Astronaut questions?

February 16, 2010 4:16 PM

If you could ask an astronaut a question, what would it be?

I have an opportunity to submit a question to a currently on-orbit astronaut and I'm looking for suggestions. I have a couple ideas but I figured maybe the hive mind would come up with a kick ass question I hadn't thought of. I'll post answers if I get them.

posted by macfly to Science & Nature (34 answers total)

In the event of a disaster, have you already chosen which of the other astronauts you would have sex with, or are you more of a spur-of-the-moment type?
posted by rokusan at 4:19 PM on February 16, 2010 [8 favorites]

since most of us will never experience space flight, I think I would ask "what experience on earth most closely resembles/feels like space flight?". And then I would seek that out and grab a tiny piece of the thrill.

Or... "how does looking at the earth from that perspective impact on your spirtuality/philosophy?"
posted by HuronBob at 4:21 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

When you were a kid did you ever dream of becoming an actuary?
posted by rongorongo at 4:21 PM on February 16, 2010 [6 favorites]

Ever worry that while up there society will collapse with no way to get you back?
posted by wcfields at 4:22 PM on February 16, 2010 [2 favorites]

Do you ever have difficulty commanding the shuttle computer to open the pod bay doors?
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 4:23 PM on February 16, 2010 [9 favorites]

I'm going to take the low road with rokusan and say that I would ask him about sex in space. I mean, you're up there in such a tiny space, for a long time - and there's no gravity. You know it happens. I'd want to know what it's like, what the challenges are given the weightless thing, etc.
posted by Lutoslawski at 4:25 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

What was the most surprising thing you discovered about being in freefall? That is, have you had any "whoa, they didn't cover that bit in training" moments?

Or the flipside: has there been anything up there that's made you say "Meh. Whatever."

For myself, I can't imagine what the answer to #2 might be, but it's probably off the beaten path for your interview subject.
posted by jquinby at 4:26 PM on February 16, 2010

Which of the research projects you're working on do you think has the most scientific potential?
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:26 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Please provide non-sentimental justifications for the massive cost of manned spaceflight.
posted by randomstriker at 4:27 PM on February 16, 2010 [3 favorites]

What's the *worst* part about being in a low-gravity environment?
posted by chrisamiller at 4:32 PM on February 16, 2010

How do you stave off a complete emotional breakdown in the face of the precipitous decline of our manned space program?
posted by Crabby Appleton at 4:52 PM on February 16, 2010

What would you say if you were to be the first person to make contact with another species while you were on your mission?
posted by 543DoublePlay at 4:52 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Do you drink Tang?
posted by fixedgear at 4:53 PM on February 16, 2010

I know how stupid this sounds, but I'm really curious about how they train to use the bathroom and the whole thing about the diapers. Do they use diapers during training? Did they have to modify their diets before they went to space? Also, what kinds of careers do they want their kids to pursue?
posted by anniecat at 4:54 PM on February 16, 2010

You might enjoy reading this: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1369099
posted by jenfullmoon at 5:09 PM on February 16, 2010

How well did your training prepare you for long-term weightlessness? When you got into space was it about what you expected, or was it different in some way that you can describe? Are you looking forward to getting back to 1G?
posted by alms at 5:11 PM on February 16, 2010

The day you found out you were going to be an astronaut, who was the first person you told and why?
posted by futureisunwritten at 5:11 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

What things that you've heard from other astronauts turned out to be either not the whole story or not as you understood them just from reading or hearing about them?

What's the best piece of [non-obvious] advice you received from a previous astronaut?
posted by amtho at 5:12 PM on February 16, 2010

Also: what other astronauts, or people in the space program, do you most respect and why?
posted by amtho at 5:12 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Can you really see the Great Wall of China?
posted by crazylegs at 5:19 PM on February 16, 2010

How can the United States regain its global dominance in science education and make school kids excited about science?
posted by box at 5:49 PM on February 16, 2010

Are you afraid of heights?
posted by cactus86 at 6:35 PM on February 16, 2010

Best answer: Does your body ever to truly adjust to free fall, and how long does it take if so?

For example, if someone threw something to you from a short distance would your hand naturally go to the right spot or would you have to think about the gravity situation before responding correctly?
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:21 PM on February 16, 2010 [1 favorite]

Now that you're out there, do you enjoy being in something in orbit, and what would you want to be improved upon for your experience of being there?

Did you anticipate and bring up all the equipment that you need to complete your current assignment and was any of that prohibited or otherwise denied you?
posted by porpoise at 8:19 PM on February 16, 2010

"Do you ever get sick of people asking you about having sex and going to the bathroom in space?"
posted by bondcliff at 8:30 PM on February 16, 2010 [3 favorites]

crazylegs: "Can you really see the Great Wall of China?"

http://www.snopes.com/science/greatwall.asp

I would ask what the scariest part of space flight is. Is it the takeoff when you have tons of explosive fuel beneath you, or perhaps is it when you're floating alone in space held to the ship by a mere tether, or coming home and seeing the atmosphere burning?
posted by IndigoRain at 9:46 PM on February 16, 2010

Best answer: "In all the interviews you've done, what's the dumbest question you've ever been asked?"

"You probably get asked a lot of the same questions over and over. What questions have you always wished people would ask you instead?"
posted by Clay201 at 10:18 PM on February 16, 2010

Do you think the world would be a different, better, more peaceful place if everyone saw the earth from up in space, and saw how everyone on it was sharing a small speck in a vast universe?
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 1:20 AM on February 17, 2010

Do you view the earth differently, now that you've left it? How?
posted by clarkstonian at 5:48 AM on February 17, 2010

If you could bring one thing up with you, to play with in free-fall, what would it be?
posted by bondcliff at 6:25 AM on February 17, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for all the suggestions - I already had a zero-G type question in mind but Tell Me No Lies' example was a great one - I tweaked it a little and sent that one in. And I liked Clay201's more open ended question - if they need to fill the time I'll throw that in the hat too. Great ideas!
posted by macfly at 11:04 AM on February 17, 2010

has there been anything up there that's made you say 'meh. Whatever.'

In The Right Stuff, the Mercury astronauts had that reaction to being launched into space because the simulations had conditioned them. The launch was bumpy, but not as bumpy as the simulations. The view from the capsule wasn't as "realistic" as the simulated views. And so on.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:10 AM on February 17, 2010

Response by poster: OK - teleconference with the space station complete! COL Williams was very gracious and actually hosted the teleconference from inside the new space station module (Tranquility). We got to see the sun rise through the new cupola window which was pretty cool. The astronauts really like the new window. As for the answer - he said that there's definitely an adjustment period where you really have to think about being in free fall but - and this makes sense, once he pointed it out - it's harder going the other way. He said that for the first several weeks people don't instinctively deal with weightlessness but that since things tend to happen slower in space it's relatively easy to adjust. He also mentioned that by about six weeks in, more of the adjustment has taken place and, in addition to having better instinctive reaction, people also get out of the earth based mindset of 'floor, ceiling, walls' and don't force an orientation on the situation that doesn't truthfully exist. (I admit, I had an Ender's Game flash while he was describing this phenomena - "The enemy's gate is down!" /geek) But what he emphasized was the going back to earth after six months in space is an adjustment as well - the example he gave was tossing things into the trash bin - he tends to throw short for a while after he gets back.

So there you go - it was cooler than I expected and he answered a bunch of questions about how things work on the station and doing construction in space and what experiments they have up there. Thanks again for all the suggestions!
posted by macfly at 5:28 PM on February 22, 2010 [4 favorites]

Thanks for following up (and for asking my question!)
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 9:07 PM on February 22, 2010