11 Facts about astronauts on their space travels

Going to space has become, for generations and generations of children and young people, a dream to be fulfilled. An aspiration that often passes from childhood to adulthood. Leaving the limits of the Planet, seeing the stars a little closer, seeing the immensity and contour of the Earth from above, feeling zero gravity… these are scenes shown in films and videos produced by the very astronauts who inhabit the imagination. of millions of people.

At the awesome.club, we want to tell you some curious facts not so well known about the life of an astronaut.

Taste is one of the altered senses in astronauts during their stay in space. Whether due to a probable change in the structure of food or due to the effects of reduced gravity, the fact is that food does not taste the same for them.

Almost all of the water from a spacecraft or Space Station is sent from Earth. For this reason, astronauts must use it in an absolutely rational way, especially when it comes to personal cleanliness. Space baths are super-restricted, and astronauts rub a washcloth in soap to lather (which is rubbed onto the body) or use liquid soaps that don’t need rinsing.

Yes, it is possible to cry in space, but not in the same way as on Earth. Due to zero gravity, tears do not fall, but accumulate below the eye forming a “cry pocket”, until removed with a tissue.

The lack of gravity appears again to play against the astronauts when putting on shoes. This fact, added to the uselessness of wearing any kind of footwear inside the Space Station, makes them barefoot most of the time. But when they need to wear shoes, they resort to special boots to deal with the problem of lack of gravity.

Sleeping in space is really tricky. Because of the lack of gravity, astronauts float. Therefore, they sleep in any position possible and must be tied up so as not to bump into or hit any objects around them. But this lack of comfort does not mean an absolute lack of privacy: astronauts usually have their own small cabins (their “rooms”) in which they sleep inside a sleeping bag, and from where they can watch sunrise and sunset. sunset every 90 minutes. Deep, restful sleep must be extremely difficult considering such short nights.

Exercising in space is just as important to an astronaut as sleeping and eating. In this way, they minimize the serious effects of weightlessness on your muscles and bones. Astronauts follow a strict exercise routine that facilitates their return to Earth.

We do not use the above phrase in a figurative or poetic sense. We are referring, rather, to concrete facts. During sojourn in space, the shape of an astronaut’s heart changes, becoming more spherical due to the absence of gravity.

The lack of gravity also has its effects on astronauts’ spines, who come back taller from space travel as the pressure up there is reduced. However, these changes do not last forever. When they return to Earth and gravity exerts its pressure, they return to their normal stature.

Going to the bathroom in space is extremely complex. Therefore, on short missions astronauts wear a kind of diaper. However, on long missions, they have to face waterless latrines, which suck up excrement.

Many astronauts report falling out of fingernails and even injury to them. This loss is due to the great weight and pressure that the gloves exert on your hands. After all, his suit seeks to reproduce the density of Earth’s atmosphere.

Some of the astronauts who have had the privilege of going into space have stated that it has a characteristic smell, similar to burning gunpowder and metal.

It’s really impressive, isn’t it? Which of these data did you find most surprising? Do you know other information about astronauts? Tell us if you would dare to take a space trip and experience all these curiosities in your own skin.