Imagine you visited the ISS. Make notes answering the questions. 1. When did you go? 2.Who did you meet on the ISS. 3. What did you see? 4.What did you do? 5. In what ways was life different on the ISS? 6.What were the best and the worest things? 7.What were the best and the worest things?
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Răspuns:
It has been exactly a year since I got the chance of being propulsated through open space at the speed of almost 40.000 km an hour¹ towards the International Space Station. The trip to the ISS took less than 24 hours², which is incredible. Only ten years ago it would've taken us three³ whole days to complete the journey.
Once arrived to the ISS, we were welcomed by Christopher Cassidy and Kathleen Rubins⁴, while the rest of the crew continued to operate their designated modules.
It took me a long time to actually grasp the reality of myself floating in space inside such a fragile, man-made structure. I was amazed by the realisation of humanity's potential and achievements.
The first module that I got to visit was Harmony. There was a lot of stuff hanging on the walls, some of it being upside down, but once you flip yourself upside down too, your point of reference changes and you don't even see the difference, which felt very bizarre and hard to comprehend at first. The inside of the station was surely impressive, but nothing could top up the views that you got of the outside. You can see cities span over thousand of kilometers. Storms and oceans, volcanoes and even wildfires: all of these are right in front of you, all at the same time.
While on the ISS, my main mission was to conduct many different biology related experiments. I was assigned to study the behavior of different crops and microcellular life. But once in space, every single task that you are so used to doing on Earth turns into an incredible challenge. Eating, sleeping, showering -- all of these activities are performed in a totally unique fashion.
With all of this in mind, there are, of course, many things that didn't go so well. For example, the water supply wasn't unlimited & and the air is recycled, which means that any air pollutants can become a nightmare on the ISS, that's why everything we get from Earth has to be completely odorless and pretty much sterile. I also discovered that the crew members have to train every single day on a special gym station designed for zero gravity, since being in space for too long can decrease your muscle mass and weaken your bones.
Overall, the journey was the experience of a lifetime and I would never give it up for anything on Earth.
Referințe:
¹ Based on Falcon Heavy's max. reached speed. May not necessarily represent Crew Dagon's maximum speed
² Based on Falcon 9's reports carrying the Crew Dragon to the ISS later in the spring of 2020.
³ Info provided by astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson in a 2010 interview
⁴ Astronauts of the 63 Expedition