Aria's+Page->Life+in+Space

 So you’ve passed education and health, and astronaut training? But if you really want to be an astronaut you have to find out how you're going to be living day to day.You must know what you will be eating, and how this food will be prepared. You also need to know how you will be able to bathe, exercise, sleep, and use washroom facilities. So get ready for a lesson in the daily life of an astronaut.  __ ** Breakfast Lunch and Dinner **  __  The food you eat in space is sometimes frozen, and then heated up. Other times the food can be eaten solid with a fork, and a knife. If you eat soup or have something to drink, you will drink it with a straw out of a plastic bag. This helps keep the food in the containers, instead of all over the space ship.To prevent spoilage the food must be properly stored, and prepared because of the long periods of time spent in space, and there are no refrigerators.Basic condiments are provided like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Although, the salt and pepper are in liquid form to prevent the salt and pepper from traveling around the ship.This is a danger because it could get stuck in a vent or get in an astronaut's eyes mouth or nose. Another problem is if the food isn't liquefied it might contaminate some of the equipment. A few different types of food that are offered are: • fruits • nuts • chicken • beef • seafood • candy • brownies Most of these foods are packaged in plastic containers. Drinks include: • coffee • tea • orange juice • fruit punch • <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">lemonade These drinks are packaged as powder and water is added before consumption. Nutritionists make sure that each meal meets a special requirement for each astronaut. You must have the correct amount of required calories, vitamins, and minerals.While eating any one of these meals in space you will have a tray. This tray can be attached to you or to the wall with a strap. The tray keeps the different food packages from floating away and you can choose from many different foods. You will use the same eating utensils as you do on earth, except you will also use scissors to open food packages.The packages that the food has been stored in must be disposed of. You will dispose of these packages in a trash compactor right after you finish eating. __**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Bathing **__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When you are in space there are two different ways of bathing. One way is to have a sponge bath, the other way is to take a shower. The showers are specially made so that they spray water down, and at the bottom there is an air fan to suck all the water up. Afterwards this vacuum like fan dries the shower stall. __**Washroom Facilities**__ Weightlessness has a gastrointestinal effect on astronauts, meaning that as an astronaut you will be using the washroom a lot. Using the toilet in space is hard because in order to stay put on the toilet, and not float away you will need to fasten yourself to the toilet. Then a lever turns on a fan that sucks the waste away. There is no water involved in this. It is then dried and stored in a bag containing disinfectant.

While you are in space your body will lose muscle and bone mass. Exercising helps keep muscles toned that wouldn't usually be used in space. You will be able to use a treadmill, or an exercise bike but you must strap yourself on or you will float away. Exercise in space also helps with "space sniffles" which is when all your body fluids go up to your head.
 * __Exercise__**

Before you fall asleep you will hook your sleeping bag up to the wall to prevent from floating away. You must carefully choose your sleeping spot because if you don't sleep near a ventilator you will be sleeping in a bubble of your own carbon dioxide. You will then wake up gasping for air which is not a fun experience. You may awake with a sudden sense of falling due to zero gravity. **
 * __Sleeping Arrangements__

[|"Daily Life." ESA. 19 July 2004. European Space Agency. 31 May 2009 .] [|"ISS Business Newsletter - April 2006." ESA. April 2006. European Space Agency. 31 May 2009 .] <span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"> [|"Meeting Basic Needs in Space." Space Travel Guide. 27 May 2009 .] <span style="font-family: 'times new roman'; line-height: normal; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"> [| "Space Food." NASA. 25 Nov 2003. NASA. 29 May 2009 .]

Great astronauts you should look to as mentors: Buzz Aldrin James Lovell Jr.

Now you have finished you training to become an astronaut. You have passed the health and education requirements. You have trained to become an astronaut, and now you have been educated on how you will be living in space. So all I can say is good luck astronaut, and ready, set, BLAST OFF!

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LAST UPDATED: Sun.May.31.09