The life of a NASA astronaut

Summary

Brains On! Episode Summary: The Life of a NASA Astronaut

Released June 3, 2025 | Host: Molly Bloom and Co-Host Vincent | Produced by American Public Media

In this engaging episode of Brains On!, hosts Molly Bloom and Vincent delve into the fascinating world of NASA astronauts, exploring the intricacies of life in space. From training regimens to the peculiar challenges of eating and living in microgravity, the episode is a treasure trove of scientific insights and entertaining anecdotes, all tailored for curious kids and adults alike.

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Dreams of Space Exploration

The episode kicks off with Molly and Vincent sharing their personal aspirations to journey into space. Vincent expresses a keen interest in visiting either Mars or the Moon, highlighting the allure of "looking back at Earth from the Moon" and the ambition of "colony building missions" on Mars (04:07). This mutual enthusiasm sets the stage for a deeper exploration into what it takes to become an astronaut and thrive in the harsh environment of space.

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Listener Questions: Understanding Astronaut Life

The heart of the episode revolves around answering listener-submitted questions about life in space. Here are some of the key topics discussed:

1. Training for Low Gravity

   Vincent asks, "How do astronauts train for low gravity?" (03:43), prompting a detailed explanation of the various methods used to simulate microgravity. Astronauts undergo parabolic flights that create short bursts of weightlessness and train in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab—"a giant indoor pool"—to practice spacewalks (23:24).

2. Becoming an Astronaut

   When Mark in Maryland inquires, "How do you become an astronaut?" (03:49), astronaut Kayla Barron provides a comprehensive overview. She emphasizes the importance of studying a STEM field, obtaining advanced degrees, and most importantly, "knowing how to work really well on teams" (22:30). Kayla's background in engineering and her experience in the Navy underscore the diverse paths one can take to join NASA.

3. Sunburn in Space

   Addressing Margo's question, "Can you get sunburned in space?" (25:15), Kayla explains that astronauts can indeed get sunburned much faster than on Earth due to the lack of atmospheric protection. She notes, "You can absolutely get sunburnt in space. And actually a lot faster than you do on Earth" (25:21), underscoring the need for protective measures against harmful UV rays.

4. Flatulence in Space

   A quirky yet practical question from Ike—"What happens when you fart in space?" (26:23)—is addressed with thoroughness. Kayla reassures that, within a spacesuit, *"we breathe out carbon dioxide, but it gets reprocessed so it doesn't come back over your face" (26:48). This explanation highlights the advanced life support systems that maintain air quality in spacesuits and spacecraft.

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Historical Insights: Moon Landings and Air Management

The episode takes a historical turn as Molly and Vincent explore how astronauts managed air when landing on the Moon. Responding to Andreas from New York, Maine's question at 05:29, they discuss the Apollo missions' strategies. They explain that earlier moon landers lacked airlocks, leading to air escaping into space when doors were opened. Consequently, astronauts brought spare air tanks to replenish the cabin, ensuring a constant supply of breathable air. This segment provides a captivating glimpse into the logistical challenges faced during the Apollo era.

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Mystery Sound Challenge: Flushing the Toilet

Adding an element of fun, the hosts engage in a "Mystery Sound" segment featuring the sound of a toilet flush. Listeners like Paloma from San Jose, California, contribute to the interactive experience. Quotes such as, "That's the sound of me flushing the toilet" (33:08) bring humor and relatability to the scientific discussions, making the episode both informative and entertaining.

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Space Food: From Past to Present

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the evolution of space food. Through the interactive game "Space Scrub," Molly and Vincent explore how astronauts ate during the early days of space exploration and how space food has improved over the years.

1. Historical Space Cuisine

   Questions like "How did the first astronauts in the 1960s eat their meals in space?" (14:05) reveal that early astronauts consumed "food paste squeezed out of tubes", necessitated by the need to avoid crumbs and minimize weight (14:47). This segment sheds light on the ingenuity behind early space nutrition solutions.

2. Yuri Gagarin’s Meals

   Discussing Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, Vincent learns that Gagarin enjoyed "a tube of beef and liver paste and a dessert tube of chocolate sauce" for each meal (15:49). This historical tidbit underscores the limited yet essential food resources available during the initial forays into space.

3. Modern Space Dining

   Transitioning to contemporary space food, Molly explains that today’s astronauts can enjoy meals similar to those on Earth, including fresh vegetables grown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) (17:37). This advancement highlights significant progress in making life in space more comfortable and sustainable.

4. Listener Insights on Space Snacks

   The hosts engage listeners by sharing responses about the hardest foods to eat in space, such as peaches, chunky soups, and sushi, each presenting unique challenges due to microgravity (19:03). These insights add a playful yet practical dimension to understanding daily life in space.

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Ask an Astronaut: In-Depth Q&A with Kayla Barron

A standout feature of the episode is the "Ask an Astronaut" segment, where astronaut Kayla Barron answers detailed questions from young listeners:

1. Understanding the International Space Station (ISS)

   Kayla describes the ISS as "a gigantic laboratory in low Earth orbit," emphasizing its role as a center for scientific research and international collaboration (21:36).

2. Training for Microgravity

   Explaining how astronauts prepare for the unique challenges of space, Kayla details the use of parabolic flights and the Neutral Buoyancy Lab to simulate weightlessness and practice spacewalks (23:24).

3. Health Precautions in Space

   Kayla elaborates on the stringent quarantine protocols before missions to prevent illnesses, the impact of microgravity on the immune system, and the comprehensive medical support available both onboard and from Earth (27:42). This segment highlights the meticulous planning required to maintain astronaut health during extended missions.

4. Handling Illnesses and Emergencies

   Discussing contingency plans, Kayla explains that crews are trained to handle medical emergencies with onboard resources and telemedicine support, ensuring astronauts can receive timely care or return home if necessary (27:51).

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Conclusion: Embracing Teamwork and Continuous Learning

As the episode wraps up, Molly and Vincent reflect on the profound preparation and teamwork essential for space missions. They emphasize the importance of STEM education, advanced training, and adaptability in overcoming the myriad challenges of space travel. Notably, Vincent humorously remarks on the previously discussed flatulence systems, adding a lighthearted touch to the serious discussions (30:13).

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Key Takeaways

• Comprehensive Training: Astronauts undergo rigorous training, including simulations and physical exercises, to prepare for the unique conditions of space.

• Advanced Life Support: Modern spacecraft and suits are equipped with sophisticated systems to manage air quality, temperature, and other vital factors.

• Evolving Space Cuisine: From paste tubes to fresh-grown vegetables, space food has significantly improved, enhancing the quality of life for astronauts.

• Health and Safety Protocols: Stringent measures ensure the health and safety of astronauts, both pre-flight and during missions.

• Teamwork is Crucial: Successful missions rely heavily on the ability of astronauts to work effectively as a cohesive team.

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Supporting Brains On!

Molly Bloom invites listeners to support the podcast by donating, signing up for the Smarty Pass, or purchasing merchandise at brainson.org. Fans are encouraged to engage by sending in mystery sounds, drawings, and more questions to enhance future episodes.

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Notable Quotes:

• Vincent on Colony Building: "Enjoying the view from the Moon and building colonies on Mars sounds fun" (04:07).

• Kayla Barron on Becoming an Astronaut: "The only thing you really have to do is study something in a STEM field... and learn how to work really well on teams" (22:30).

• Kayla on Farting in Spacesuits: "Everything's flowing down from your head to your feet... so it'd be a pretty safe spot to have some stinky spells in your spacesuit" (26:48).

• Vincent’s Humorous Take on Space Food: "I don't want to smell my own farts while on a six or seven hour spacewalk" (30:08).

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This episode of Brains On! masterfully combines scientific explanation with relatable humor, making complex topics about space and astronaut life accessible and enjoyable for young listeners and their families. Whether you're dreaming of the stars or simply curious about how humans live beyond Earth, this episode provides a comprehensive and entertaining exploration of what it means to be an astronaut.

Transcript

[Molly Bloom]

Hi, friends.

[Ryan]

If you love Brains On Universe, you'll love the latest season of Million Bazillion Marketplaces award winning kids podcast about money. Hosts Ryan and Bridget answer the funny, tricky and just really good questions from kid listeners to help dollars make more sense. Million Bazillion is presented in partnership with Greenlight, the debit card and money app for kids and teens. With Greenlight, kids and teens learn to earn, save, spend wisely and invest. Learn all about [e-mail] million and tune in to Million Bazillion Wherever you find your favorite podcasts.

[Vincent]

You're listening to Brains on, where we're serious about being curious.

[Mark]

Brains on is supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

[Sandon]

Careful, Sandon, careful. I know, Mark, I know. This last connection is of the utmost importance. By Jove, I think we've done it. Oh, yeah. Dream team strikes again.

[Molly Bloom]

Hey, Sandon. Hey, Mark. What's that you got there? A spacesuit?

[Sandon]

Not just any spacesuit, Molly. This is our latest invention. It's a one of a kind custom made full body suit with enhanced flatulence extractor. We're gonna pitch this idea to NASA.

[Molly Bloom]

We're. Wait, did you say a flatulence extractor?

[Sandon]

Yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Flatulence. Like a fart? Yeah. So this is a spacesuit with a fart vacuum. Is that what that tube on the butt is? A fart vacuum?

[Sandon]

Molly, please. This is serious stuff. Look, there's no breeze when you're floating around inside a space station. Flatulence lingers. And those unpleasant odors can be a distraction from serious astronaut work. Like conducting experiments.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, so you built a suit that gets rid of fart stink. Oh, it's a toot suit. No, no, no, no. A Whopper Stopper.

[Sandon]

Molly, focus.

[Vincent]

Yes.

[Sandon]

When there is flatulence farting, the suit uses a smell triggered engine to pull the aroma out of the rear area and capture it in this here flatulence container.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, wait, wait. Smell triggered engine. You should call it the odor motor. Wait, and this is a tank of farts. It's a stank tank.

[Sandon]

This is important work, Molly.

[Molly Bloom]

I know, I know, but it can be important and funny. Hang on, I gotta get a picture of this. Let me get my camera. Stay right here. I'll be right back.

[Sandon]

So immature, right? I mean, Whopper Stopper is a pretty good name though. Ooh, so good.

[Molly Bloom]

You're listening to Brains on from APM Studios. I'm Molly Bloom and my co host today is Vincent from Greenwood, Indiana. Hi, Vincent.

[Vincent]

Hi, Molly.

[Molly Bloom]

Brainson is a Public media podcast.

[Vincent]

That means you keep us going. Without you, there'd be no us.

[Molly Bloom]

Help out by donating, signing up for Smarty Pass or buying [e-mail] Fans, thank you so much. So, Vincent, today we're tackling a colossal collection of questions about life in space.

[Vincent]

Yeah, questions like these.

[Mark]

I was wondering, how do astronauts train for low gravity?

[Vincent]

How do you become an astronaut and work at NASA?

[Mark]

Can you get sunburned in space?

[Vincent]

What happens when astronauts fart in space?

[Molly Bloom]

Thanks to Blake, Mark, Margot and Ike for sending in those excellent questions. Vincent, I'm curious. Would you like to travel to space one day?

[Vincent]

Uh, yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. Where do you think you'd like to go?

[Vincent]

Mars or the moon?

[Molly Bloom]

Mm. And how long do you think you'd like to stay up there?

[Vincent]

Six to seven months. I don't want to spend too much time up there.

[Molly Bloom]

So what is it about Mars or the moon that you think sounds fun.

[Vincent]

For the moon looking back at Earth, but for Mars, it'd be more like a colony building mission. If I were to go there.

[Molly Bloom]

Colony building mission. That is very cool. Can you tell me more about what that means?

[Vincent]

Basically just creating an outpost on a planet or maybe a long term base. Colonies on other planets are hard just because of logistics, but if you can get the basics down, hydroponics, mining and other stuff, then you can stay for longer.

[Molly Bloom]

So you'd figure out how it would be possible to build a structure on Mars that people could actually live in.

[Vincent]

Xeno civil engineering.

[Molly Bloom]

Whoa. I love that word. So do you think you would be interested in being an astronaut one day?

[Vincent]

Yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

That's amazing.

[Ryan]

It sounds like learning how to build.

[Molly Bloom]

A colony on Mars could be a really interesting thing to do one day.

[Vincent]

Mm. Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba.

[Molly Bloom]

Brains on. We're gonna find out more about living in space in a bit. But first, let's tackle this question from Andreas in New York, Maine.

[Mark]

When astronauts land on the moon, how do rocket ships keep the air from escaping when they open the door?

[Vincent]

Good question. It's a lot to unpack.

[Molly Bloom]

First off, the last time humans went to the moon was over 50 years ago in 1972.

[Vincent]

That was way before smartphones, before the World Wide Web, before spongebob.

[Molly Bloom]

People listened to music on big black discs called records. They wore bright colors and bell bottom pants.

[Vincent]

And if you were lucky, you might have had one of the very first video game systems in your home.

[Molly Bloom]

Now, about those moon trips. They were planned by the US Space agency, NASA.

[Vincent]

There's no air on the moon. And there's no air in space, either. So NASA had to think very carefully about how astronauts would breathe.

[Molly Bloom]

When astronauts flew to the moon, they brought air with them in large tanks.

[Vincent]

As long as the astronauts were inside their ships, they could breathe just fine.

[Molly Bloom]

To land on the moon itself, they used a special smaller spacecraft that left from the main ship once they were on the moon. And when they went outside, they had to wear special spacesuits.

[Vincent]

Those spacesuits also had air in them, and they were sealed so the air wouldn't escape.

[Molly Bloom]

But what about the air in that moon lander vehicle? When the astronauts opened the door, that vehicle was no longer sealed. And since air is a gas, it wants to spread. In this case, the air would spread to the outside and escape into space.

[Vincent]

And then there'd be no air left inside to breathe, which is exactly what.

[Molly Bloom]

Happened on that first trip to the moon. But don't worry. That was the plan all along.

[Vincent]

That's why they packed extra air.

[Molly Bloom]

Sometimes spaceships have an airlock. This is a small room that an astronaut stands in before leaving the craft.

[Vincent]

Maybe you've seen these in movies or cartoons. They're like little waiting rooms with heavy doors.

[Molly Bloom]

The airlock room gets sealed off from.

[Ryan]

The rest of the ship.

[Molly Bloom]

So when the astronaut exits the airlock, the air in the rest of the ship isn't lost.

[Vincent]

But the little vehicles NASA used to land on the moon didn't have enough room for an airlock.

[Molly Bloom]

The living space, the part with air, was only 160 cubic feet.

[Vincent]

That's barely bigger than a minivan.

[Molly Bloom]

So instead of having an airlock, the astronauts decided to simply just let the air fly away into space, and. And then later, they could fill the cabin up again.

[Vincent]

That's why they brought two tanks of air with them. Spare air.

[Molly Bloom]

So that's the answer to the question of how rocket ships keep the air from escaping when they open the door. They don't. When astronauts landed on the moon and opened the door, the air just left the ship. They refilled it later, but they had to be careful because they only had so much extra air.

[Vincent]

Yeah, when you're traveling in space, you have to take breathing very seriously.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, you really do. And if that air gets fouled up with farts, you can't just open a window. Hmm. I guess having a fart extractor would be pretty handy. They say there's no sound in space. Thankfully, we're here on Earth because here comes the.

[Sandon]

Mystery sound.

[Molly Bloom]

Vincent, are you ready for the mystery sound? Yeah. Okay, here it is. What do you think?

[Vincent]

Sounds like something. Water. It's not a sink. It sounded like a toilet.

[Molly Bloom]

Interesting. Yeah, I definitely heard water for sure. Do you want to hear it again?

[Vincent]

Yes, please.

[Molly Bloom]

Hmm. What do you think?

[Vincent]

I think that it's a toilet and we're hearing it from like the point where it drains.

[Molly Bloom]

I like that idea. I think it's someone cleaning out a tank of something. A fish tank that's attached to a toilet. We are going to hear it again and get another chance to guess after.

[Vincent]

The credits, so stick around.

[Molly Bloom]

Hey friends, one of our absolute favorite things is getting fan art from you. It makes us so happy. Maybe you want to draw us a picture of yourself in space or your favorite planet or something totally non space related. If you want to send us something, go to brainzon.org contact and while you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings and questions like this one.

[Mark]

Hi, I'm Gaines and I live in College Station, Texas. My question is, where did Knock Knock Jolts originate?

[Molly Bloom]

You can find answers to questions like these on the Moment of Podcast, a short dose of facts and fun every weekday. Find Moment of and [e-mail] Brains on Universe is a family of podcasts for kids and their adults. Since you're a fan of Brains on, you'll love the other shows in our universe.

[Ryan]

Come on, let's explore.

[Molly Bloom]

It's alien exercise hour.

[Mark]

Hi yah hoo ha. While I stretch my snoodles and bounce on my trampolini, I'll listen to a nice new podcast.

[Molly Bloom]

I'm going to try Forever Ago, the best history podcast ever. To understand why anyone would think a TV show could change the world, we need to go way back to America. In the 1960s.

[Vincent]

Rock and roll was pretty new.

[Molly Bloom]

Ford released the iconic Mustang Musc Z. Come Back Here Podcast must listen to Forever Ago. Now listen to Forever Ago wherever you get your podcasts.

[Sandon]

Brains On.

[Molly Bloom]

This is Brains On. I'm Molly.

[Vincent]

And I'm Vincent. Today we're answering your questions about space.

[Molly Bloom]

So far, we've talked about how astronauts breathe in space. A very important part of staying alive.

[Vincent]

There's another important part of staying alive that I've been wondering about.

[Molly Bloom]

What's that eating?

[Vincent]

What's the food like in space?

[Molly Bloom]

That's a great question. These days, astronauts can enjoy meals that aren't too different from food that you and I might eat. But space wasn't always so full of culinary delights. In fact. Wait, do you hear that, Molly?

[Vincent]

Your shirt, it's becoming a purple sequined Tuxedo jacket.

[Molly Bloom]

Wait, that's my Game Show Molly jacket.

[Vincent]

Honestly, it looks great.

[Molly Bloom]

Thank you. Oh, my pants. They've gone all shiny and purple. And I have an astronaut helmet on.

[Vincent]

Oh, boy. This can only mean one thing.

[Molly Bloom]

I've become Game Show Molly in space. And here, in the pocket of my purple sequin tuxedo jacket, I have a list of trivia questions about space food. Vincent, are you ready to play Space Scrub?

[Vincent]

Heck, yeah.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, first I have to take this astronaut helmet off. It's really hot in here. Oh, much better. Okay, Vincent, here's your first question about space food in T minus 3, 2, 1. How did the first astronauts in the 1960s eat their meals in space? A they took meal replacement pills. So, like eating vitamins instead of eating meals. B they squeezed food paste out of a tube into their mouths. C daintily with a knife and fork. Or D they sealed their heads into a special food chute.

[Vincent]

Um, I think they had a tube.

[Molly Bloom]

Answer B. Vincent, you are correct. They squeezed food paste out of a tube and into their mouths. Astronauts need to avoid crumbs and messy spills that might damage the electronics on a spacecraft. Food also has water in it, and that's extra weight for the rockets to carry. NASA's earliest solution to these problems was to pack food in the form of freeze dried cubes and tubes of food paste. Mmm, cubes and tubes. Delicious. Okay, Vincent, ready for question two? Here we go. What two types of tube food were brought into space by the first person to leave Earth's orbit? Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Was it A pureed meat and chocolate sauce, B applesauce and chicken soup, C tuna salad and oatmeal, Or D mashed broccoli and butterscotch pudding?

[Vincent]

I think something simple because you don't want something that could go everywhere.

[Molly Bloom]

True, true. Answer A. Vincent, you are again correct. Yuri Gagarin got to treat himself to a tube of beef and liver paste and a dessert tube of chocolate sauce for each meal while he was in orbit around Earth. It wouldn't be my first choice for dinner, but I bet the view was pretty spectacular. Okay, Next question. In 1965, an astronaut named John Young snuck some food on a space flight that he was not supposed to bring. What was it? A. A whole roast chicken, B a slice of pepperoni pizza, C a waffle or D a corned beef sandwich.

[Vincent]

Wouldn't anything hot just get really, really cold once he got up to the iss?

[Molly Bloom]

Good thinking.

[Vincent]

I think that answer D is correct.

[Molly Bloom]

Vincent, you are so good at this. You are correct. A corned beef sandwich. When John Young took his first sneaky bite of corned beef on rye bread, he sent crumbs floating into the air. Remember, crumbs are really bad for the electronics on a spacecraft. Young realized this and tucked the sandwich back into his spacesuit and for the.

[Ryan]

Rest of the flight.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, last one. This one's for all the space marbles. What was the first food grown on the International Space Station? Was it A, bananas, B, chili peppers, C, romaine lettuce, or D potatoes?

[Vincent]

Bananas and chili peppers have, I think, really specific conditions for growing.

[Molly Bloom]

Mm.

[Vincent]

And potatoes are pretty large.

[Molly Bloom]

Mm. So I think answer C. Excellent reasoning, Vincent. And you are correct. In 2015, astronauts aboard the International Space Station grew lettuce to test how space might affect plant growth. The very low gravity on the space station made the plants really stressed out and they grew really bitter tasting leaves. So the space lettuce actually tasted more like arugula to the astronauts who sampled it. These days, many meals on the International Space Station are still packaged and freeze dried. They still need to weigh as little as possible, but the food itself is much more like the food at home. On Earth, astronauts can snack on dried fruit or beef jerky. And when it's mealtime, they can add water to rehydrate pouches of food like macaroni and cheese or cream of mushroom soup. Fresh food is delivered to the station by space shuttle every few months.

[Vincent]

Personally, I'm glad space food has more options than just tubes of paste and freeze dried meat cubes.

[Molly Bloom]

Me too. I would definitely try space Mac and cheese though.

[Vincent]

Same. Hey, your outfit is back to a regular podcast, Molly.

[Molly Bloom]

Oh, that's good. Oh, but I do somehow have purple sequins in my pants pocket though.

[Kayla Barron]

Braaaaan Zorn.

[Molly Bloom]

Speaking of stuffing your face in space, we asked you what meal you thought would be hardest to eat in space.

[Vincent]

And you sent us a buffet of brilliant answers.

[Mark]

My name is Lulu and I live in Austin, Texas. And the food that I think would be hardest to eat in space is a peach. My name is Audrey and I'm from Clive, Iowa. I think the hardest thing to eat in space would be like chunky soup because it's hot liquid and that could be bad. And there are chunks that could get stuck in something and that would also be very bad. It could damage something. I think the hardest thing that astronauts would eat in space would be curry rice because it's liquidy and they'd have to hold the bowl. Hi, my name is Warren and I think it would be hard for an astronaut to eat soup because it's really watery. My name is Audrey from Oregon. I think the trickiest food to eat in outer space is sushi because the toppings would fall out. Hi, my name is Logan. The hottest food that you could eat in space is hot cocoa. Why? Because it would spill everywhere. I think the hardest thing to eat on a spaceship is chips and salsa. Also, I love chips and salsa.

[Ryan]

Thanks to Lulu, Audrey, Robert, Warren, Audrey, Logan, and Julian for sending in your ideas.

[Molly Bloom]

So, Vincent, what food do you think would be utterly disastrous in space?

[Vincent]

Chicken Alfredo.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. Pretty goopy, the sauce. Yeah.

[Vincent]

It would go everywhere, and then it'd get on the wires, it would corrode the wires, and then an entire module wouldn't have power.

[Molly Bloom]

Very smart. Back to your space questions. We know you have a lot more, so we're going big.

[Vincent]

That's right. It's time for Ask an Astronaut.

[Molly Bloom]

That's right. We're talking to Kayla Barron.

[Vincent]

She's a NASA astronaut who spent six months living on the International Space Station. Hi, Kayla.

[Kayla Barron]

Hi.

[Vincent]

My first question is, what is the International Space Station?

[Kayla Barron]

The International Space Station is kind of like a gigantic laboratory in low Earth orbit. It's this huge vehicle that is tumbling around the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour. We're basically in free fall around the planet, and that's how we stay in orbit. And we have astronauts who have been continually crewing this vehicle. We've been living and working up there for more than 20 years now, and we spend every day maintaining the vehicles so that we can continue to live there, but ultimately doing a ton of amazing science experiments.

[Ryan]

Cool.

[Vincent]

Next up, I have a question from Blake in Pennsylvania. He wanted to know, how do you become an astronaut?

[Kayla Barron]

The only thing you really have to do to become an astronaut is study something in a STEM field. So science, technology, engineering, or math, you need a college degree, a master's degree in one of the tons of fields. In those areas, you have microbiologists who study cave slime, planetary geologists who study distant planets like Mars. My background is engineering. I studied control systems and robotics engineering, and then nuclear engineering, and then I served in the Navy. But the thing that I think makes us most similar is we are looking for people who know how to work really well on teams, because you can't go to space and succeed in space by yourself. It's a team sport.

[Molly Bloom]

Very cool.

[Vincent]

Mark from Maryland asked us, how do astronauts train for low gravity.

[Kayla Barron]

It is kind of weird, training on Earth to work in microgravity because there's no perfect environment that mimics that. We call them analog environments. Sometimes we just train in normal Earth gravity. And try to imagine what it would be like to be in microgravity. We can go on these special kind of flights called parabolic flights. Where these fancy airplanes fly in the shape of a parabola. And when you do that, it allows you to have about 15 to 30 seconds. Where you feel like you're in microgravity. You feel like you're floating. And you can fly within the aircraft cabin. That gives you a sense of how it's going to feel. To have your body in that environment. But it's only for a very short chunk of time. One really cool place where we practice being in microgravity. Is in our facility called the Neutral Buoyancy Lab. It's a giant indoor pool. One of the biggest indoor pools in the world. It's 40ft deep, and submerged in it, we have a model of the space station. That's the size of the real space station. And that's where we practice our spacewalks. So we actually put on real spacesuits, go underwater. And then there's this team of scuba divers. Who helps put weights or foam on our body. To make us feel like we will feel when we're in space. On a real spacewalk. And we practice full spacewalks for, like, six or more hours. We practice being in our spacesuit. Leaving the airlock. Doing all the work we're going to do on a real spacewalk. And then coming back inside. So we try to find all of these different ways. To simulate what it might feel like to do our job in space. So that when we get there, there's a little bit less to learn. But no matter how much you practice. You can't fully prepare yourself for how it's going to feel. And some of the challenges you're going to face. But that's why we practice being adaptable and resilient and helping each other. Because it helps us overcome that challenge when we first arrive. And we're getting used to this new environment.

[Vincent]

This one's from Margo in Nebraska. She was wondering, can you get sunburnt in space?

[Kayla Barron]

You can absolutely get sunburnt in space. And actually a lot faster than you do on Earth. Because here on Earth. The Earth's atmosphere. Protects us. From a lot of those UV rays. That cause us to get sunburnt. And so when we're in space. We actually do have windows. To look out at our beautiful planet Earth. And then the stars, the Solar system around us. Those windows have special protective coverings to kind of help protect our skin and eyes. But if the sun's really bright, you have to wear special glasses to keep your eyes safe from getting harmful impacts from the sun. But if you're at the right sun angle, people can get sunburnt pretty quickly. And I don't even think that sunscreen perfectly applied by your mom even would save you from this kind of sunburn. So you do have to be careful.

[Vincent]

I don't want his face sunburn.

[Kayla Barron]

Yeah, if you watch out correctly, you'll be fine, though there's precautions you can take, just like on Earth.

[Molly Bloom]

All right.

[Vincent]

And Ike from Texas was curious to know what happens when you fart in space.

[Kayla Barron]

Nothing all that special. I think it's probably the same as farting on Earth, to be honest.

[Vincent]

What about if you fart in your spacesuit? Does it go up into, like, the top of your spacesuit, and then you have to smell your fart?

[Kayla Barron]

Luckily, no. The spacesuit is kind of like a tiny space vehicle. You take everything out with you that you need to stay alive, including fresh air, fresh oxygen. And so we breathe out carbon dioxide. But if you have too much carbon dioxide that you're breathing in, it can actually make you feel really sick and hurt your body. And so when you're in a spacesuit, we flow 100% pure oxygen from the back of our helmets towards the front, and that delivers fresh oxygen for us to inhale. And then when we exhale carbon dioxide, it pushes it down towards the bottom of our spacesuit. Everything's flowing down from your head to your feet, basically, and then being reprocessed so that it removes anything that's stinky or any carbon dioxide before it blows back over your face. So it would be a pretty safe spot to have some stinky spells in your spacesuit, because they'd never make it to your nose.

[Vincent]

Okay, I have one more question for you, Kayla. What happens if astronauts get sick while they're up on the space station?

[Kayla Barron]

So we are actually really well trained for all sorts of things that can happen. When you're living up there for six months, you have to be ready for everything, including getting sick. So we do a couple of things. We take precautions before we go to try to be as healthy as we can be.

[Vincent]

So.

[Kayla Barron]

So we actually have this process called quarantine, which everyone is more familiar with now that we faced pandemics like COVID 19. But basically, in the two weeks before we launch, everybody who's gonna be anywhere near the crew members has this, like, strict protocol where you don't go out in public. You're kind of like in a little bubble of people. So we try not to take any colds or germs from Earth with us to the space station. And that's mostly to protect the crew that's already there. Because once you're there, your immune system, it changes due to the space environment. It becomes less strong at fighting things off, but you're also not exposed to the normal, everyday things that help train your immune system to keep you healthy. And so we don't want to get the astronauts who are already on the space station sick when we bring up all of our germs from Earth. So we try to arrive as healthy as we can. And then once we're there, we have kind of our own pharmacy, and we have this amazing team of doctors on the ground who specialize in supporting us from Earth. So we're able to do telemedicine. We have a lot of diagnostic equipment, whether that's testing for certain kinds of illnesses. We can do ultrasounds, all sorts of different things. And we also get our own medical training to support each other. So sometimes we have doctors who become astronauts and they go to space with us. So on my crew, we had Tom Marshburn, who was an emergency medicine physician before he came to NASA. So we were lucky because we had a doctor with us on our crew. But that's not always the case. But if we were ever really sick, we could always come home early in our spaceships.

[Vincent]

All right, thank you for answering our questions, Kayla.

[Kayla Barron]

Of course. Thank you for your amazing curiosity. It was really fun talking to you today.

[Vincent]

Bye.

[Molly Bloom]

Bye, Kayla. Thanks so much. This has been Ask an Astronaut. I'm just curious, Vincent, now that you heard all those answers, does this make you want to be an astronaut?

[Vincent]

Maybe more, yes.

[Molly Bloom]

Cool. What about it made you want to be an astronaut more?

[Vincent]

Mostly the farting part. I don't want to smell my own farts while on a six or seven hour spacewalk.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, so now you know, you'll be fine. It's perfect. Traveling to space takes a lot of preparation.

[Vincent]

There's no air, so you have to bring it with you. And if you go outside the ship, you need a special space suit to keep the air from escaping.

[Molly Bloom]

And you have to think carefully about what food to eat.

[Vincent]

In the early days, food was eaten out of a tube, but it's gotten much better since then.

[Molly Bloom]

Today there's even fresh vegetables grown on the International Space Station.

[Ryan]

And if you want to Become an astronaut, study some stem, get a master's, and most importantly, learn how to work on a team. Because being an astronaut takes teamwork.

[Molly Bloom]

That's it for this episode of Brains On.

[Vincent]

This episode was written by Sandon Totten and Anna Goldfield. It was edited by Shayla Farzon, fact checking by Ruby Guthrie.

[Molly Bloom]

We had engineering help from Rachel Brees, Jess Berg, and Adam Gross, with sound design by Rosie Dupont. Original theme music by Mark Sanchez.

[Vincent]

We had production help from the rest of the Brains on Universe team.

[Molly Bloom]

Molly Bloom, Nico Gonzalez Whistler, Lauren Humpert.

[Sandon]

Charlotte Traver, Joshua Ray, Anna Weigel and Aron Woldesilassi.

[Molly Bloom]

Beth Pearlman is our executive producer, and the executives in charge of APM Studios are Chandra Kavadi and Joanne Griffith.

[Ryan]

Special thanks to Christopher Barnett, Jaden Jennings, Mr. Landy and Dr. Green.

[Vincent]

Brainson is a nonprofit public radio program.

[Molly Bloom]

There are lots of ways to support the show. Head to brainson.org to sign up for the Brains on Universe newsletter for bonus stuff, reading recommendations, and more.

[Vincent]

While you're there, you can send us mystery sounds, drawings, and questions.

[Molly Bloom]

Again. That's brainson.org all right, Vincent, are you ready to listen to that mystery sound again?

[Vincent]

Yep.

[Molly Bloom]

Here it is.

[Vincent]

I hear a whistling in the background.

[Molly Bloom]

I heard that, too. This time. What do you think?

[Vincent]

It could be like sucking something out of a tube or a tank. Using a tube, but not completely.

[Molly Bloom]

Okay, what's your final guess before we hear the answer?

[Vincent]

Emptying of the back of a toilet.

[Molly Bloom]

Mmm. Maybe someone's doing some plumbing.

[Vincent]

That's definitely what it sounds like.

[Molly Bloom]

All right. I love that guess. Ready for the answer?

[Vincent]

Mm.

[Molly Bloom]

Here it is.

[Mark]

Hello, I am Paloma from San Jose, California. And that was the sound of me flushing the toilet.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah. Hey, I'm giving it to you. So close.

[Kayla Barron]

So close.

[Molly Bloom]

I think that's what you said the first time you heard it.

[Vincent]

But it was the whistling that got me. Because the whistling, I'm like, well, that's gotta be a tube.

[Molly Bloom]

Yeah, well, maybe there's a tube in the toilet. Like, in the tank.

[Vincent]

Possibly.

[Molly Bloom]

Maybe. I actually don't know anything about how.

[Vincent]

Toilets work, so I know less than you do.

[Molly Bloom]

We'll do research together. We'll go on a plumbing journey together. Excellent work.

[Ryan]

Now it's time for the Brains honor roll.

[Molly Bloom]

These are the incredible kids who keep.

[Ryan]

The show going with their questions, ideas, mystery sounds, drawings, and high fives. Marco from Ferrara, Italy. Emily and Henry from Lakeland, Florida. Rohan from Eindhoven, Netherlands. Hazel and Zelda from Somers, New York. Ellie from Chicago Lila and Daniel from Bethesda, Maryland Fern and Otis from Seattle Iris and Juniper from Pauline, New York Julian from Golden, Colorado Isadora from Bridgewater, Connecticut Matthew from Wexford, Ireland Lev from Los Angeles Aaron From La Mirada, California Sam From Berwick, Maine Winston From Wisconsin Hannah From Riverside, California Hazel & Gabriel From Everett, Washington Roman From Columbus, Ohio Antonio From Tucker, Georgia Autumn From Houston May from Greenwood, Nova Scotia Olivia from Louisville, Kentucky Iris from Memphis, Tennessee Logan from Healdsburg, California Jin from Gwangju, China Patrick from Dublin, Ireland emma from Arlington, Massachusetts Jasper & Perry from Cleveland, Ohio Bexley and Guyton from Charlotte, North Carolina Henry from Geelong, Australia Sawyer from Mounds, Oklahoma Alice and Elizabeth from Lynchburg, Virginia Sarah Kate from Salt Lake City Michael and Lillian from Dallas, Georgia Nico from Brookline, Massachusetts Jasper and Sage from Columbus, Ohio Jet from Pittsburgh Ellie from Silver Spring, Maryland Lucy from Black Mountain, North Carolina Rahema and Gigi from Grapevine, Texas Elowin and Maya from Topanga, California Owen from Boulder, Colorado Estelle and Clark from Arlington, Massachusetts Lyra from St. Paul, Minnesota Lila, Juniper and Azalea from Chicago Akash from Memphis, Tennessee Jackson from Vancouver, Washington Calvin from Washington, D.C. james from Bakersfield, California Jack and William from Howard City Edward from Ridgefield, Connecticut Lula from Austin, Texas Penelope from Lake Worth Beach, Florida Ezra from Southampton, England Olivia from Canaan, Connecticut Olive from Leverett, Massachusetts and Nova from Bronx, New York.

[Molly Bloom]

We'll be back next week with an.

[Ryan]

Episode all about octopuses.

[Vincent]

Thanks for listening.