10b05

SCIENCE

2025 October 10, 11

Level: Medium

Life in Space

by David Morton

Don’t take gravity for granted!

10

Many people consider it exciting to travel to space, often imagining the fancy images of stars and planets from science-fiction (sci-fi) movies or expensive commercial spaceflights. But actually, living in space is more difficult, dangerous and messy than those pictures let on.

  Living off-world in a microgravity (almost zero-gravity) environment requires careful planning and training. Astronauts and scientists on the International Space Station (ISS) can’t jump into a shower or take a relaxing bath. Instead, they have to rely on washing with a cloth and using special shampoos to stay clean. Even using the bathroom becomes a difficult process, involving bags, tubes and toilets designed to prohibit waste from floating around.

  Eating is another adventure. Without gravity to hold food in place, food and liquids float in all directions, which can damage equipment. To address this problem, astronauts eat most of their meals from sealed containers and drink liquids from special bags. While these solutions are clever, the menu is often limited. Eating the same meals every day for weeks or months can lead to a loss of appetite, which can cause serious problems like weight loss or poor nutrition.