Monday, December 17, 2012

Tour Of The International Space Station

Sunita Williams, while Commander of the International Space Station, recorded this video of the station just hours before she departed to return to earth. She had been up there for several months.

Some fascinating details... The bathroom: you need good aim. The kitchen: lots of hermetically sealed packages. This was interesting:
"Salt and pepper are available but only in a liquid form. This is because astronauts can't sprinkle salt and pepper on their food in space. The salt and pepper would simply float away. There is a danger they could clog air vents, contaminate equipment or get stuck in an astronaut's eyes, mouth or nose."
- NASA: Space Food
The exercise equipment is not fastened securely so as not to transfer load through structure, which would eventually need to be reacted by ... devices, probably jets? ... used to keep the station in place. An energy conservation decision. So, as you pedal (you don't need a seat, in fact she didn't sit down for 125 days!) the whole cycle moves also.

You have to not be bothered by tight places.


________
Thanks, BL!

1 comment:

Bix said...

She moves and floats and pushes herself through the air like she's swimming. This is one of the coolest videos I've ever seen.