Astronaut Chris Hadfield Answers the Web's Most Searched Questions | WIRED
WIRED・4 minutes read
Chris Hadfield, a former astronaut, had a diverse background before his space career, experiencing unique challenges and perspectives in space. His contributions to space exploration and insights into astronaut training and life in space shed light on the demanding yet rewarding nature of space missions.
Insights
- Chris Hadfield was inspired to become an astronaut after watching Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walk on the moon, leading to a diverse career background that included roles as a farmer, mechanical engineer, pilot, fighter pilot, and test pilot, showcasing the multifaceted nature of astronaut candidates and their varied experiences.
- Astronauts like Chris Hadfield face unique challenges in space, such as maintaining physical health through exercise, adapting to weightlessness, and managing bodily functions, highlighting the rigorous training and specialized knowledge required for space missions beyond the glamour of space exploration.
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Recent questions
What inspired Chris Hadfield to become an astronaut?
Watching Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walk on the moon.
Where does Chris Hadfield currently reside?
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
What was Chris Hadfield's first job?
Working in a scientific shipping warehouse.
How many times did Chris Hadfield orbit the Earth?
2,650 times.
What did Chris Hadfield learn from going blind during a spacewalk?
Not to panic and to clean his space helmet visor carefully.
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Summary
00:00
Chris Hadfield: Astronaut, Engineer, Earth Observer
- Chris Hadfield was inspired to become an astronaut after watching Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walk on the moon on July 20th, 1969.
- His education background includes being a farmer, mechanical engineer, pilot, fighter pilot, and test pilot.
- Chris Hadfield's first job was working in a scientific shipping warehouse, where he handled scientific equipment like pig fetuses and weigh scales.
- In space, Chris Hadfield found a new perspective on viewing the world.
- Going blind during a spacewalk taught him not to panic and to clean his space helmet visor carefully to avoid contamination.
- Chris Hadfield currently lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and was born in Sarnia, Ontario, on August 29th, 1959.
- He went around the world in space, launching from Florida and Kazakhstan, orbiting the Earth 2,650 times at a speed of 17,500 miles per hour.
- Chris Hadfield's first spacewalk was during his second spaceflight on board the space shuttle Endeavour while building the International Space Station.
- His last spaceflight was in 2012-2013, spending half a year on the International Space Station, witnessing seasonal changes on Earth.
- Chris Hadfield retired from being an astronaut to pursue other endeavors after realizing he wouldn't fly in space again.
14:39
Chris Hadfield: Canadian Astronaut and Space Pioneer
- Chris Hadfield contributed to space exploration by being the first Canadian mission specialist on the space shuttle, conducting 200 experiments on the space station, and helping build two space stations.
- He also served as NASA's director of operations in Russia, facilitating collaboration between NASA and the Russian space program.
- Hadfield was the fourth Canadian in space, following Marc Garneau, Roberta Bondar, and Steve McLane.
- He did not walk on the moon but mentions ongoing astronaut training for future moon missions.
- During his time in space, Hadfield's body experienced degradation due to the lack of gravity, affecting his skeleton, muscles, and balance system.
- Astronaut requirements include a healthy body, the ability to learn complex subjects, and decision-making skills, often demonstrated through multiple university degrees or high test scores.
- Astronaut training centers are located in the United States, Russia, Canada, Europe, and Japan.
- Astronauts enjoy various types of music in space and often play musical instruments on the space station.
- Astronauts use pencils, grease pencils, and sharpies in space for writing, as they work regardless of gravity.
- Exercise is crucial for astronauts in space to combat the effects of weightlessness on the body, with activities like cycling and treadmill use for about two hours daily.
28:54
Astronauts' Unique Challenges and Innovations in Space
- Astronauts use big elastics on their hips and shoulders to stay on the treadmill in space, along with a resistive machine for exercise.
- They keep a towel nearby to manage sweat, which is then velcroed to the wall to evaporate and collect as drinking water.
- Astronauts maintain their weight and muscle mass in space but may lose bone density, risking hip fractures upon return to Earth.
- Astronauts went to the moon as part of a Cold War challenge, with only 12 walking on the moon and 24 orbiting it.
- Astronauts train underwater to simulate weightlessness, using the buoyancy of water and the weight of suits.
- Twelve astronauts have walked on the moon, with communication in space involving transmitting signals through various systems.
- Astronauts slow down to return to Earth by using the drag of the atmosphere and landing either on water or land with various methods.
- Astronauts manage bodily functions in space by adapting to weightlessness, using airflow to direct waste into a sewage system.
- Waste is processed into drinking water, with solid waste stored and eventually disposed of by burning up in the atmosphere.
