By: Cameron Gillard
The International Space Station is a research lab in outer space where astronauts from 16 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Russia, Japan, Brazil and 11 European nations, work and live together. Last month, the ISS celebrated its 10-year anniversary, an occasion we’re honouring by showing you what it’s like to live in space!
A DAY IN THE LIFE
A typical day for a crew member aboard the ISS begins at 6 a.m., at which time a morning inspection of the station is conducted. After that, it’s time for breakfast and then work. At around 8:10 a.m., crew members have a meeting with mission control to determine their duties for the day. At 1:05 p.m., it’s time for lunch. The crew typically works until 7:30 p.m., when they eat dinner and have their daily crew conference. Once the meeting is over, scheduled sleep time starts at 9:30 p.m.
FLOATING AROUND
One of the first things you’ll notice once you enter the space station is the lack of gravity. The station is in a constant state of microgravity, which gives the effect of weightlessness within the craft. Basically, you would be floating everywhere!
EXTRA SPICY
Another big difference between space and earth is the food. Due to the conditions of space, food must be frozen, canned or refrigerated. Menus are prepared by the crew and a dietician before the astronauts leave, and since our sense of taste is reduced in space, most of the menus are filed with spicy food for extra flavour. Each astronaut is also assigned a colour, which corresponds with the stickers labeled on each meal. A Velcro strip keeps the food packages on the trays, but any food that does float away (even crumbs!) must be collected, so that it doesn’t damage any of the onboard equipment.
WORK IT
Exercise is also another important activity at the ISS. The station comes equipped with two treadmills, a stationary bike and the aRED (“Advanced Resistive Exercise Device”), which is used for weight training. Though crew members have all of this exercise equipment at their disposable, it’s hard to bulk up, given that the conditions in space make it easy to lose weight and harder to gain it.
WATER WORKS
Hygiene is also a little different in space. In the microgravity environment on the ISS, water doesn’t run down the body; it clings to it. With a limited supply of water on the space station, the crew conserves its resources by taking sponge baths and using shampoo that doesn’t require rinsing.
GOOD NIGHT, SLEEP TIGHT
Sleep is very important to the astronauts. Each crew member is assigned his or her own sleep station, which has a bed, a light and a small desk. Laptops can also be used to surf the Web or to listen to music. And though sleeping while floating through the station is possible, it is advised against, as the sensitive equipment onboard could be damaged.