A Day In The Life Of An Astronaut

1. Ever wondered what astronauts do all day?

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You've probably seen a space shuttle launch into space, whether via live coverage, in person, or in the movies. But do you ever stop to wonder what they do once they're up there? Perhaps you've pondered what astronauts do all day aboard the International Space Station. You might be interested to learn that their days are actually incredibly busy! Their schedules are apparently incredibly structured... everything from when they eat, to when they brush their teeth and more. This schedule keeps them on track and safe.

2. They have a very strict schedule!

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There's a team in mission control called Ops Planner. This team's entire job is to plan the astronauts' schedules. The scheduled are very structured and planned down to five minute increments according to NASA! This allows for everyone to know what is happening and who's involved with various tasks around the Space Station. It requires a lot of planning, because there are different time zones to manage as well as the light and darkness of areas where the Station is located. They even schedule in the astronauts' free time!

3. 6:00am - Wake up call

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Astronauts are early to rise. The wakeup call usually comes around 6:00am, which is.... early! The astronaut wakes up and unstraps from their sleep station. For the most part, this first part of the day is not unlike any day here on earth. You take time to brush your teeth, wash your face, and get dressed. Once hygiene is taken care of, you do anything else you might want to do to get ready for the day on the International Space Station. The work day is long as you'll see. So it's best to be prepared!

4. 6:05am - Shower time

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If you want to start the day with a shower, then you'll need to be prepared. NASA provides you with "rinseless" shampoo. This shampoo is not unlike the one used in hospitals for patients who can't get out of bed. You simply get your hair damp, comb through the shampoo, and you're good to go! It will help get your hair clean without actually showering. You can't use excessive amounts of water in space, because it will literally float away. That's why this method is the best option! Would you be down to shower like this?

5. 6:15am - Morning hygiene

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The personal hygiene kit that astronauts have on board also contains items that they've selected, such as their favorite brand of toothpaste. NASA does their best to accommodate preferences for each individual wherever they can, according to the agency. The teeth brushing process isn't much different from how we brush our teeth every morning. The only difference is that the few minutes to have to brush their teeth is scheduled for them every day! Would you like to have your days this planned out?

6. 6:20am - Shaving, etc.

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If you need a few additional minutes to shave or take care of any other hygiene related things, this is your chance. The astronaut hygiene kits also contain razors needed to shave or clippers and scissors if you want to trim your hair a little bit. The biggest part of this process is to make sure you vacuum the hair up once you're finished so that it doesn't fly everywhere. Because space is confined, one of the biggest things on the Space Station is to be mindful of what you're doing and to be considerate of others, cleaning up after yourself.

7. 6:25am - Morning potty break

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Of course, basically every human on the planet wakes up having to go the bathroom. However, in space, it can take a little bit longer than on Earth, because the process is a little more complicated. If you have to go number 2, then you position yourselves on the toilet and have to use leg restraints. The toilet essentially functions like a vacuum cleaner to suck everything down. For number 1, you use a funnel attached to a hose that goes into the same waste tank. Everyone has their own urinal funnel.

8. 6:30am - Breakfast

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One of the things that people are probably the most intrigued about when they hear from astronauts is what they eat every day. Just the same as on Earth, the astronauts have three scheduled meals every day. These are pretty structured, the same as the rest of their day, and these guys are working hard, so the meals are well deserved. There are some items like brownies that are ready to eat right out of the package. And there are others that require some prep time. So regardless of what you want to eat, make sure you schedule time for breakfast before starting the work day!

9. 7:00am - Work begins

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Once your morning routine and breakfast are finished, it's time to get to work. As with the rest of the day, astronauts have a set schedule and list of tasks that they need to take care of during the work day. They receive their assignments and set out to work. The International Space Station is considered a research facility that is permanently orbiting through space. So all of their tasks revolve around those types of research efforts and are based on skill and need. Astronauts wrap their head around the work needed for the day and then get busy!

10. 9:00am - First exercise break

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Physical fitness is a huge part of each astronaut's day. In fact, they dedicate approximately 2 hours a day to working out. This is a necessity while in space, because it helps prevent bone and muscle loss when you're in the microgravity environment of the International Space station. If you don't exercise, your body will start to waste away since it's not having the effort of working against gravity. This would mean that when you return to Earth, you would be pretty weak! Exercise is a vital part of being an astronaut, but more on that later!

11. 10:00am - Back to work!

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Work can vary throughout the day, but for the most part, astronauts spend the time working on various science experiments being conducted via research on the Space Station. This could be anything from giving input on projects, monitoring data, reporting information to the ground control team, and even participating in various medical experiments. The medical experiments are simply to see how the human body adjusts to living in space, especially if it's for an extended period of time. There's definitely always more work to be done!

12. 12:00pm - Lunch break

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When it's time for lunch, the astronauts are ready for another break. During the lunch time, the meals are portioned out for them based on the calorie requirements for each person. Yes, NASA even monitors how much everyone is eating. For example, they budget approximately 1,900 calories for a small female astronaut, which a larger male would consume around 3,200 calories each day. Their lunch options are based on the amount of calories that they need to consume for that particular meal. Would you want this to be monitored for you?

13. 1:00pm - More work, of course!

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One of the biggest parts of the day's work for astronauts is helping keep the Space Station clean. These people are living where they work and there's not a TON of space, so each person has daily tasks to help keep the Space Station in good shape. This could be things like routine maintenance to cleaning. It also means they check all of the Station's systems and air filters. Some astronauts are tasked with updating equipment or taking out the trash as well! It's like everyone has a set of chores for the day.

14. 3:00pm - Second exercise break

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It's time for the second round of exercise. Did you know there are a variety of exercises to choose from? There are cardio options like the treadmill or bike. You can also choose to weight lift. In order for that to be successful, you have to list a lot of weight, because of the Space Station's weightless nature. While you might never be able to lift something that's 200 pounds in your day-to-day life, you would be able to in space, because it would weigh significantly less! They have a special system to make your weight lifting more effective!

15. 4:00pm - More work

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One of the biggest things that happens during the day is when Mission Control is monitoring the Space Station. They're keeping an eye on things from the ground and will send an email or voice message to the astronauts if something needs to be fixed or taken care of on the International Space Station. It could be something simple like changing batteries on a specific part of the craft. It sometimes requires astronauts to put on their space suit and do a spacewalk to correct the problem. They then report back to Mission Control when it's taken care of!

16. 6:00pm - Dinner time

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Some meals require a lot more prep. As we mentioned, there are certain things like fruit that are just eaten as is. So if you're hungry and eating quick, you'll probably want to reach for something like that. If you want to have something more hearty like spaghetti, then you need to take a bit of time to rehydrate the food and place it in the oven. The food is already cooked, so it's still pretty quick, but you do need to carve out time to cook your food if you're going that route! Would you be down to try dehydrated (and then rehydrated) spaghetti?

17. 7:00pm - Free time

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Free time is essential to an astronaut's schedule. As you've seen, their work days are quite long, so they really try to make sure that everyone has some down time during the day. Some assignments allow for more fun throughout the day, but otherwise, they have some time in the evening to take to themselves and partake in hobbies or hang out and do something that's relaxing for everyone. How would you spend your free time in space? Would you take up a new hobby or just spend time looking out the window taking in the view?

18. 9:00pm - Bedtime

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As you can see, an astronaut has a pretty long work day. So they're pretty excited to climb into bed each night. Or should we say, strap into bed every night. They head to the personal crew cabin and curl up into the sleeping bag that's attached to the wall. Astronauts even have their sleep time scheduled, and they are allotted approximately eight hours each night to sleep. If they don't want or need the full eight hours that particular evening, they have the option to read or use their computer for a bit.

19. Would you want to live like this?

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Astronauts have mapped out days, but like most other working humans, they do have weekends off. This gives them time to reset and recharge on the weekend before diving back into more scientific research. While their days are structured, it doesn't seem like they're THAT different from what a lot of the rest of us experience here on Earth. It's full of work, food, exercise, and play. Doesn't sound too bad, really! Plus you have the bonus of having a dance party in space at the end of the day if you so choose!

20. It's kind of like camping, but without gravity

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Especially when it comes to the food portions of the day, it's not entirely unlike camping is on Earth. You pack enough food with you and the gear that you need to prepare and eat that food. It's super important that the food and gear are stored properly so that nothing goes bad, and when you're done eating, you need to clean up after yourself. We've talked a bit about the food, but there are also condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. However, items like salt and pepper come in liquid form, which is kind of wild! But if it were in its normal state, it could clog the air vents.

21. There are different ways to spend free time

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There are a lot of different ways that astronauts can spend their free time during their stay on the International Space Station. However, research shows that the most popular of all the pastimes is looking out the window. This might sound kind of boring, but astronauts say that it's the most surreal experience. When you look out the window, you can see our Earth beneath you. The coolest part? They can watch the sunrise and sunset above the Earth's atmosphere, which happens every 45 minutes! That is so cool!

22. There are other things to do too!

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Besides staring out the window, there are a variety of things you can pick from to pass the time. The International Space Station is decked out with cards, books, games and more. People also use this time to talk to their families, hang out, or watch a movie. They can also spend time playing a musical instrument or just hanging out with each other. Some astronauts use this time to catch up on exercise if they weren't able to get to it during the day. It's basically time to hang out with each other and relax!

23. The astronauts have a good time together

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When you're living and working with the same people every day within a confined space, you have to figure out how to have fun together. Of course, everyone has their own personality and working style, but that doesn't stop them from having fun together! In fact, there were astronauts who put together an Olympics game where everyone participated in different challenges, and they handed out awards. Sounds like a lot of fun! Kind of like going to summer camp, except you're in a vehicle that's hurtling through space.

24. It's super competitive to become an astronaut

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Did you know that on average, over 18,000 people apply to become an astronaut each year, and only around 11 people are selected to join the program. You have to meet a lot of different requirements related to both science and interpersonal skills. In order to make it into the program, you have to have a master's degree with a science background, and they also want everyone to have good leadership and communication skills, as well as the ability to work well in a team setting and listen to those around you.

25. The program is pretty intense

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Many people know that astronauts go through simulation training (more on that in a minute), but the rest of the training is just as rigorous. The astronauts have to attend classes that cover everything from public speaking to geology. They also take various survival courses. They're required to take these types of classes to prepare for their work on the International Space Station, and to make sure that they're able to give a speech to the public if needed depending on their findings through research.

26. The simulations are intense too

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During the schooling, astronauts undergo a lot of different types of simulations in order to practice how they will behave and to sharpen their skills in space. They work on a true-to-size model of various parts of the Space Station so that they're familiar with how the craft works before they arrive. Some of the simulations take place underwater, because it's a very close feeling to what it's like to operate in lack of gravity. They do also participate in the Vomit Comet which flies up and down, simulating moments of weightlessness. Many an astronaut has thrown up during this one!

27. The training takes two years

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The training to become an astronaut isn't super short. It takes two years of classes, simulations, and preparation. Once they've completed their training, they are qualified to go to the International Space Station and begin their careers. As we've discussed, they'll live here and do space-related research here. The coolest part is that there are many different countries represented on board, so you meet and work with people from all different walks of life. It's truly a once in a lifetime type of experience!

28. You have to strap yourself in to eat

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We've discussed a lot of the eating situation already, but one thing you may not know is that when it's time to eat, you have to strap yourself into a chair. The table itself is magnetized to hold down your utensils and your food tray. The packaging for the food is made so that it won't fly away. One wild thing about eating in space is that the change in gravity affects your taste buds. This means you will probably want extra flavor in space, like peppers or spicy foods, because everything tastes just a little more bland!

29. Astronauts know how to have fun

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When you think of astronauts and scientists, you might think that it's super nerdy. While these people are insanely smart, they also work extremely hard, AND they know how to have a good time. Again, you're working with people from all over the globe, so you have to figure out ways to have fun and be goofy together. It can be an overwhelming work environment, because you're working long hours. It can also take a while for your body to adjust to the zero gravity situation, so it's best to make the most of it with those on board with you!

30. It's a pretty cool job!

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It takes a lot of hard work to become an astronaut, and only a handful of elite people are able to accomplish it. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, and if you're interested in becoming an astronaut, you should be prepared to work really hard. This is a job that requires a lot of discipline, as well as a willingness to work as a team and play your part within a bigger machine. If you're more of a free spirit who doesn't like to be tied down to a particular schedule, this might not be the right career path for you!