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How does an astronaut sleep in space? [+VIDEO]

How does an astronaut sleep in space? [+VIDEO]

On the International Space Station, the concept of “night” is very different from the concept of Earth and the crew orbiting in space sleeping in an unconventional way

  • For astronauts, sleeping is a completely different situation than resting on Earth
  • In space, the concept of “night” has changed: the International Space Station makes a complete circle around the Earth in 90 minutes, then in 24 hours it crosses up to 16 sequences of sunrise and sunset
  • Because of microgravity, a mattress cannot be placed on the ground because it will float in the air
  • Astronauts sleep in their rooms that are darkened by sunlight and soundproofed by the noise of the International Space Station
  • Instead of a mattress, they have a sleeping bag attached to the floor, wall or ceiling

After a day of work in between many challenging activities, falling asleep in the evening becomes a fun time. Drowning your head on the pillow and drowning in the mattress generates comfort and luxury. This is for people on the ground. Nilo Void Instead, in zero gravity, go to sleep for the astronauts in International Space Station It’s a completely different situation.

Life aboard the International Space Station

Since the International Space Station came into operation in the 2000s, the International Space Station has never been empty. Hundreds of astronauts have visited the station, which always has a permanent crew of 6 people. A typical day starts with your alarm clock at 6, then you eat breakfast and get ready for the day. At 7.30, the first conference call with the control center takes place and we go through the various science experiments in the program, with maintenance and small business. You have an hour for lunch, then you go back to work and do some physical exercise in the gym, to end the day with one last conference call with the base. After dinner we sleep, but everything is disturbed in space.

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sunrise and sunset in space

The idea of ​​”night” is not the same on Earth, as it is on the International Space Station A complete circle around the Earth in 90 minutesthen within 24 hours up to 16 sunrise and sunset sequences. condition microgravity On the space station, it also determines the buoyancy of the astronauts and every object within it. If you put a mattress on the floor, it will begin to float in the air as the astronaut sleeps on it. Both will hit walls and objects in the room. To avoid these inconveniences, astronauts sleep with a few precautions.

Personal cabins are dark from sunlight and soundproofed from the noise constantly present in the rooms (fans, air filters and various equipment). The cabins are pressurized and have the same air as the ground. Astronauts don’t have a bed to sleep in, but they slip into one sleeping bag Attached to the floor, wall or ceiling. It is also important to keep your arms inside the sleeping bag to prevent them from moving while you sleep.

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Sleeping in space requires a very long period of adaptation for astronauts, as the body and brain are accustomed to a 24-hour wake-up cycle, so changes in orbit can make it difficult to fall asleep. The crew wakes up in the morning to music transmitted from the base on the floor, or by classical alarm clocks.