 | | *Expedition
Six NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit answered these questions
via e-mail. |
No.
11
From:
RaeJean
Myers, Martinsville, Ind., Age: 55
Question:
Does it feel different sneezing in space or in a non-gravity environment
than it does on Earth?
Pettit:
Sneezing is not so different. However, your head-sinus system tends
to stay more congested in weightlessness. You get use to this feeling
and do not even notice it after awhile.
No.
12
From:
Matthew
Dorty, Detroit, Mich., Age: 14
Question:
How do
you get water in space?
Pettit:
We bring water with us in 10-gallon water bags or save the water
created from the hydrogen fuel cells when the space shuttle is docked.
Progress vehicles also bring water in tanks.
No.
13
From:
Mary
Studebaker, Dayton, Ohio, Age: 30
Question:
How do you keep your muscles in shape so that when you return you
are able to function in your normal way? I guess what my curiosity
is how your muscle-skeletal system reacts to so much anti-gravity
time. Thanks-MPS
Pettit:
We do scheduled exercise for two hours per day, including bicycling,
running, and weight lifting using special designed equipment for
weightlessness.
No.
14
From:
Jessica,
London, England, Age: 23
Question:
In the spacecraft, how do you remove CO2 from the air, and how do
you produce enough O2? I read about experiments using algae in the
1960s.
Pettit:
We remove CO2 using a zeolite adsorption bed and regenerate this
bed with heat and vacuum of space. We produce our oxygen from electrolysis
of water and vent the hydrogen to space.
No.
15
From:
Rick DeNatale, Wake Forest, N.C., Age: 51
Question:
I was fascinated watching Don Pettit repairing his wristwatch. I'm
a modeler and was jealous that there was no chance to drop tiny
parts on the floor. Just what kind of watch was that?
Pettit:
That was an Omega Speedmaster. I think it is much easier to handle
small parts like screws in gravity than in weightlessness. Refrigerators
are a different story.
No.
16
From:
Ellen
Rubinstein, Holmdel, N.J., Age: 48
Question:
Which of the science experiments do you think shows the greatest
promise for improvement in processing on Earth?
Pettit:
Ellen: This is a tough question to answer before such experiments
are made. I think history shows us that it is best to execute a
wide variety of experiments. Often times many of the most promising
ones yield little and some of the more arcane ones prove most useful.
I think we should continue with as wide a variety of experiments
as we have resources to handle. Take care
No.
17
From:
Armando
Azua, Santiago, Chile, Age: 32
Question:
Are experiments with plants being carried out now at the ISS? If
yes, what species are being used and for what purposes?
Pettit:
We have a few basic plant growth experiments using tomatoes.
No.
18
From:
Bo
Sandstrom, Stockholm, Sweden, Age: 45
Question:
Do you perform any astronomical observations from the ISS?
Pettit:
We have been recording wide field astrophotography images which
by now should be on the Expedition 6 website. [See Don
Pettit's Space Chronicles for videos.]
No.
19
From:
Bob
Williams, Quitman, Texas, Age: 61
Question:
Having watched Dr. Pettit's thin film experiment, I am wondering
what would happen to the swirls of color if another variable, heat,
were added to one side of the loop.
Pettit:
Bob: Funny you should ask. I just downlinked video showing marangoni
convection in these thin films. The heat from a flashlight was sufficient
to drive the convection. A soldering iron drove even stronger convection.
Stay tuned for these results to show up on NASA Select and the Web
site. Take care. [See Don
Pettit's Space Chronicles for videos.]
No.
20
From:
Don
Jones, St. Augustine, Fla., Age: 47
Question:
Do you guys get to listen to your own music? If so, how: CDs, mp3
player, radio, xm-radio?
Pettit:
We have small CD players with earphones and can each bring up a
few CDs. There is also the beginnings of a CD library from folks
who have left theirs.
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