Conditions on board a Space station can be very strange. There is no gravity, which means that astronauts can float in mid-air and lift heavy objects with ease. In a space station, there is no up or down, which can be very confusing, so the walls, floor and ceiling are painted different colours to help the crew orientate themselves. The lack of gravity means that astronauts can eat or sleep on the walls, or even the ceiling, but it can also prove troublesome. Scientists have to strap themselves to the walls when they are working to stop themselves floating away. The planned ISS habitation module is equipped with everything astronauts need to live normally for long periods in space, including a gym, a galley, medical facilities and a meeting area.
The International Space Station is an orbiting space laboratory, assembled through a decades-long collaboration of countries. The 360-ton space station is larger than a five-bedroom house — just much longer and narrower. It has enough room for six sleeping quarters, a gym, a 360-degree viewing window, and areas to conduct a wide array of science experiments. “We’ve had continuous human presence on the space station for 19 years now,” said NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz. “It is an unprecedented international collaboration among nations.”
Working in outer space for six months has its challenges. Microgravity means that crew members have many obstacles to their regular routines, such as eating, sleeping and hanging out. The space station has no refrigeration, meaning all food has to be stored carefully and is often vacuum-packed. Some foods come in special forms, such as spaghetti which requires added water or rehydratable scrambled eggs. Even salt and pepper come in liquid form because without gravity the sprinkles would fly away.
At dinner time, crew members have to strap meal trays to their laps or to the wall. And while preparing meals, astronauts tape ingredients to the table so they don’t float away. Morning routines also get shaken up by zero-gravity. In the absence of regular showers and sinks, astronauts and cosmonauts use rinse less soap and shampoo and spit their toothpaste into washcloths. The crew also has to use special toilets which have leg restraints and a vacuum for waste.