Living in Space

by Joan Marie Galat 

Photo credit: NASA

Astronauts have been living over our heads—in outer space—on a continuous basis since 2000. It takes three astronauts to run the International Space Station (ISS) but up to ten may be on board at one time. The entire structure is as big as a football field but the living area is only about the size of a five-bedroom house. Giant solar panels power the station. Some of the electricity is used to split water into gas to generate oxygen for the astronauts. The ISS orbits the Earth at a speed of 28,500 kilometres per hour. That’s eight kilometres a second—25 times faster than the speed of sound! 

I wanted to know what it’s like to live on the ISS, and made plans to write a book on the topic. As part of my research, I visited NASA facilities and watched a SpaceX Falcon heavy rocket launch. The result is the middle grade novel Mortimer: Rat Race to Space (DCB 2022). Written for ages 9-12, it tells the story of a journal-keeping lab rat who sets out to collect scientific evidence that will prove his species is the one that should colonize Mars. Mortimer records video for his future YouTube channel, but not everything goes as planned. He is forced to face new truths about dreams, friendships, and choosing the right thing to do. You can read an excerpt on Amazon.ca or Amazon.com. 

I collected much more information than I could use, including these facts: 

- Astronauts can’t be too tall or short. If you want to be an astronaut, try to grow taller than 62 inches but stay below 75 inches. 

- American astronauts must have 20/20 vision, even if that means wearing glasses, contacts, or undergoing eye surgery. 

- In the USA, jet pilots with at least 1000 hours of flying time, and teachers who have taught K-12, can apply to be astronauts. 

- Astronauts practice everything they’ll do in space on Earth. This includes how to fix malfunctioning equipment, use cameras, conduct experiments, make a meal, stow equipment, and even store trash. 

- Every astronaut has a university education and experience in engineering, biological science, physical science, or math. 

- Astronauts find out what it’s like to be weightless before they go into space. They practice floating inside a high flying plane known as the vomit comet. The plane flies to an altitude of 24,000 feet then climbs at a 45 degree angle to reach 34,000 feet. It then enters a controlled free fall which involves traveling to 24,000 feet in a gradual curve, following a 30-degree descent. This gives about 20 seconds of being weightless. The sensation of weightlessness makes a lot of people feel nauseous. Passengers in the vomit comet also feel 1.8 times heavier when the plane reaches its lowest point. 

- You can experience a few seconds of being weightless when you go down a sudden drop on a rollercoaster or other amusement park ride. 

If you’d like to see the International Space Station pass by at night, visit the Resources page of my website to access information on alerts for your area. If you’re an educator interested in a STEM or STEAM-themed presentation based on Mortimer: Rat Race to Space, contact me to ask about my virtual session—A Rat, A Rocket, and Science. As well as fun science, it includes literacy-building discussion on research, misinformation, and writing.