Living in Space

Did you know that it will take almost 300 days to get to Mars from Earth – and that’s if there is no traffic? Astronauts will live in close quarters for a long time while they make the journey and will need to work together to adjust to their new lives in space. Here are 5 interesting facts about living in space that will have you packing your suitcases in no time! • After arriving in space, an astronaut’s appearance changes. Bodily fluids move toward their heads, resulting in a puffy face and skinny legs. • Astronauts must exercise a lot in order to remain healthy – up to 2.5 hours a day! Without gravity, they use their muscles a lot less and they begin to weaken and get smaller. • Astronauts spice up their meals with salt and pepper – in liquid form. Dry spices float away, getting into vents and up your nose (and then you would start sneezing, and that gets messy!) • Wish you were taller? In space there is less pressure on your spine, and most space travelers grow up to two inches while they are exploring the universe! • When astronauts are sleepy, they strap themselves into sleeping bags in a bunk or attached to the wall so that they don’t float away. They even snore and dream in space! As you can see, living in space is a bit different from living on Earth. Would you like to live in space?