Astronauts have to compromise a lot with their regular lifestyle when travelling to space. Here are things they are not allowed to do!
Remember that time when Howard Wolowitz from ‘Big Bang Theory’ came back from space mission and couldn’t stop bragging about it? Being an astronaut is not an easy deal. Even after a strenuous qualifying process, astronauts on a mission have to compromise on a lot of normal day to day activity. Besides the danger of space travel, microgravity comes with a whole new set of rules that dictate their life until the time they are on space.
No tears outside the home sphere!
It might sound crazy but space is not the place where you can miss your family and shed a tear or two. Laugh as much as you can but when in space, crying means teardrops can stick to your eyes and then form clusters and float around!
Bidding adieu to bread, seasoning and soda
Believe it or not but the 'Space' has no space for crummies! So, astronauts have to do without their favourite bread as the bread crumbs that float around can get inhaled or damage equipment. The same holds for salt and pepper. Even aerated drinks are off the table as they aren’t buoyant in microgravity.
No usual pens for spacemen
Yes, Viru Sahastrabuddhe was right. Ordinary pens do not work in space as the ink needs gravity to flow. Astronauts initially were stuck to pencils in space until a pen whose cartridges is pressurized with nitrogen to work when upside down or in extreme temperatures was invented.
No regular sleep cycle
When on space, 24 hours, one sunrise and sunset does not comprise a day. There can be even 16 sunsets at they make interplanetary or extraplanetary movements. Astronauts sync their sleep according to their schedule and for that, they undergo intensive sleep training.
Hot shower is off the limits
Astronauts can only take sponge baths when in space. Water used is not carried in the spacecraft as it is heavy and expensive to transport. The water that is used is distilled from humidity in the air or the wastewater. Washing clothes is also not an option in space.
Lack of sense of taste
In space, body fluids move differently due to lack of gravity. This affects the sense of taste in food. Food for astronauts is prepared in a different technique. They are partially or completely dehydrated to prevent them from spoiling. Astronauts rehydrate the food for 20 to 30 mins before consuming them.
Space travelling is no tourism. It is complicated and astronauts need months of training to adapt to this difficult way of life in a spacecraft.
