In the 2015 film
The Martian, Dr. Mark Watney, played by actor Matt Damon, is stranded on Mars and his only chance of rescue is the next Mars mission 4 years away. That scenario has become a reality for Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, two astronauts who are stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) until 2025 due to Boeing's faulty Starliner. Although the views might be out of this world, the ISS is far from the ideal destination for an impromptu 8-month trip. With little spare room and zero gravity, even simple tasks like eating or going to the bathroom can be extremely challenging. Going to bed on Earth might be one of the simplest things imaginable, but without the resistance of gravity, lying down or even resting your head on a pillow essentially becomes impossible. Rather than trying to lie down on a mattress, the astronauts cocoon themselves in sleeping bags tethered to the inside of the station. The ISS can be quite loud as the station's life support systems whir through the night and the station is regularly bathed in the intense light from the sun as it orbits. For this reason, eye masks and earplugs are standard issue for astronauts looking to get some much-needed rest. One of the biggest risks of sleeping in space is not a bad night's rest but the build-up of CO2. Without gravity, CO2 from the astronaut's breath can form a "bubble" around their head, potentially suffocating them in their sleep. Thankfully, the NASA sleeping pods are well-ventilated so that the astronauts can breathe fresh air all night. NASA assigns its astronauts 8 hours of sleep time after a 16-hour working day, but most astronauts generally get about 6 hours of shut-eye after spending some of their time resting and relaxing. Forget showering — astronauts bathe twice a day using washcloths, and hair is kept clean using rinseless shampoo. When it comes to brushing their teeth, astronauts deal with floating water by swallowing their toothpaste. Eating meals is another challenge, with astronauts forced to eat all their meals inside the Unity module, which is fitted with the necessary equipment and antibacterial materials on the walls. They strap their legs to chairs and use magnetic trays to hold their food in place. They eat 3 meals a day, as well as snacks, that make up a 2,500-calorie diet. Astronauts are required to do at least 2 hours of exercise daily and are carefully monitored for fitness and health. Of course, the challenge of the next 8 months will be to stay positive amid so much uncertainty. That’s why exercising is a big part of their day, which keeps them focused and their minds occupied.
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Without gravity, the sleep stations (pictured) can be set in all four walls of the space station module.
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Astronauts' meals are dehydrated before they're sent into space. On the ISS, astronauts are able to add water and microwave them to bring them back to a normal consistency.
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ARED weightlifting device (pictured) which uses pistons and flywheels to simulate the force of gravity on Earth.
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