Zero-gravity washing part of daily life for Saudi astronauts on ISS
The two Saudi astronauts who arrived at the International Space Station on Monday are learning to prepare meals and wash their hair in zero gravity as they adapt to life in orbit.
Rayyanah Barnawi, the first Arab woman in space, and Ali Al Qarni are on an eight-day private trip to the station and are scheduled to return to Earth on May 30. They have more than a dozen experiments to carry out.
The newcomers, who also include Americans Peggy Whitson and John Shoffner, were welcomed aboard by the UAE’s Sultan Al Neyadi, who is there on a six-month mission led by Nasa.
“The private quartet spent Tuesday getting familiar with station operations,” Nasa said.
“They practised preparing food and drinks, conducting hygiene practices, performing safety procedures and operating lab equipment.”
Water does not flow in a zero-gravity environment, so showering and brushing teeth in orbit are not the simple tasks they are on Earth.
Installing a shower, tap or sink on the ISS would be pointless as water forms droplets and floats off, designers said.
Instead, astronauts have to use a wet towel containing body wash to clean themselves.
To wash their hair, they apply shampoo without water and wipe it off with a dry towel.
To brush their teeth, they squeeze small amounts of water through a straw to rinse and then swallow.
Meals on the ISS have improved, thanks to an oven that was installed two years ago.
Astronauts have been baking biscuits and eating vegetables grown on the station.
But they mostly consume dehydrated food stored in packets. They add water to it or heat it in the oven. There are also some ready-to-eat items aboard the station, including fruit, bread and nuts.
The two Saudi astronauts have taken dates and some traditional meals with them.
On Tuesday, they were briefed by Dr Al Neyadi and colleagues on their roles and responsibilities in an emergency.
The astronauts became familiar with the use of fire extinguishers and breathing apparatus, and escape routes and co-ordinated communications with mission controllers in case of fires or ammonia or pressure leaks.