What Does It Feel Like To Float In Space

Space has always been a place that many people have dreamt of going. But as of October 2017, according to the FAI, only 554 people have made the brave journey. All of these people have travelled beyond the 100km limit, awarding them the title of astronaut or cosmonaut. Some of them were a part of the original test flights that orbited around the Earth, while many of them spent time within a space station like the ISS. But only 12 of them experienced what it was like to travel through space to then walk on the moon. All of these brave astronauts experienced to some degree the feeling of leaving Earth's atmosphere and entering into space. But what does space actually feel like? Many astronauts that have travelled to the ISS, for example, describe the experience as a series of breathtaking moments. But getting to space must feel like an incredibly nerve-wracking part of the journey, considering the astronauts are sitting within a craft above millions of pounds of explosive fuel. After all of the pre-launch checks have been completed, the launch would then commence, accelerating the craft to orbital velocity around 17,500 miles per hour. The Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield described it as feeling like you are being pushed or lifted by a huge hand. The space vehicle would shake and vibrate as its immensely powerful rocket engines drive the astronauts out of Earth's atmosphere. The crew members have to withstand forces up to three and a half times their body weight for around nine minutes, until the engines shut off and they are instantly weightless and in space. When astronauts are in zero gravity, or micro-gravity to be more accurate, they are weightless. This has been described as being effortless, like you are floating underwater but without the sensation of water on your skin. Even though the ISS is affected by 90% of Earth's gravity, the astronauts can still float freely in and around it because it is in perpetual freefall 253 miles above the Earth. Its forward motion, however, just about equals the speed of its fall towards the planet, and this means that the astronauts inside are not pulled in any particular direction, resulting in them floating. The astronauts can move around with the slightest amount of effort, a little push would send them gliding in that direction like they had superpowers. But zero gravity does have its disadvantages. For example, astronauts can experience temporary health issues like Space Adaptation Syndrome, which includes nausea, vomiting, vertigo and headaches. But as the brain and body adjusts to the weightlessness, the symptoms tend to fade away. The biggest problem with zero gravity is the long-term health effects. Astronauts in space for weeks or months experience major problems like bone and muscle deterioration, long-term disruption of the senses and psychological effects, along with the exposure of high amounts of radiation that can result in increased risks of developing cancer. It all makes the journey to space a dangerous one, even within the safety of the International Space Station. Because of this, people do not currently stay in space for long periods of time. Typically a mission to the ISS and back tends to last around six months. Experiencing weightlessness must feel amazing, but floating weightlessly outside of a spacecraft must be incredible. Over 200 spacewalks have been completed at the International Space Station since December 1998, and many astronauts have described it as being the highlight of their journey. An astronaut would obviously have to wear a cumbersome space suit that is pressurised with oxygen, keeping them safe from the dangers of space. But once they are suited and booted, they would leave the spacecraft through a special door called an airlock, attach a tether to the vehicle that stops them from floating away, and experience space like never before. During a spacewalk, the astronaut can see one of the greatest views of their journey, looking back at Earth, the place from which they came. ISS astronaut Ron Garan said, Currently, going to space is no easy task, and within 60 years only 554 people have been there. But as time goes on, technology becomes more advanced, and our knowledge of outer space becomes greater, more and more astronauts will be created. Going further than ever before, creating new milestones, and breaking records. So would you like to go to space, or experience zero gravity? Let me know in the comments section below. I really hope you enjoyed this video, and if you did then please hit that like button, and if you haven't already, subscribe for much much more to come. Thank you so much for watching, and I'll see you next time.