Even basic activities like eating, sleeping, and personal hygiene require extensive practice. The habits we have on Earth pose numerous difficulties in the cramped cockpit of a spacecraft, where every item and action must be carefully considered and meticulously rehearsed.
Take eating, for example. A spacefarer’s daily caloric intake exceeds 2000 calories, consisting of over 70 different food items. The menu is designed to avoid repetition, with a variety of food groups such as meat, dairy, bread, canned goods, fruits, spices, and beverages.
Let’s delve into the topic of bread, specifically the bread served aboard the “Welcome” spacecraft. There are six types of bread for astronauts, made from white flour and rye. The bread is soft and fragrant, resembling freshly baked loaves. It is considered the most delicious component of their diet. Astronauts acknowledge that “bread is just as essential in the vacuum of space as it is on Earth.” Nothing can replace bread in the realm of space.
The bread oven for astronauts is one of the research projects conducted at the Moscow Bread Research Institute. It produces numerous small loaves, brown in color with a crispy, thin crust, individually wrapped in two layers of plastic for mold prevention. The loaves are divided into ten compartments, weighing 45 grams each, precisely the amount an astronaut needs for a single meal. This eliminates the need to break the bread apart, preventing crumbs from floating around and potentially posing a respiratory hazard. The challenge lies in preserving the bread’s freshness as if it just came out of the oven, for at least one year.
That covers the topic of food, but the dining experience for astronauts is far more intriguing. Each astronaut’s meal plan is calculated on Earth, based on their personal preferences determined through a week of taste-testing before the mission. When it’s mealtime, everyone gathers around the table with their utensils, plates, and food tubes. Of course, they have to stick everything down to the table to prevent them from floating away. Then, they simply put everything in their mouths and savor the flavors like infants nursing from a bottle. Perhaps the most enjoyable moment is when they release small pieces of bread, watching them float and swimmingly “snap” them up, reminiscent of a goldfish grabbing its food. Drinks are dispensed from pressurized containers, and if, by chance, tiny droplets escape, they float beneath the lights, shimmering like children playing with soap bubbles. The astronauts must delicately gather them together, forming larger droplets, before consuming them. Dining in space may not be as enjoyable or comfortable as on Earth, but it certainly has its own unique allure.
Regarding water standards, each astronaut is allocated 2.5 liters per day, with 1.5 liters brought from Earth and the remaining amount obtained through water recovery from sweat. The recovered water undergoes filtration until it meets the clean water standards. However, this water is only suitable for hygiene purposes and not for consumption as it is not palatable.
Waste management is meticulously carried out on the spacecraft. When the waste accumulates, it is placed in the “trash compartment,” which is then sealed, checked for airtightness, and depressurized to maintain equilibrium. Only after these steps are completed, the “trash bin” is emptied into space. Subsequently, the compartment is sealed again and repressurized. Consequently, disposing of waste follows a specific and detailed procedure, rather than being done haphazardly. The spacecraft also contains an oxygen generation system to maintain an air composition similar to that on Earth. Cargo spacecraft that are launched also consider the replacement of oxygen tanks.
Particularly, hygiene practices in space (such as using the toilet) differ significantly from those on Earth. To explain simply, when it comes to urination, there is a funnel-like device that directs urine to the desired location to prevent it from splashing around. For bowel movements, there is also a suction device that collects waste. It may sound straightforward, but if by any chance there is a spill, it quickly disperses throughout the spacecraft, making it challenging to clean up. Moreover, during meals, there is a risk of confusion where someone might mistake the waste disposal system for food, which is even more unpleasant. Although the concept seems simple, its execution is complex.
Bathing on the spacecraft is primarily reserved for long-duration missions, while short-duration missions rely mostly on using damp towels for cleaning. However, bathing in space poses its own challenges. Firstly, the bathroom area must be completely sealed to prevent water from escaping. Furthermore, water in space does not behave the same way as it does on Earth. It does not flow as a stream but clings together. Recovering the water afterwards is not an easy task. Therefore, bathing in space presents numerous difficulties. Consequently, shower facilities on spacecraft must be designed with appropriate pressure and atmospheric conditions similar to those on Earth, to ensure the comfort of the astronauts.
Astronauts adhere to Earth’s time schedule for work and rest. The daily routine is as follows: 9 hours for sleep and rest, 2.5 hours for physical exercise, 2.5 hours for meals (four meals in total), 8 hours for work, and each astronaut has 2 hours of personal free time, including 1 hour after lunch.
When going to sleep, astronauts have to “squeeze” themselves into sleeping bags and secure them to the spacecraft to avoid floating around. Without a sleeping bag, their heads would constantly nod, resulting in neck fatigue, making it difficult to move upon waking up. Therefore, sleeping bags are essential, and choosing the sleeping location and position are also crucial. Experienced astronauts who have flown multiple times find that sleeping in the central area of the spacecraft (with their heads facing downwards) is more comfortable. Additionally, when going to sleep, they use straps to anchor their bodies to the spacecraft’s walls, securing their heads and hands to prevent constant movement during sleep. Once they get used to it, they can sleep anywhere. Before sleeping, they “squeeze” into the sleeping bag, tighten the straps, and let themselves float freely throughout the spacecraft. They may open a book and read while both the book and their body float, enjoying moments of relaxation before anchoring themselves somewhere to sleep soundly, which is truly an incredible sensation.