Close quarters: A personal tour of the International Space Station
In case you were wondering just what life was like on the International Space Station, Commander Scott Kelly uploaded a brief video offering a walk-through of the crew's sleeping quarters, on Dec. 6, 2010.
Looks nice enough, but spacious, it ain't.
Aboard the ISS
Kelly pulls himself through a connecting chute to the ceiling of the craft.
Aboard the ISS
A clear look at the pod interior.
Aboard the ISS
When it comes to packing for the trip, there's not much space to house six months' worth of clothing. Basically, Kelly says, you take what you can fit into one large suitcase. By his estimate, a shirt generally lasts a month, while a pair of pants can last a couple of months. You can get by wearing the same pair of underwear from three to five days while a pair of socks are good for about a month, Ditto for workout gear.
Aboard the ISS
"But you know, it's really odd," Kelly says. "For some reason you don't feel that the clothes get that dirty." That's due to the on-board environment, where the crew doesn't sweat in their clothing.
What's more, according to Kelly, clothes are not pressed up against a person's body all the time because you're floating inside the craft. Kelly acknowledges that while he would never consider wearing a shirt for a month or a pair of pants for two months back on Earth, for whatever reason up here, it doesn't feel too bad." (He may not realize it, but the guy is living every bachelor's dream.)
Aboard the ISS
In the crew quarters, the astronauts sleep, change clothes and take care of their regular hygiene routine - that also includes a sponge bath, as there's no shower on board.
They make use of a couple of computers - one connects to the onboard system, the other for accessing the Internet. But though he may be floating in the heavens, Kelly suffers through the same pedestrian frustration as the rest of us, noting that his connection can be "sporadic and pretty slow at times."
Aboard the ISS
The crew's telephone works with a voice over IP technology. As long as they have the proper satellite connection, the crew can place calls to anywhere on Earth.
Aboard the ISS
Ever wonder how an astronaut sleeps? Kelly offers a demo, fitting into a sleeping bag which essentially leaves him suspended in a vertical position. But he says that the sleep is more restful than in his bed back on the Earth.
"It's a very comfortable way to sleep, once you get used to it," he says. "At first, it can be rather difficult. But once you get the hang of it, it's actually very comfortable."