WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO …

THOMAS ‘TOM’ MARSHBURN

IHAVE always been fascinated by the thought that humanity can push the limits and head into space. I grew up watching NASA putting satellites into orbit and I thought that if they can put these huge vehicles and objects up there, then I want to be a part of it.

I wasn’t a science fiction fan but I did love reading. I read many sciencefiction and science-related books, including Dune. I have watched a few Star Trek episodes but I wasn’t an expert on the show so I did not imagine being a Star Trek captain.

Team work is a massive part of training. Huge. Astronauts are often selected on their ability to work well with others. NASA needs scientists, doctors and engineers with a range of skills. You need to be one of the best at what you do, but also not so specialised that you can’t multi-task. For instance, a biologist is going to be a pilot at some point during the mission.

Physical conditioning is extremely important and your body should always be in peak condition.

You will find that most astronauts are risk takers in their free time, often with high-adrenalin sports and the like.

You need to get your head together before you open the hatch as it’s a real mix of emotions. You are worried because it’s space, obviously, and any number of things could go wrong. But you are also excited because you’re doing something very few people have done. Then, when you open the hatch and see the planet, it’s the very best view you could imagine.

Chris Hadfield [the Canadian astronaut] is a great guy. One of the most competent people I’ve worked with. He would say that he wanted three things from his team. To be safe; to get the job done; to have fun. And sometimes the third option was as important as the others.

I am hopeful for another mission. The last time I went into space in 2013 I imagined it might be my last as I have a wife and kids. But I think there is so much more that we haven’t explored yet and I’d love to go back for another mission.

It’s really incredible what some of these private companies are doing. They will soon be delivering astronauts into space.

Astronauts do get jet lag after returning from missions but it isn’t the biggest problem. When returning from the International Space Station you are working 18-20 hour days on

When you open the hatch and see the planet, it’s the very best view you could imagine

the way back to the surface, so of course you are extremely fatigued and the time difference works against you in space. But the real problem is gravity. Although you’ve been physically working out for months at the ISS, your body just does not want to get back to accepting gravity. I could stand with no problems, but I couldn’t keep my balance for some time. Thomas ‘Tom’ Marshburn is an American physician and a NASA astronaut.