The orbiter is the only thing that goes up to space, both the rockets boosters and the external tank detach after they are used. The rocket booster are the smaller white rockets on the side and the external tank is big orange one attached to the orbiter. Although the external tank looks like a rocket, it is used to carry fuel for the rocket boosters and orbiter itself.
Living in space is like living on earth except that it is very compact, and you're weightless. The international space station is made up of different sections. Including, the living quarters, lab space, sleeping areas, they even have an exercise machine. But to live you have to breath, and there is no air in space. So in the space station they make their own air. They use a process called electrolysis. This is when they spilt water particles apart. By doing so they release oxygen into the space station so that the astronauts can breath freely.
Eating on the space station is like that on earth. The astronauts and their nutritionists make a calorie goal for each day but otherwise they can eat pretty much anything. When space travel first started the astronauts were limited to certain food but they now can choose from fruit, vegetables, meat, and even candy. To get there water astronauts use a machine that coverts the humidity in the space station to water.
The astronauts must also stay clean while on the space station. They can't take a regular shower due to the weightlessness, so the astronauts have to use rinseless shampoo. The astronauts also have there own personal hygiene kit that contains their certain things such as their toothpaste of choice and other things such as a shaving kit. The astronauts also have to have a place to sleep. Usually they will sleep in the bunks. But if they choose not to, they have to attach themselves to a wall, the floor, or the ceiling to avoid floating randomly around the cabin.
The astronauts spend most of their time working in and outside of the space station. The space station was made for mainly research purposes. They also use it for medical experiments to see how the astronauts body reacts with the weightlessness of space. The work on the outside of the ship is usually to fix a something, work on something, or attach something to the space station. To do so they must have the right clothing and equipment. A space suit is usually made up a helmet and visor, the astronaut's life support system, a liquid cooling garment, gloves, and the astronauts oxygen pack, and other small components that make up the space suit. When working on the outside of the ship the astronaut is attached to a cord so that he or she does not float away.
Although living in space is a little different than that on earth, most of the thing we do the astronauts do up there. From the moment the space shuttle leaves the ground to the moment it touches back down, it is an experience for the astronauts on it to remember. As our race begins to develop, we begin to think of new and more efficient ways of space travel. The United States government is begining to cut funding for space travel and will hand the responsiblities over to large companies. And even though things will change, the drive to attain more knowledge will never go away.
Article posted November 7, 2004 at 12:00 AM •
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