HOUSTON – They’re sipping smoothies, snapping phone pictures, dealing with e-mail and fixing broken toilets: astronomers, they’re just like us.
The crew of Artemis II breaking through space towards Ngweding they’re on a different mission than the first, but the four of them are still distracted by the mundane things of life – all of them floating together in a square the size of two minivans.
Mission expert Christina Koch, the first woman to go into deep space, says preparing for a 10-day trip is like planning a camping trip.
“It represents an encounter with something extraordinary,” he said in a video released by NASA.
Orion’s menu items include 58 tortillas, 43 cups of coffee, roast beef brisket and five types of hot sauce.
And one toilet… that had a problem.
It’s the first time astronauts in deep space have had a real toilet on board: The Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s provided crews with waste collection bags that were eventually left on the lunar surface.
To the relief of astronomy, Mrs. Koch fixed this issue in the bathroom in Orion – “I am proud to call myself a “space plumber”, he said during a Q&A interview at the end of April 2 with the US press.
He said: “I like to say that it is probably the most important tool on the ship. So we were all breathing when it was good.”
The toilet in the small cubicle is very noisy; astronauts need ear protection when using it.
But it’s “the one place we can go during a mission where we can feel like we’re alone for a while”, Canadian Jeremy Hansen said during a demonstration video released by the Canadian Space Agency before the blast.
The Artemis astronauts also quickly ran into an email problem: mission manager Reid Wiseman said he had problems with Microsoft Outlook.
“I also see that I have two Microsoft Outlooks, and neither of them is working,” he said while broadcasting to NASA.
Members of the Houston-headquartered Mission Control team solved the problem – where would we be without our information technology experts?
Astronauts must follow a sleep regimen to ensure they are rested for a mission that will see them slingshot around the Moon and conduct experiments, test equipment and scientific observations.
They have sleeping bags attached to the wall to prevent them from floating around the capsule.
“Christina is lying on her head in the middle of the car, like a bat hanging from a port tunnel,” Mr Wiseman explained, describing their favorite places for some shut-eye.
He added: “It’s easier than you might think.
But there are no days off for those without weight: astrologers have 30 minutes of exercise built into their schedule.
They use a “flywheel” exercise device, similar to a yo-yo, which can allow aerobics like rowing as well as provide resistance to movements like heavy squats and deadlifts.
It is very important for scientists to work: the environment of microgravity removes stress on bones and muscles, which can lead to significant loss without warning.
NASA recently updated their policy to allow smartphones on their flights. “We give our employees the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and videos with the world,” US regional director Jared Isaacman wrote on X in February.
And although their mission requires extreme precision, there is still room to behave like a child.
Mr Hansen answered questions from the media as he looked up and described the joy of floating: “It makes me feel like a little kid.”
For Mr Victor Glover – who will be the first person of color to fly around the Moon – great joy came when the plane took off.
“It was a ride where you try to be professional,” he said.
But the child inside you wants to explode, and just scream. AFP
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