Questions tagged [astronauts]
Questions regarding people present on spacecraft or space stations.
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Will the Orion glass cockpit with CCD be tested with prospective astronauts on the ground during the upcoming Artemis 1 test flight ? If not, why?
Image credit: DesignNews article: "Exclusive: A Closer Look at NASA's Orion Glass Cockpit"
Will there be video cameras onboard the Orion spacecraft that registrate the glass cockpit displays ...
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Why the Snoopy Cap rather than a conventional headset?
Why do American astronauts wear the "snoopy cap" elastic hood with communications headset rather than a more conventional style of headset that doesn't have a hood? Does the cap provide ...
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What percentage of humans could execute the job of astronaut if given the opportunity? [closed]
Becoming an astronaut is notoriously difficult, with something on the order of 0.01% of all applicants getting picked for the job. To a large extent this is inevitable as only a dozen people per year ...
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Why is the selection process for astronauts so rigorous?
Becoming an astronaut is notoriously difficult, with something on the order of 0.01% of all applicants getting picked for the job. However there are two possible explanations for why this is the case:
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Have astronauts ever used the helmet-to-helmet technique to talk to one another in vacuum?
Science Fiction has long written about this communication technique in vacuum: Astronauts touch their helmet against another astronaut's helmet, so that sound will transmit through that physical ...
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How many cargo flights are needed before Starship can carry people?
I have seen mention that the Starship will need to have a track record of a certain number of flights before it can carry people. I suppose NASA sets this number. I don't know if it's an absolute ...
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Could an astronaut with a jump and a "jet pack" "jump" off of the Moon?
The initial naïve question was:
"Could an astronaut with a jump and a "jet pack" "jump" off of the Moon?" :)
For fun, let's assume the optimal circumstances:
Gemini era ...
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How many total NASA astronauts have died? [closed]
Including in space, launching, reentering, pre-flight, and in training.
user46521
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How does NASA count the order that people have entered space?
NASA has designated Matthias Maurer (crewmember of SpaceX CrewDragon 3) as the 600th person to fly in space. Leaving aside the question of whether those who flew with Branson and Bezos should be ...
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Deke Slayton's Molded Mercury Capsule Couch?
Recently got a hard question from an observant, sharp-eyed, and curious high school astronomy teacher:
Reference this article about some of the training the Mercury Seven astronauts did. Note that the ...
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Does NASA police urine production by astronauts?
Acute abdominal pain is a medical emergency which requires diagnostic facilities not available on board spacecraft. It could require emergency return from LEO or mission abort in cislunar missions. ...
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What was the size and mass limit of a PPK for Apollo?
Astronauts are allowed to take a personal preference kit (PPK) with them to space. The Wikipedia page for PPKs states how they are defined by the Federal Aviation Regulations as of January 2001. This ...
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Are there examples of spaceflight equipment being redesigned to remove right hand bias? (To make it less difficult to use left-handed)
Writing First left-handed primate on the Moon? First in space? got me thinking. The first left-handed astronaut may "break a barrier" but not all barrier-breakings result in an improvement ...
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How long did the Apollo astronauts spend in the MQF?
After returning to Earth, the Apollo 11 astronauts were placed in a Mobile Quarantine Facility (MQF) to be transported to a NASA facility. How much time did the astronauts spend in the MQF?
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How can I become an astronaut?
For EU citizens to envisage a career in space, as an astronaut, the following ESA handbook gives details about the selection process.
Similar information for US citizens can be found at this NASA site
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How do I get an astronaut to do my science in space?
Astronauts spend nearly all of their time doing science experiments that take advantage of their environment, specifically microgravity, easy access to hard vacuum, radiation, etc. My question is, how ...
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What are the main impacts on the body of an astronaut exposed to long term zero gravity?
Zero gravity has considerable influence on the body of astronauts. After a long time in space it's difficult to walk when back on Earth.
What would happen if future astronauts engage in spaceflights ...
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What's the farthest an ISS astronaut gets from the station's center of mass during routine activities? At 0.5°/s what centrifugal effects are there?
This answer to Are there really “Dead End” signs on the outside of the International Space Station? won't be helpful here since for the purposes of this question spacewalks aren't part of routine ...
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Are Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson astronauts?
Are Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson (among others) astronauts? Does any flying to space makes a human an astronaut, also when they are dead weight? Assuming that the definition of space (Kármán line or ...
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Is the weightlessness in a swimming pool the same as in outer space? [duplicate]
Astronauts practice the weightlessness of space in a swimming pool. Is this weightlessness the same as in space? Lets ignore the friction with water imagine them to be suspended in liquid helium...).
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What are Virgin Galactic Space Suits for? What do they do? What don't they do?
In the CNN video linked below the reporter mentions to Unity 22's Astronaut 004 Sirisha Bandla:
When people think of Virgin Galactic, they’re thinking of giving people new astronaut wings like the ...
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Other than astronauts, did any equipment go to the moon more than once? [duplicate]
It's been well documented elsewhere that three astronauts made multiple trips to the moon (whether to just orbit it, or actually land), these being Lovell, Young, and Cernan. Other than these 3 ...
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Why was a completely new (an "inexperienced" crew, w.r.t. Moon mission) selected for Apollo 11? [duplicate]
Apollo 10 was practically a full dress rehearsal of moon landing, except the landing act. As such, its crew (astronauts) gained all the experience needed for a moon mission. They were best suited to &...
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Is a PhD in space-related technology from a Physics background possible?
I am 24 years old, from Argentina. Next year I will finish my 6-year degree in physics from the University of Buenos Aires (We've been told that it is equivalent to a master's degree, but maybe is ...
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Has sound ever been used to diagnose a problem not shown by other measurements?
In a video released by NASA here, showing Perseverance recording one of Ingenuity's flights, they have the quotes:
Sound adds a new dimension to space exploration.
and
As a mechanic listens to a ...
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What are the average masses of male and female astronauts respectively?
Considering that each pound/kilogram costs a vast amount of fuel to put into orbit/get to the moon or Mars, it might make sense to use jockey-sized people or even midgets as astronauts. They might be ...
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Has an astronaut had a blood sample taken while in space?
Has any astronaut had a sample of their blood taken while in space? This may be as part of a scientific experiment, or for their own health. If yes, was the sample analyzed while in space, or was it ...
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Do U.S. Air Force astronauts now become Space Force astronauts?
Wikipedia has a list of astronauts from the U.S. Air Force. With the creation of the Space Force from parts of the Air Force, do these astronauts now become part of the Space Force? The question ...
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Cyanobacteria as Life Support?
I'm aware that cyanobacteria are responsible for the Great Oxidation Event and are very effective at turning CO2 into oxygen so it stands to reason that with the proper nutrients for the bacteria, you ...
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How big are Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) boots?
How big are Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) boots? Are any NASA equipment related to the ISS open to the public, if so were where would I find it?
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Why don't astronaut helmets fog up? What's the chemistry and thermodynamics behind keeping the field of view clear even during heavy breathing?
Some space walking involves exercise (e.g. moving heavy stuff around) and the outside surface of a faceplate is constantly radiating its heat out into space. At night that thermal radiation is not ...
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Which of the former Soviet republics have sent a cosmonaut into space?
The Soviet Union was composed of 15 Union Republics for much of its history and at the time of its dissolution in 1991. Which of the 15 former Soviet republics have sent a cosmonaut into space, ...
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Does NASA consider Joseph Walker to be an astronaut?
Joe Walker was a NACA and NASA test pilot who flew the X-15 aircraft twice above 100 km, which FAI uses their definition of an astronaut. Flight 90 achieved 106.01 km, and flight 91 reached 107.96 km....
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When did Chevrolet stop giving astronauts Corvettes?
According to Wikipedia, General Motors made a deal to give cars to the Mercury astronauts at drastically discounted prices. Pictures of America's heroes driving their cars was good marketing for GM. ...
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Is this really a picture of John Young?
This article from the Smithsonian Air and Space magazine is about eyeglasses for astronauts. The following quote about legendary astronaut John Young is immediately followed by a picture:
Even ...
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Could Chuck Yeager ever have qualified as an astronaut?
Chuck Yeager was a legendary U.S. Air Force test pilot and the first person to break the sound barrier. He never earned a college degree, although he did finish one year at the Air War College. This ...
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Do astronauts wear G-Suits during the launch?
Nowadays, rocket launches (to the ISS) accelerate astronauts at a maximum of around 3 to 4g (source).
I have seen quite a few ...
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Would an astronaut experience a force during a gravity assist maneuver?
When an astronaut is inside of a ship accelerating (from engine burns), or decelerating (due to reentry) they experience a tug in a relative direction.
Suppose an astronaut is in a space ship that is ...
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JAXA/NASA astronauts on a Shuttle mission; was it like dual citizenship/joint appointment or did one agency take precedent?
Professor and former astronaut Takao Doi does many things, including being a Space Shuttle mission specialist, an amateur astronomer and discoverer of two supernovae 2002gw IN NGC 922 and Supernova ...
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Why did Richard Garriott have to quarantine following his trip to the ISS?
I was reading about Richard Garriott and the drama surrounding his departure from NCSoft, and I was surprised to learn that NCSoft forged his resignation letter while he was in quarantine following ...
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Did an astronaut on the Moon ever fall on his back?
I am curious to know if an astronaut on the Moon ever fell backwards and landed on his back. I have seen many photographs and videos of astronauts who accidentally tripped or lost their balance and ...
user35148
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Is there anything preventing an astronaut from opening their helmet and exposing themself to the vacuum of space?
Say an astronaut had some sort of psychotic break during a spacewalk, is there any mechanism or failsafe that would prevent the astronaut from opening their helmet and exposing themself to the vacuum ...
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Astronauts of Apollo 11 facing extreme temperatures
I recently read that temperatures on the moon can vary from -100 °C in the shade to 100 °C in the sunny part.
How did astronaut suits cope with these extreme temperatures? Is the same technology used ...
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Experience of breathing regular air vs. Nitrox vs pure oxygen at 4.3 psi?
Has any astronaut/cosmonaut described a difference in the feeling of breathing pure oxygen at 4.3 psi in a spacesuit compared breathing regular air at sea level or even to Nitrox used in the Neutral ...
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Which astronauts or cosmonauts were injured by a hard landing?
Sigmund Jähn, the first German in orbit, was injured during a hard landing of the Soyuz 29 capsule on September 3rd, 1978. He got permanent damages of his vertebral column.
Are there other astronauts ...
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What magnitude stars were seen from lunar surface?
I've seen a claim* that some of the Apollo astronauts stepped into the shadow of the LM, raised their gold visors, and looked up into the sky to see the stars. If this is true any mention of what ...
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What happens to astronaut sweat on the ISS?
Does perspiration from the astronauts aboard the ISS stick to the skin, evaporate or somehow float away from the skin?
Is the part of the sweat that sticks to an astronaut's skin kept there until they ...
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Is disabling glare common in space?
I'd like to know if astronauts have been under the effect of Disabling Glare, how easily this could accidentally happen and how long can last if this happen?
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Are there any superstitions practiced in space?
I know there are many superstitious rituals practiced on the ground before liftoff. A well known superstition/tradition is urinating on the rear right tire of the vehicle bringing cosmonauts and ...
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Taking custom software or hardware to the ISS
Before departing to the ISS, astronauts are allowed to pack some personal objects to be taken with them (see other question about packing).
What if an astronaut had some self-written software (for ...
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