Buzz
We often imagine space travel in the most glorious way: fearless astronauts exploring the final frontier, advancing human knowledge to new heights. However, astronauts are just people, like the rest of us, with quirks, flaws, and insecurities. One infamous example is NASA astronaut Lisa Nowak, who attempted to kidnap and harm the girlfriend of fellow astronaut William Oefelein, with whom she had a complicated relationship. Another amusing case involved the Apollo crews, who were given three sizes of condom sleeves for urination during space travel, and almost universally opted for the ‘large’ size. In response, NASA renamed them “large”, “gigantic”, and “humongous”. The following are ten facts that aim to give us a glimpse into the very human side of space exploration.
10. Nixon's Address
Space travel is still an unpredictable field, with tragic events like the Challenger and Columbia disasters reminding us that perfection remains elusive. In 1969, the Apollo 11 mission marked the early stages of the space program, symbolizing both innovation and courage. No one knew exactly what would happen when the astronauts touched down on the moon. To prepare for the worst, President Richard Nixon had a speech written by William Safire to be delivered to the nation in case the astronauts were stranded.
It began: 'Fate has decreed that the men who traveled to the moon to explore in peace will remain on the moon to rest in peace. These courageous individuals, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, understand that there is no chance for their return. Yet, they are aware that their sacrifice holds a greater meaning for humanity. These two men are giving their lives for mankind's highest aspiration: the pursuit of truth and understanding.'
9. Free Corvette
While astronauts were generally well-compensated, none could truly be called 'wealthy'. According to NASA's website, civilian astronauts earn between $64,724 and $141,715 annually. However, the job did come with some special perks. When Alan Shepard began his space training in 1959, he was driving a 1957 Corvette. Recognizing the benefit of having astronauts drive their vehicles, General Motors provided them with 'special' (almost free) lease offers. Though NASA did not officially promote Corvettes, most astronauts drove them. The notable exception was John Glenn (the first American to orbit the Earth), who drove a more practical station wagon due to his family needs.
8. Cosmonauts' Clog
The International Space Station, a collaborative effort between nations, is divided into two distinct sections: one for the Americans and the other for the Russians. When the project began in 1998, the partnership was marked by a harmonious exchange of resources such as food and exercise equipment. However, after several years, tensions started to rise. One of the most notable disputes between the two parties was over the use of the bathroom facilities. Initially, astronauts and cosmonauts used whichever bathroom was closest, but due to the rich and sometimes pungent Russian meals like jellied fish and borscht, the Russian crew members tended to clog the toilets. As a result, the Americans eventually prohibited them from using their facilities.
7. Autograph Life Insurance
Perhaps the most tragic aspect of the Apollo 11 mission was the U.S. government's failure to insure the astronauts' lives. No insurance company was willing to underwrite what was, in all likelihood, a one-way trip. In a bid to provide something for their families in case of disaster, the astronauts signed a series of autographs that could be sold if they did not return. Fortunately, the mission ended successfully, and the men made it home safely. Some of those emergency autographs later emerged and have since fetched tens of thousands of dollars at auction.
6. Income Taxes
It's often said that only two things are certain in life: death and taxes, and that holds true for everyone, even astronauts. During the Apollo 13 mission, Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert (who is best remembered for reporting the infamous 'problem' with the spacecraft's electrical circuits) had another issue at the start of the mission. He had forgotten to file his income taxes. When he reported this to mission control, the team found it amusing, and astronaut Jim Lovell joked that Swigert's tax return would be used to purchase fuel for the shuttle. However, Swigert was serious and continued to press the matter until he was granted an extension. Fast forward 33 years, and Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, the commander aboard the International Space Station, became the first person to use the internet to pay his taxes from space.
5. The Smell of Space
If you were asked to guess what outer space smelled like, most of us would probably say it smells like ozone or the void of nothingness. However, astronauts beg to differ. After spacewalks, many of them report a hot, 'meaty-metallic' scent, while others detect a fruity note of raspberry and rum, along with an acrid odor reminiscent of welding fumes. No one has ever come up with a fully comprehensive description, and NASA's attempts to recreate the 'indescribable' scent have largely been unsuccessful.
4. Food
Astronaut food is commonly found in museums and NASA gift shops, often in the form of freeze-dried meals that astronauts rehydrate with water. The most iconic of these was a small slab of Neapolitan ice cream. While it doesn't taste great, the absence of gravity severely affects astronauts' senses. Without gravity to keep things in place, food doesn't interact with tastebuds the way it does on Earth. Fluids tend to gather in astronauts' sinuses, leaving them with a sensation similar to having a bad cold. As a result, those in space tend to crave stronger flavors, such as Tabasco sauce. NASA continues to develop meals tailored to astronauts’ preferences, even offering a traditional American holiday meal: “Should a crew member wish to have a typical American holiday feast, there would be no problem. Smoked turkey, dehydrated mashed potatoes, and thermostabilized cranberry sauce are on the list of acceptable menu choices.”
3. Lunar Pathogens
When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin returned triumphantly from their moon landing, they weren't immediately greeted with celebrations or parades. Instead, the fear that they might have contracted a 'lunar pathogen' during their journey led to a 21-day quarantine in a converted Airstream trailer. Only after it was confirmed that they were healthy and not bringing back a space-borne plague were they allowed to join in the festivities, which included several parades and visits to 25 countries, including a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II. This quarantine procedure was also followed for the next three missions, until after Apollo 14, when it was concluded that the moon was devoid of life.
2. Explosion Survival
On January 28, 1986, a tragic event unfolded when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff. While the initial fireball suggested a swift death for the crew, there is evidence indicating that some astronauts survived for a while before the wreckage fell into the Atlantic Ocean at over 200 mph—an impact speed that would typically be fatal. How many astronauts survived or how long they stayed conscious during the descent is still a subject of debate. For a time, NASA denied that anyone could have survived the blast. However, at least three emergency air tanks had been activated, and eventually, NASA conceded that some astronauts likely survived for a while. The real uncertainty lay in whether the shuttle cabin depressurized after the explosion. If it did, death would have been relatively quick and painless, but if not, the astronauts could have been conscious for the entire two and a half minutes it took for the shuttle to fall to the ocean.
1. Diarrhea
The Apollo 8 mission, which served as a precursor to the Apollo 11 moon landing and gathered vital reconnaissance, was commanded by Frank Borman and piloted by James Lovell and William Anders. While the mission faced a number of challenges, none were more unpleasant than the moment when Borman woke from a nap feeling ill. He vomited and experienced diarrhea, which, in the weightlessness of space, caused the unpleasantness to float freely inside the spacecraft. The crew cleaned up the mess, and although Borman initially wanted to keep his illness a secret, Lovell and Anders insisted that it be reported to mission control. After taking some medication, Borman recovered.
