How Do You Go to the Bathroom In Space?

by William R. Pogue

  “Full” feeling in head

  1.9

  Head stuffiness; nasal, sinus or ear congestion

  1.10

  Facial edema: puffiness in face; bags under eyes

  1.11

  Early flight malaise—nausea, vomiting (Note 2)

  1.12

  Bloodshot eyes

  1.13

  Reduced visual accommodation; decrease in ability to focus on near objects (most significant effect in older crewmembers)

  1.14

  Reduced total blood volume; orthostatic intolerance

  * Prolonged cessation of red cell production with eventual stabilized total red cell population commensurate with the reduced blood volume (long flights)

  * Post flight anemia (long flights)

  1.15

  Decreased girth measurements of thighs and calves of legs due to lowered volume of blood & tissue fluids in the legs

  1.16

  Fluid infusion into internal organs (U.S. tissue tests on Cosmos in 1129)

  2. WEIGHTLESSNESS: VESTIBULAR SENSITIVITY

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  2.1

  Hypersensitivity to head movements; excessive or exaggerated sensation of rotation caused by head movements (Note 1)

  2.2

  Early flight malaise—nausea, vomiting (Note 2)

  3. WEIGHTLESSNESS; TISSUE FLOAT—The tendency of surface and internal body tissue to “float” or shift upward on the body, in relation to its position as normally observed on Earth.

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  3.1

  Facial tissue rise; high cheekbone, Oriental appearance. In combination with facial edema (puffiness), 1.10, above, facial appearance is altered. Most edema subsides after three-five days.

  3.2

  Internal organs shift upward, creating a “wasp waist” appearance and, possibly, a reduced vital capacity or inability to breathe as deeply as on Earth.

  3.3

  Hair float (long hair)

  3.4

  Raised or elevated breasts (females)

  3.5

  Floating or raised genitalia (males)

  4. WEIGHTLESSNESS; MUSCULO-SKELETAL EFFECTS—Changes occur in the relaxed body posture; ability to assume certain body positions is reduced; bone demineralization occurs during early exposure to weightlessness.

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  4.1

  Relaxed body posture is semi-erect, knees bent slightly, upper back curled slightly forward, loss of curvature in small of back; arms float upward at chest height, shoulders rise up in a “shrug” position.

  4.2

  Spinal lengthening and straightening causes increased body length (height). Approximately 2 inches.

  4.3

  Inability or difficulty in bending forward or in assuming a seated position; seat belt required to hold body seated in chair. Easier to bend forward after several weeks.

  4.4

  Bone mass loss or bone demineralization occurs during early weeks of flight (extent of loss varies with the individual). Soviet flight results on long missions indicate the bone mass loss stops after extended exposure to weightlessness.

  4.5

  Loss (atrophy) of muscle mass and tone in the large muscles of the legs. Partially arrested by exercise during flight. Rapid recovery after return. Main cause is inability to achieve the normal workload stress present on Earth. Contributes to decreased girth measurements of thighs and calves (see 1.15, above).

  5. WEIGHTLESSNESS; MISCELLANEOUS EFFECTS—Temporary episodic or periodic effects experienced

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  5.1

  “Space crud”—a general malaise or “down” feeling that occurs 3–4 hours after eating; similar to onset of flu or a cold. Quickly relieved by eating

  5.2

  Reluctance to belch; risk of regurgitation; excessive flatus due to gas retention (gas retention problem may be less for Shuttle—cabin pressure is higher)

  5.3

  Lingering body odor may occur if crewmember is in an area where fan circulation is poor (no convective circulation)

  5.4

  Head congestion is relieved by exercise and, to some extent, by eating (see 1.9, above)

  5.5

  “Head nod” during sleep probably caused by carotid pulse; causes nausea in some crewmembers (10%)

  5.6

  During heavy exercise, auxiliary fan circulation may be required to prevent overheating; sweat accumulation can be a problem

  5.7

  Eyeglasses may tend to bob up and down or fly off during rapid head turns if ear pieces don’t fit properly

  5.8

  “Inverse déjà vu”; surroundings appear unfamiliar when viewed from unusual perspective; immediately corrected by assuming a familiar body position relative to the physical environment

  5.9

  Persistent tendency to throw objects too high when tossing items (apparently allowing for non-existent gravity drop)

  6. SPACE RADIATION: EFFECTS DUE TO IONIZING RADIATION

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  6.1

  Radiation tissue damage (extent unknown)

  6.2

  Light flashes “seen” by dark-adapted crewmembers when passing through low spots or regions in the Earth’s radiation belts, polar regions or while traveling through deep space beyond the Earth’s trapped radiation zones. (Note 5)

  7. SPACECRAFT ATMOSPHERE; EFFECTS DUE TO LOW PRESSURE, LOW HUMIDITY OR, POSSIBLY, DUE TO HIGH OXYGEN CONCENTRATIONS. (Note 6)

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  7.1

  Tissue drying; chapped hands and lips, dryness in the eyes (eye irritation or sensitivity)

  7.2

  Peculiar soft or puffy texture/feeling in the mouth, sometimes described as a “cotton fuzz” feeling. Effect has not been well documented.

  8. EFFECTS ON BASIC SENSORY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS OR PERFORMANCE DUE TO THE SPACE OR SPACECRAFT ENVIRONMENT

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  8.1

  Slight changes in sense of taste and smell; statistical differences slight—pattern varies with individual

  8.2

  No detectable change in motor skills or coordination tasks

  8.3

  Slight changes in proportionate time spent at various levels of sleep. Also sleep requirement appears to be 1–2 hours less (per day) for crewmembers while in space

  8.4

  Enhanced clarity of vision of objects viewed in space vacuum. This increased ability to see with increased sharpness has led some to describe such views as “gemlike” or “unreal in clarity.” Most probably due to absence of light scattering in vacuum.

  8.5

  Ability to see 10–20% more stars (see 8.4, above)

  8.6

  Reduced visual accommodation (see 1.13, above)—most significant in older crewmembers

  8.7

  Visual scene orientation prejudice; predisposition to view scenes as one is accustomed to seeing them (even though there is no sensed gravity vector). Crewmember will move to orient “eye plane” to achieve the preferred scene orientation

  8.8

  Ambient spacecraft noise can vary from benign to distracting levels and may affect a crewmember’s ability to go to sleep

  9. POSTFLIGHT REACTIONS

  EFFECT OR SYMPTOM

  9.1

  Postflight anemia (see 1.14)

  9.2

  Perception of magnitude of heft and weight forces

  * Objects feel heavier

  * External body pressure sensations due to sitting, lying (particularly when rolling on one’s side) feel unnaturally excessive

  9.3

  Muscle/tendon/joint soreness

  * Lower back and calf muscle soreness

  * Achilles tendon soreness/ache

  * Knee joint soreness during long distance running

  9.4

  Standing/walking difficulties

  * Faintness (orthostatic intolerance)

  * Unsteadiness an
d balance problems

  Note 1: Disagreement exists regarding the cause of hypersensitivity—whether it is a direct result of weightlessness, a secondary effect of the fluid shift or due to causes unidentified.

  Note 2: Disagreement exists regarding the cause of early flight malaise (nausea)—whether it is caused by the fluid shift, hypersensitivity to head motions (a form of motion sickness), a combination of both, or due to an unidentified cause. American medical teams have insisted that the problem is due to a form of motion sickness and have attempted to treat it accordingly with a notable lack of success. Russian space personnel, reportedly, contend that the primary cause is the fluid shift; information is not available on the success of any preventive measures they have tried.

  Note 3: Decrease in visual accommodation has been verified on Shuttle flights.

  Note 4: General fatigue, slight nausea occasionally, degraded operator performance. “Space crud” was not noticed on long space walks (lasting up to seven hours).

  Note 5: Three explanations have been proposed to explain the light flashes seen by crewmembers. A. Cerenkov radiation (emission of photons by particles slowed by fluid in the eye), B. Light generated by particles ionizing fluid in the eye, or C. Artificial light stimulus caused by particles impacting retinal sensors in the eye.

  Note 6: Although the effects described in 7. above are more applicable to the low cabin pressures used in American spacecraft prior to the Shuttle, there may be times even on Shuttle missions when low cabin pressure will be used for operational reasons.

  APPENDIX B

  EARTH FEATURES RECOGNIZABLE FROM SPACE

  It is difficult to give a complete description of Earth features visible or recognizable from space. There are many variables to consider, such as: orbital altitude, season of the year, local time of day at the site being observed (sun overhead is best for most viewing), and, of course, individual differences among viewers themselves. However, because of the many questions on this topic, I have compiled a list of features that I thought were easy to identify from low Earth orbit (270 miles above the Earth’s surface) during the third Skylab mission, November 16, 1973–February 8, 1974. It should be noted that, during this period, it was late fall and winter in the Northern Hemisphere and late spring and summer in the Southern Hemisphere. Other astronauts would have different opinions, so the listing should be considered opinionative. Still, it does give a fair idea of the types of things that can be seen and identified.

  The features listed below are those that can be recognized at a glance. It is assumed that suitable weather and lighting conditions exist. Following many of the feature classification headings, I have enclosed in parenthesis the feature I considered to be easiest to identify in that classification.

  A. Coastline Features

  Coastline features are particularly easy to identify because of their unusual shape or outlines and the contrast between land and water.

  1. Bays and Gulfs (Hudson Bay, Canada)

  San Francisco Bay, California; Gulf of St. Lawrence; Gulf of Venezuela; Arabian Gulf; Gulf of Oman, Oman; Gulf of Suez, Egypt; Gulf of Aqaba, Egypt; Gulf of Pohai, China; Galveston Bay, Texas; Mobile Bay, Alabama.

  2. Major River Mouths (Rio de la Plata, Argentina/Uruguay) Amazon, Brazil.

  3. Peninsulas (Valdes P., Argentina)

  Sinai P., Egypt; Kamchatka P., Russia; Korea; Italy; Crimean P., Russia; Baja California, Mexico; Florida; Gaspe P., Canada; Cornwall P., England; Antofagasta, Chile.

  4. River Deltas (Nile Delta, Egypt)

  Ganges D., India; Irrawaddi D., Burma; Mississippi D., U.S. NOTE: The deltas of the Ganges and Irrawaddi look much alike, but the coastlines are different. The Mekong Delta was under clouds most of our flight.

  5. Capes (Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.)

  Cape Canaveral, U.S.; Cape Hatteras, U.S.; Cape Guardafui, Somalia.

  6. Coastal Island Groups (Channel Islands, Catalina and San Clemente, California, U.S.)

  Florida Keys, U.S.; Long Island, N.Y., U.S.; Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada; island groups on the southwest coast of Chile; island groups on the west coast of Canada.

  7. Straits (Gibraltar, Spain and Morocco)

  Juan de Fuca, B.C., Canada; S. Belle Isle, Canada; Dardanelles and Bosporous, Turkey; S. Magellan, Chile; Cook S., New Zealand.

  8. Coastal Plains, Basins, Depressions (Los Angeles Basin, U.S.) Afar Triangle, Ethiopia; Namib Desert, S.W. Africa.

  B. Ocean Features

  1. Currents (Falkland Current, S. Atlantic off Argentina)

  NOTE: Currents may be visible due to plankton growth they carry. It is often a green (bright to dull) color and contrasts with the blue of the ocean. Red plankton growth may also be seen (Red Tides). There are undoubtedly seasonal variations in the color and conspicuousness of the currents. The Gulf Stream and Japanese Current were not readily visible. The Westwind Drift Current off the southern tip of Africa was visible, but not prominent.

  Brazil Current, Atlantic off Brazil; New Zealand Current, Southwest Pacific.

  2. Islands and Major Island Groups (Japan)

  Taiwan; Malaysia and Indonesia; Sakhalin, Russia; Antilles, Caribbean; Hawaiian Islands; Britain and Ireland.

  3. Coral Reefs and Shallows (Bahama Banks)

  Great Barrier Reef, Australia.

  4. Temporary Ocean Features (Ice Islands, South Atlantic) Icebergs, sea ice (salt water ice); river silt and sediment; ship wakes.

  C. Inland Geographic Features

  1. Lakes and Seas (Great Lakes of U.S. and Canada)

  Great Salt Lake, Utah, U.S.; Lake Titicaca, Peru; Lake Popo, Bolivia; Lake Yellowstone, Wyoming, U.S.; Lake Victoria, Africa; Salton Sea, California, U.S.; Lake Powell, Arizona, U.S.; Lake Mead, Nevada, U.S.; Finger Lakes, N.Y., U.S.; Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela; Lake Baykal, Russia; Black Sea; Caspian Sea; Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan; plateau lakes of Tibet.

  2. Dried Lake Beds (White Sands, New Mexico, U.S.)

  Great Salt Lake Desert, Utah, U.S.; playas of the plateau region of Bolivia; Rogers Lake, California, U.S.

  3. Deserts (Sahara, North Africa)

  Arabian D., Saudi Arabia; Mojave D., California, U.S.; Gobi D., Mongolia; Great Desert region western Australia; Kalahari and Namib Deserts of the southwestern Africa.

  4. Mountain Ranges (Himalayas, Asia)

  Alps, western Europe; Caucasus, Russia; Anticlines of Iran (parallel system of hogbacks); Sierra/Cascade Range of western U.S.; Sierra Madre Orientale, Mexico; New Zealand Alps; Front Range of Rockies, Colorado, U.S.; Black Hills of South Dakota, U.S.; Appalachian Range of eastern U.S.

  5. Large Valleys/Basins (Grand Canyon, Arizona, U.S.)

  Dead Sea Rift, Mideast; Rhine Valley (Basel to Strasbourg), western Europe; San Joaquin V., California, U.S.

  6. Plateau Regions (Tibet, Asia)

  Andean Plateau, South America.

  7. Miscellaneous Features Recognizable

  a. Glaciers

  b. Circular Impact Features

  c. Lava Flows

  d. River Flooding

  D. Man-made Features

  1. Reservoirs (Aswan, Egypt)

  NOTE: Reservoir lakes are easy to recognize in arid or desert areas or when contrasted with snow surrounding the lake. Lakes in forested regions are much more difficult to see.

  Lakes Mead and Powell, Utah, Arizona.

  2. Cultivated Field and Range land Boundaries

  Seasonal variation in growth causes gradual changes in the contrast along field boundaries, but they are readily identified cultural features.

  3. Cities (Los Angeles, California)

  Mexico City; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas; Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Chicago, Illinois; New York City.

  NOTE: Cities are not normally easy to see in the daytime, even though they are very easy to see at night. The single most significant feature that facilitates easy recognition is the pall of smog that accumulates over most all large cities. It is not confined to industrialized countries eithe
r. I never was able to see Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, because of the rather continuous layer of smoke and smog.

  4. Miscellaneous Features Easy to See

  a. Aircraft Contrails (condensation trails)

  b. Smoke Plumes

  c. Fires at Night

  d. Large Airfields with Concrete Runways

  E. Atmospheric Features

  1. Clouds

  Clouds of some form are almost always in view, but vary widely as to type. The most distinctive cloud features included the following:

  Tropical Storms: large spiral pattern

  Thunderstorms: hightops, anvil heads, lightning

  Cloud Wakes: alternating fish hook patterns down wind of islands and mountain ranges

  2. Dust Storms (Sahara Desert)

  Dust storms were visible variously as dense, well-defined bands; narrow, wispy streaks; and broad diffuse areas of dust suspended in air. The most peculiar dust storms were those in the Gobi Desert where snow mixed with the dust created strange brown and white patterns. The areas where dust storms were most prevalent follow:

  North Africa (Mauritania to Egypt)

  Central Africa (Niger River Inland Delta)