Astronaut Q & A

Today, astronaut Joseph Acaba conducted a tweet-up allowing individuals an opportunity to ask questions. It's not very often you get to hear it direct from an astronaut's mouth, so I'm summarizing some key questions that were asked which were rather interesting.

"What did you miss the most about being on Earth while on the ISS" (Mish s, 2018)?

"Space stinks - literally! It has a very unique odor, some people love it and others do not. It does linger on space suits and supplies" (Acaba, 2018). This issue is new to my discussions and can have an impact on anyone going to Mars that finds this odor issue a problem. Imagine what this could do to one's psychological outtake while spending two years on Mars. What do you think? Could you handle a foul odor for two years with no relief in sight?

"Were there any habits you developed on the space station which have transferred back to Earth" (SpacyCleanTeam, 2018)?

"Yes, you have to be very well organized in space because things will float away and disappear. Being organized on Earth is a good thing too" (Acaba, 2018)! After a six month voyage to Mars, being organized will be a critical factor in one's survival. You have to worry about radiation, oxygen, food, and support issues. One has no time for an unorganized individual with such life-threatening issues occurring daily. Could you deal with an unorganized individual on Mars with all these issues?

"How does adaption feel when coming back? Any muscle or other problems" (Mishra, 2018)?

"The biggest adjustment I'm having is with my vestibular system, aka balancing. My back muscles are also feeling tight"(Acaba, 2018). With a six month trip to Mars, this will be an issue for everyone arriving. The difference is that Mar's gravity is not the same as Earth's. This will be a new issue all travelers to Mars will face. How much will the reduced gravity affect these travelers in the long run and what further issues will the reduced Mars gravity cause? This can not be simulated on Earth. It will take actual data after a round trip to fully understand the long-term impact. Another thing to remember is astronauts gain a few inches in space. How much of that will return to normal with Mar's reduced gravity?

"What is the Protocol in Case of a Medical Emergency on the Space Station" (Mishra, 2018)?

"We can perform immediate first aid, but if we need more than that we have access to the flight surgeons 24/7. If it's really bad, we can hop on our Soyuz and come back to Earth at any time"(Acaba, 2018). This may work for the International Space Station (ISS), but on Mars, you have to wait for another launch window and six months back. By then, it's too late. Medical help must be available on Mars immediately. With a 20+ minute time delay, this can make coordinating care that much more difficult. If the new laser communications become successful, this will not be a problem in the future though. NASA already predicts one medical incident per mission. This can be due to bone weakening during the journey to radiation issues. Picking the type of medical care to bring with will probably be one of the most critical decisions made.

It's not very often you get to hear first hand what it was like being in space. NASA does tweet ups occasionally, and if you are in Washington D.C., you can catch an astronaut live at the National Air and Space Museum. I had this opportunity in 2015 while listening to Astronaut Reid Wiseman's presentation. As soon as he was finished and began questions, I jumped up with my hand up and received the first opportunity to ask a question. Little did I know these questions were choreographed ahead of time. I guess they forgot to tell him, or I surprised him enough to get in the first question. The non-verbal looks I got from the cameraman when done convinced me of this. Hey, I'm a teacher! Wouldn't you do the same? I hope you enjoyed this overview. Until next time.