Space|In the coming years, commercial residences will be built in low Earth orbit. The findings of the research can be used when planning space residences.
The summary is made by artificial intelligence and checked by a human.
Archaeologists study the life of astronauts on the ISS space station.
Astronauts use velcro and bags when they create “gravity” near them.
There is very little privacy on the space station.
The research can help when new places to live in space are being planned.
In space the first archaeological field work has been done.
In the study, a group of archaeologists found out how astronauts live on the international space station ISS.
has lived or visited the ISS station in total 280 people during the current millennium. Some have stayed for months, others for just a few days.
The space pilots who lived on the station represent the cultures and religions of 23 different countries and regions, with their own customs and habits. The researchers state that the ISS space station is therefore a “rich cultural landscape”.
The International Space Station (ISS) is the first permanent human settlement in space. It is located on the flight path at an altitude of about 330–435 km.
In the project called Square (square in Finnish) was intended to depict certain areas of the station for 60 days.
In January 2022, archaeologists requested that the space station’s then-astronauts select five square-shaped areas to be explored. In addition, the archaeologists chose one area themselves.
The squares were chosen to cover, for example, the areas of work, doing science, exercise and leisure.
Archaeologists did fieldwork remotely from Earth. The astronauts on the station helped the archaeologists and photographed selected areas, or squares, every day. In practice, the astronauts documented which objects and people were inside the squares on different days.
A study of two squares was just completed. It was published by science journal Plos One.
Square 03, photographed daily, was originally designed for the maintenance of the ISS station’s objects. In fact, it was a warehouse.
Research astronauts create their own “gravity” on the space station, which replaces Earth’s gravity.
The studied squares helped the archaeologists to understand how the astronauts use different objects to create a kind of transient gravity near them.
Everyday accessories like Velcro played an important role here. Another important twist was the plastic bag, which could be closed and opened again.
Items wanted with stickers and bags stayed in place and did not move slowly, floating away. According to the study, the residents of the station try to adapt the facilities of the station to their needs.
Space station according to the study, is messy and chaotic, cramped and dirty, and there are no clear boundaries between the astronauts’ work and rest places.
The images reveal how far life in space is from the views of science fiction movies. There is little or no privacy. The station doesn’t even have a shower.
The main focus on the station is scientific work, and the astronauts performed scientific experiments at a tight pace.
In order for the experiments to go well, the astronauts had to use many different objects. Various gimmicks had been developed for their use.
For example, the description of one square over a period of 60 days shows how the astronauts converted the surface meant for maintenance into a new use.
They made it a midway stage for various items as they floated from different parts of the station to another.
Another of the investigated sites was the maintenance work area. There is a blue metal panel with 40 Velcro.
The velcro strips made the area the perfect place to store things. During the study, a total of 50 days out of 60, the square in question was used only for that.
Pictures the other square shows how one of the astronauts took over the public wall space. He kept his own things on the wall.
The bag containing the astronaut’s toiletries in the screen showed how the crew modify the spaces and compensate for the lack of privacy, according to the study.
The placement of the toilet supplies also showed how little space the station has for hygiene and privacy.
The archaeology the observations can be used when planning space residences.
In the coming years, commercial residences will be built in low Earth orbit. Also space station Gateway will begin to rise to the Moon’s orbit perhaps before 2030.
In planning, according to the research, it would be worthwhile to remember that objects can be placed smoothly.
The ISS space station will be brought down from its orbit possibly in 2031. The research carried out now is the last chance for a long time to gather information about how living in space goes.