1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Hey, welcome to Sign Stuff, a production of iHeartRadio. My 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: name is Jorge cham and today we are answering questions 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: about what it's like to live and poop in space. 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: Is living in zero gravity fund or do you eventually 5 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: get bored of floating around and seeing the emptiness of 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,520 Speaker 1: space outside your window? How does the experience of leaving 7 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: Earth change you? And most important, how do you go 8 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: to the bathroom there? We're gonna hear from several people 9 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: who've been to space, and we're gonna find out if 10 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: they ever want to go back. Now, today's a special 11 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: episode because today's questions come to us from a friend 12 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,919 Speaker 1: of mine. Emily Calendrelli is the host of the Netflix 13 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: show Emily's Wonder Lab, the creator of the popular TikTok channel, 14 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 1: The spacecal and she's the number one New York Times 15 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: best selling author of the Stay Curious and Adaly's book series. 16 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: She also recently made the news for being the one 17 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: hundredth woman to go to space as a passenger on 18 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: the Blue Origin rocket, which takes passengers and a short 19 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: ride to the edge of space. The experience made her 20 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,679 Speaker 1: curious about what it would be like to stay in space. Longer, 21 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: whether anyone has ever had a bad experience being in space, 22 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: So get ready to blast off. Here's my chat with 23 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: Emily callendrelly. But what it's like to go live and 24 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:24,399 Speaker 1: poop in space? Enjoy? So what's it like to go 25 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: to space? Can you describe for us the experience of it? 26 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. I mean, for one, it was the 27 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 2: best thing that I've ever done in my life. It 28 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 2: was everything I dreamed it would be and so much more. Basically, 29 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 2: you strap in and you hear the countdown. 30 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 3: Five four, command engine start. 31 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 2: One three two one, and that's when the engine ticknight. 32 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: You hear the vibrations of the rocket. You see that 33 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 2: orange red glow outside of your window. After a few seconds, 34 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:11,280 Speaker 2: the rocket lifts off from the launch pad incredibly quickly, 35 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 2: and the Earth is starting to fall away from you 36 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 2: and you look outside. Oh wow, look at the dark 37 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 2: and the sky goes from light blue to dark blue 38 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: to the blackest black you have ever seen, Like the 39 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 2: absence of light, the absence of color, the absence of 40 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 2: life and everything. It was like quite spooky. 41 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: Actually no stars, like you can't see stars, no, because. 42 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: We launched during the daytime. So for the same reason 43 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 2: that you don't see stars in the sky during the day, 44 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 2: it was too bright. Yeah, once you get up there, 45 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 2: the capsule separates from the booster, the lower part of 46 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: the rocket, and when that happens, it's like a kick 47 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: to your pants. It's like a woomp. Oh my god. 48 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,239 Speaker 2: That is the most violent part of the entire experience. 49 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 2: And that's when you're in space. Oh, there we go, 50 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 2: and that's when you really feel like you are away 51 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 2: from home. 52 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 3: Space. 53 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:21,560 Speaker 2: I felt so overwhelmed by it, but then I'm also like, 54 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 2: the adrenaline is pumping, my heart is beating a mile 55 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: a minute. But I'm so overwhelmed in the most wonderful way. 56 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: Well, you said you felt the little fear, but I 57 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: imagine you also feel joy. Can you talk a little 58 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: bit about those mixed emotions. 59 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 2: I was only the ninth human space flight of Blue Origin, 60 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: which added a little bit to the scariness factor because 61 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 2: I was like, I'm really a guinea peg here. I'm 62 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 2: volunteering as tribute to test this new vehicle. But I 63 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude. Like when I've rewatched 64 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 2: the video, I heard myself saying to nobody or anything 65 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 2: in particular, I love you. I don't know who I 66 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: said it to. I loved every buddy that I had 67 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 2: ever met in my life. 68 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: Wow, that's amazing. Well I've known you for quite a 69 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,839 Speaker 1: long time now, emy, I think over maybe ten years, 70 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: and ever since I known you, you've been a space 71 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: super fan. Congrats and achieving your dream. 72 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: Thank you. 73 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: All Right, so we're not at the part where I'm 74 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: going to answer your questions. Tell me your first question. 75 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 2: So my first question, as you know, you cannot open 76 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 2: a window on the International Space Station if you bring 77 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 2: the stink. The stink stays. And I thought, well, what's 78 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,799 Speaker 2: the one smell that you can't really control? And that's 79 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 2: like bathroom smells, and so I sort of wonder do 80 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:42,119 Speaker 2: they have Pooperie on the International Space Station? 81 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, he's super fascinating question. So I've never been there, 82 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: so I didn't know, but I reached out to someone 83 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,240 Speaker 1: who has been there for several months, and actually I 84 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: think she's a friend of yours. So I interviewed doctor 85 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: Katie Coleman. 86 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 2: Katie, I love Katie. 87 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: Doctor Coley is a chemist, they former NASA astronaut, a 88 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: retired Air Force coldel. She flew several times on the 89 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,599 Speaker 1: Space Shuttle Columbia and has been to the International Space Station, 90 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: spending almost six months in space in total. Here's what 91 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: she said, Doctor Coleman, thanks so much for talking with me. 92 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 3: Well, I'm very happy to be here. 93 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: Okay, does the space station have poopery? 94 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,679 Speaker 3: Emily is very right. Most of us humans really can't 95 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 3: control those things. And I guarantee you that if you 96 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,159 Speaker 3: are with a group of five or six people, one 97 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 3: of you is going to end up making the room 98 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 3: smell not as nice. Right, But up in space, it's 99 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,039 Speaker 3: actually just not a problem on the space station because 100 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,679 Speaker 3: we have such good airflow with all of the fans 101 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 3: that recirculate. In fact, it re really our lives depend 102 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 3: on it. We need to remove CO two, you know, 103 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 3: the CO two that we actually produce, so if anyone 104 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 3: does make a smell, it very quickly dissipates because they're 105 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: such great circulation. 106 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 1: Well, I'm wondering how those filters work because one things 107 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: are like little dust particles. The other thing are sense, 108 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: So these filters can take out sense. 109 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 3: It goes through different kinds of filters depending on where 110 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 3: it is, but mostly we're filtering particulates and the filters 111 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 3: are going to be like carbon based, you know, odor absorbing, 112 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:15,839 Speaker 3: just like down here on the ground. 113 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 2: Amazing. I hadn't even considered like the high quality air 114 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 2: filtration in circulation. That makes so much sense that they 115 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:28,600 Speaker 2: would need popery. 116 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, she didn't seem too worried about the poopy. I 117 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,840 Speaker 1: guess she's pretty confident about their filters, which involve carbon filters. 118 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 1: I did sort of ask her, like, would they likes 119 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 1: a poopery or mean, like an air freshener or something 120 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: like that, right, yeah, like maybe that would make life 121 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:42,919 Speaker 1: more pleasant. But here's what she said. 122 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 3: We don't bring a lot of scented things up there 123 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 3: in case someone is more sensitive to sense up there. 124 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 3: If you think of somebody wearing really terrible cologne, I mean, 125 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 3: it's definitely not encouraged. But the other reason for that 126 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 3: is alcohol. Actually, poisons are in fire mental system and 127 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 3: can make it less effective at removing co Two, if 128 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 3: I wanted to bring moisturizer up there, they're going to 129 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 3: take a really close look at the ingredients and the percentages, 130 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:13,760 Speaker 3: and alcohol is one of the things that can be 131 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 3: bad for that. 132 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: Oh interesting, Yeah, they sort of can have air fresheners 133 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: or spray here and they sort of try to illumine 134 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: anything that might give an order because it might be 135 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: an alcohol based I think those filters are so tuned 136 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: to just filtering CO two that they just don't want 137 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: to add anything that might. 138 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 2: Right exactly, It's like, what's the bare minimum that we 139 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 2: can have in the system to keep it as clean 140 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 2: and livable as possible. 141 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 1: So I think Katie covered, should we say winds up 142 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: in the space station, But I think your question was 143 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: maybe more in the bathroom, like what are they do 144 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: in the bathroom? 145 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. 146 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 1: Okay, so I asked Katie that question too. 147 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 3: Okay, thank you. But the bathroom itself works on this 148 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: principle of vacuum, and do you want to hear about that? 149 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 4: Sure? 150 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. 151 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 3: I tell people it is easier to go to the 152 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 3: bathroom in space and more private than any camping trip 153 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 3: I have ever been on. Let alone, you know, when 154 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 3: your parents stop out in the country on the side 155 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 3: of the road, right, And it's based on a system 156 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 3: of vacuum. You want everything that is waste. You wanted 157 00:08:20,880 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 3: to go somewhere else and be in the right place. 158 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 3: And so it's two different systems, one for urine and 159 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 3: for that We have a hose and a funnel that 160 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 3: goes on the top and you just have to literally 161 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 3: point into that funnel. It's not a vacuum like this, 162 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 3: like you know, it's a really gentle vacuum. That's all 163 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 3: it takes to make urine go down. 164 00:08:42,200 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. So their bathroom system works on a vacuum because 165 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: basically you don't want the poop or pe to be 166 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: floating around. Yeah, and that also takes care of the 167 00:08:51,559 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: smells because the vacuum just sucks everything way. And then 168 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: what's interesting is that they recycle their pn ultimately drink it. 169 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 3: And so up on the space station, we actually recycle 170 00:09:05,679 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 3: all of the water. Urine go down in through the 171 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 3: pump through some filters, and that goes through a whole 172 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 3: big series of filters that filters out everything that isn't 173 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: pure water. And that is a really important system because 174 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 3: we bring water up with us, but water is one 175 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 3: of the things we don't have very much of. 176 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: See, you recycle the human liquid waste exactly. 177 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:27,920 Speaker 3: Yep, And the kids are kind of grossed out, like, 178 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 3: oh no, that's awful. And again, my friend Don Pettit 179 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 3: likes to say, well, you know, we're drinking this is 180 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:36,600 Speaker 3: yesterday's coffee that we're going to drink again today. 181 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 1: What does it taste like this water? 182 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 3: Beautiful? Oh yeah, absolutely wonderful. I am not kidding, not 183 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 3: making it up. Probably we get a little used to it, 184 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 3: but I just remember it as tasting really great. 185 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: Even the second and third and fourth time you drink it. 186 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 2: Exactly fascinating, very very cool. 187 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,800 Speaker 1: Everything is recycled, the air of recycled, the waste is recycled, 188 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: and so she didn't seem not concerned about the smell 189 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: of the bathroom smells. But it did find out that 190 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 1: the system does have its limits. Okay, there are things 191 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: that they need to stay on top of. When we 192 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:15,480 Speaker 1: come back, doctor Coleman is going to tell us which 193 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: smells are a problem in the International Space Station and 194 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: how they deal with them. You're listening to science stuff 195 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: and we're back. 196 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,679 Speaker 3: My mission. I was the gym clothes police. I'd be like, boys, 197 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 3: it's that special day. 198 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,320 Speaker 1: Do they do smells at some point? They do? 199 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 3: I mean, just like they would hear. I have to say, 200 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:46,040 Speaker 3: in general, our clothes don't get as dirty, but gym clothes, 201 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 3: where you're just actively sweating, running on a treadmill, working 202 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 3: out in a bike lifting weights, so to speak. We 203 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 3: do those kind of workouts about six days a week, 204 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:56,839 Speaker 3: at least five. 205 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: So your clothes do stink after a while, even in space. 206 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: But what they do with them is a little counter intuitive. 207 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:09,320 Speaker 3: Intrigued, So those clothes. We would take our laundry and 208 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 3: stick it into a laundry bag and it goes into 209 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 3: a supply ship that is now a trash ship. 210 00:11:14,280 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: Oh, you don't wash clothes in space. We don't, so 211 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: you probably know this. They don't wash clothes in space. 212 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 2: I don't think I had ever thought to ask that question, 213 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 2: but that's a really fascinating. 214 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: Aspect, quaranificating. Apparently, MASSA has asked them if they wanted 215 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:31,120 Speaker 1: a shower and washing machine, but she said that the 216 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: astronaut basically said no, it's just too much real estate 217 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: they would take up, and too much water and too 218 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: much waste. So they just throw the gym clothes away. 219 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:41,360 Speaker 1: They bring extras and then just use them and throw 220 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: them away, except that they have to wait for them 221 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: to dry out before they throw them out. So she 222 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: talked about an instance once where they threw out all 223 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,719 Speaker 1: their clothes and then NASA called them a little later 224 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: and said, hey, we're missing some water. Because it's such 225 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: a closed system and everything's so closely monitored that they 226 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: can keep track of every probably not the ounces, of 227 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: how much water is in their system. And what happened 228 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: was that all that sweat in the clothes they had 229 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: thrown into the trash. I was like, where's that water. 230 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: We're missing that water. And so the strategy is that 231 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 1: you just just kind of let it air out in 232 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,959 Speaker 1: the space station. So the water that plays from the clothes, 233 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,319 Speaker 1: it goes back into the system and then you can 234 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 1: throw away the clothes. 235 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,480 Speaker 2: That is so cool and like such a testament to 236 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 2: how precise so many of these systems are. 237 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: You also have the funny story of somebody sent them 238 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: a jar of pickles once, so they ate the pickles, 239 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: but then they didn't know what to do with the 240 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: pickle water. They cann't just throw it out because the 241 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: systems can handle, apparently pickle juice, and so they just 242 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: used the water to soak a couple of towels, and 243 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:44,960 Speaker 1: then they just hung the towels out to dry, and 244 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 1: so the water front the pickled juice evaporated and everything 245 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: else stayed in the towel. Wow. 246 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:55,439 Speaker 2: Okay, like the weird things, the positions you find yourself 247 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 2: in when you are living in a tin can orting 248 00:12:58,640 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 2: the Earth. 249 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, you interview a lot of astronauts, but this was 250 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: my first time interviewing an astronaut, and for a while 251 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: you get this feeling like, well, I'm talking to somebody 252 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: who's been in space. 253 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, there are just so few people who have really 254 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 2: lived and worked in space for that long of a time, 255 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 2: and you kind of want to be like, what it 256 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 2: likely everything. 257 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: Katie spent several months up there, so I asked her 258 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,320 Speaker 1: what's the hardest thing about living in space for that long? 259 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: And she's mentioned two things, and the first one surprised me. 260 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: So here's what she said. 261 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 3: I would say, the really hardest thing about being up 262 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 3: there is that you really can't lose things. And I 263 00:13:35,360 --> 00:13:37,560 Speaker 3: can be a little absent minded and up there you 264 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 3: sort of forget that you have something you know in 265 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 3: your hand and then you let it go. I did 266 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:44,560 Speaker 3: lose a heart rate monitor up there. I don't know 267 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 3: that it was ever found. 268 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,439 Speaker 1: Turk's sound important. 269 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 3: And in fact, I was actually playing my flute with 270 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 3: my band back home, the Astronaut Band, and we had 271 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 3: an emergency that happened, a big alarm that went off. 272 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,319 Speaker 3: You know, just drop everything and go to the computers 273 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 3: and see what's up. So that's what I did, And 274 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 3: then I went back to work and got to be 275 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:08,439 Speaker 3: late at night. I went to go find my flute, 276 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 3: and I just thought, I have no idea where it is. 277 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 3: I would say losing things is a really serious thing 278 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 3: up there. We lost a CO two sensor that was 279 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 3: velcrow to the wall. It's like a little sort of 280 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 3: small half a milk carton the space station is big. 281 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 3: It's the size of like ten train cars without the 282 00:14:27,320 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 3: seats in them. There's just places something sort of small, 283 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 3: like if I unplugged it and then just let go 284 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 3: of it, it would buy the air currents kind of 285 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 3: travel around. So you really can lose something literally forever. 286 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 3: I found a pocket knife closed thankfully, that belonged to 287 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,320 Speaker 3: someone that they had lost a few years before. 288 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: Wow, isn't that wild? You can lose things inside the 289 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: space station so fascinating. 290 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh. 291 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 1: It's a small place, but there's so many some crannies, 292 00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: And mainly I think it's the fact that things just 293 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:05,520 Speaker 1: can just drift away, Like if you can't just set 294 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:06,680 Speaker 1: them down and they'll stay there. 295 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 2: They may exactly. They will now have a life of 296 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 2: their own, a journey of their own, moving around the spacecraft. 297 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:13,880 Speaker 1: But then Katie said, the hardest thing about being in 298 00:15:13,920 --> 00:15:17,280 Speaker 1: space that long is kind of related to your next question. 299 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: The hardest thing is being away from your family and 300 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 3: actually also loving where you are and really knowing that 301 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:26,160 Speaker 3: the work you're doing is so important. 302 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: What do you mean, sort of feeling that internal struggle 303 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: between missing home but then also knowing that you're worthy, 304 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: you're supposed to be. 305 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 3: There's definitely that I go back to quoting my friend 306 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 3: Don Pettitt. He said, you know, if I could take 307 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 3: my family with me, there would really be no reason 308 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 3: to come home. 309 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 2: Oh allah, that's really sweet. 310 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's sort of missing home. She said. It was 311 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: one of the hardest things about being out there. And 312 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:51,800 Speaker 1: this kind of reminded me of your next question that 313 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: you had for me. 314 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 2: Absolutely. Yeah, So I wondered, because going to space, especially 315 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: when you're staying there for a longer period of time, 316 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 2: it is not the most comfortable thing to do. And 317 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 2: I wonder if there are any astronauts, like particularly NASA 318 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 2: astronauts who have spent a longer period of time there 319 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 2: who trained for years and years and years and then 320 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:15,320 Speaker 2: did it, And then once they did it, they realized, 321 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 2: I actually don't like this. 322 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 1: This is I this is not I don't enjoy this, 323 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: and they didn't want to go back. 324 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, and like, you know what, I don't want 325 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:25,560 Speaker 2: to do that again. 326 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 1: So this was a hard question. I think, as you know, 327 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: from having interviewed so many astronauts yourself, they all love 328 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: the experience, right right. 329 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,479 Speaker 2: Part of me wonders because it is such a privilege 330 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: to be able to have this experience. I feel like 331 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 2: it would be a very hard circumstance to find, especially 332 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 2: a NASA astronaut who represents NASA, say anything that would 333 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: speak to them being ungrateful for that privilege. And I 334 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 2: do think most people really do enjoy it and find 335 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 2: it magical. I certainly did, But I'm just curious if 336 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:01,600 Speaker 2: anybody really didn't like it. 337 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, because even if you've come down, you're still sort 338 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 1: of in the group of people that might go up again, exactly, 339 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: So nobody's going to say, oh, it was terrible because 340 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: they want to go back up again, assuming they want 341 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 1: to go back up again, which is kind of your question, right, right, exactly. 342 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 1: So it took me a while, but I did find 343 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,760 Speaker 1: two people who've been to space and don't want to 344 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: go back. Really Okay, okay. The first one is pretty famous. 345 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: He has not only been to space, but he's been 346 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: the captain of a spaceship. Oh it's William Chattner, the 347 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,600 Speaker 1: actor who played Captain Kirk in the Star Wars Star Trek. 348 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 1: Sorry I just insulted yet on that one. I just 349 00:17:42,359 --> 00:17:45,600 Speaker 1: got canceled. Captain Kirk from the Star Trek series and movies. 350 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 1: He went up to space and he had a very 351 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 1: interesting and maybe atypical experience. But here's how he describes it. 352 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 4: Struck me so hard at that moment because when I 353 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:01,360 Speaker 4: looked into space, there was no mystery, majestic awe to behold. 354 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 4: All I saw was death. I saw a cold, dark, 355 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 4: black emptiness. It was unlike any blackness you can see 356 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 4: or feel on Earth. It was deep, enveloping, all encompassing. 357 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 4: Everything I thought was wrong, Everything I expected to see 358 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 4: was wrong. I thought that going into space would be 359 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 4: the ultimate Catharsis of that connection I had been looking 360 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 4: for between all living things, that being up there would 361 00:18:24,840 --> 00:18:27,879 Speaker 4: be the next beautiful step to understanding the harmony of 362 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:31,439 Speaker 4: the universe. But when I finally arrived out there, the 363 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 4: splendor was absent. It was the opposite of life. I 364 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 4: was so thoroughly unprepared for this experience. It was among 365 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 4: the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered. My 366 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 4: trip to space was supposed to be a celebration. Instead 367 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 4: it felt like a funeral. 368 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: When we come back, we're going to hear how Captain 369 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,120 Speaker 1: Kirk processed this grief, and then we're going to hear 370 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 1: from another NASA astronaut about why he didn't want to 371 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 1: go back to space. Right back, welcome back. 372 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 3: I could see. 373 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, that resonates with me because I had the same 374 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 2: feeling of when you think of the cosmos, you think 375 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 2: of this beautiful, starry night sky that feels just very 376 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 2: glamorous and lovely and romantic, but when you see it, 377 00:19:27,960 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 2: it's exactly how we described the vastness, emptiness, just so 378 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 2: devoid of life and color and light. 379 00:19:35,920 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's really interesting this idea that he felt grief, right, 380 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 1: because there is this effect, as you probably know, called 381 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: the overview effect. It's been documented by psychologists where the 382 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: most astronauts he talked to you talk about this shift 383 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 1: in their perspective, and this feeling of unexpected emotion and 384 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 1: overwhelming emotion is sort of renewed sense of purpose and 385 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: connection to other people on Earth. But here Captain Kirk 386 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: William Channers seemed to you almost have the opposite reaction. 387 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 1: The way this cries his grief and sadness is that 388 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: he felt sad for what we're doing to this fragile 389 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 1: home that we're living in. Kind of why he felt 390 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: his grief, He thought about his great grandchild and he thought, 391 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,880 Speaker 1: what kind of world are we lieving for him? 392 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:16,879 Speaker 2: Yeah? 393 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, but there is a positive side to his feeling 394 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: of grief. Yeah, here's how he describes it. 395 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,440 Speaker 4: Going into space made me so aware of how fragile 396 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,600 Speaker 4: our lives are here on Earth, how we need each 397 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 4: other and need to continue to strengthen the bonds that 398 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 4: connect us to each other, because out there there's no life, 399 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 4: there is no us. I had a different experience because 400 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 4: I discovered that the beauty isn't out there, it's down 401 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 4: there with all of us. Leaving that behind made my 402 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,440 Speaker 4: connection to our tiny planet even more profound. I knew 403 00:20:51,520 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 4: that what I was feeling was something I will carry 404 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:55,879 Speaker 4: with me for the rest of my life something I 405 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 4: must share with as many people as I can. 406 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. I think that is the main takeaway is that 407 00:21:01,840 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 2: we live on this beautiful, fragile planet and the Cosmos 408 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 2: out there is unfriendly and there's no one coming to 409 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,440 Speaker 2: save us, so we must save ourselves. 410 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 3: Yeah. 411 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: He took this grief that he felt about our fragility 412 00:21:15,840 --> 00:21:19,159 Speaker 1: and what we're doing to our planet and basically transformed 413 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: it into this message of we need to do better. 414 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 1: Now he's on a big mission to talk about climate 415 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: change in the environment. 416 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 2: Amazing. See, this is one of the cool parts of 417 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:32,959 Speaker 2: having more people, diverse people, people from different backgrounds and 418 00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 2: skill sets. That's the part of commercial space exploration that 419 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 2: I find to be so special because look at all 420 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 2: of these new things that are coming from it. 421 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and give people more of that over the effect. 422 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: That would be amazing if everyone got a chance to 423 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: experience that right and feel more connected and more appreciative 424 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: of her little blue marble exactly. So that was sort 425 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: of an interesting reaction, but it did find an actual 426 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,040 Speaker 1: NASA astronaut, someone who's been to space on missions, for 427 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:01,320 Speaker 1: whom going to space was not that exciting. Okay, so 428 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: it is Frank Borman, this is who he is. 429 00:22:05,720 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 5: I flew Gemini seven, which was a two week mission, 430 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,600 Speaker 5: the longest mission today that had been achieved by anybody. 431 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 5: And then I flew Apollo eight, which was the first 432 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,760 Speaker 5: man lunar circumference, and we didn't have lunar lander, but 433 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 5: we circled the Moon ten times in nineteen sixty eight 434 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 5: and then came back. 435 00:22:22,600 --> 00:22:25,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so this is Frank Borman. He was a commander 436 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:28,159 Speaker 1: in a Polo eight, the flight before the one that 437 00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:29,959 Speaker 1: landed on the Moon. It's the one that for the 438 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 1: first time left Earth's orbit and they went out there. 439 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:36,720 Speaker 1: They circled the Moon ten times. Then he came back. 440 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: And what's interesting is that when he came back he 441 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: had all this experience. Most people say that he could 442 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,960 Speaker 1: have been the one picked for the Apollo eleven mission 443 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 1: to the actual moonwalk landing mission. He could have been, 444 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:50,200 Speaker 1: you know, maybe one of the first person to walk 445 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 1: on the Moon, but he sort of turned it down. 446 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:54,840 Speaker 1: As soon as he came back. He said, Okay, that 447 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: was my last light. I don't really want to go again. 448 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 1: And it's kind of interesting what is motivated was for 449 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,119 Speaker 1: even going in the first place. So here's how he 450 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: describes it. 451 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 5: Be honest with you, I never even thought about rockets 452 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 5: or space before. I was into airplanes and I was 453 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 5: a fighter pilot, And when they launched Spot Neek, it 454 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 5: was a real shock to me because it appeared that, 455 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:18,199 Speaker 5: you know, there was a real Cold War going on 456 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 5: back then. 457 00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: It appeared that the. 458 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 5: Russians had you had a big lego. I took very 459 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:25,199 Speaker 5: seriously this idea that we were somehow second rate to 460 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 5: a communist country. My reason for joining NASA was to 461 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,119 Speaker 5: participate in the polloup program, in the lunar program, and 462 00:23:32,119 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 5: hopefully beat the Russians. I never looked for any individual goals. 463 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,719 Speaker 5: I never wanted to be the first person on the 464 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 5: moon or our job was to go to NASA and 465 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 5: do good for the country and make the Air Force 466 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 5: look good. 467 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,080 Speaker 1: Yes, I think a lot of the pilots or astronauts 468 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: that went up there at that time, a lot of 469 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 1: them whare sort of this geeky kind of you know, 470 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:53,480 Speaker 1: collected rugs, was into science as kids, excited about going 471 00:23:53,480 --> 00:23:56,119 Speaker 1: too space. But some of them, which is Air Force dudes. 472 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 2: So I think there are probably lots of competing motivations. 473 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 2: But it's very interesting to hear someone who was like, 474 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 2: I'm just here to do my job, guys. 475 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it's interesting. He was interviewed a few years 476 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,240 Speaker 1: ago and they asked him like, so, what was it 477 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: like to be out there in sero gravity? And he's like, 478 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 1: it's pretty interesting for about thirty seconds and then you 479 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:16,639 Speaker 1: get used to it. Yeah. They asked him like, what 480 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: do you think of seeing the moon up close? And 481 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: he's like, you know, it's all great. 482 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 3: See. 483 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 2: This is why I want to see more women go 484 00:24:23,160 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 2: to the moon, because I think their response to it 485 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 2: might be a little bit different. 486 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: Well, here's how he explains his decision to leave Usset. 487 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 5: Frankly, as far as I was concerned when Apollo eleven 488 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:39,840 Speaker 5: was over, that the mission was over, I wanted to 489 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:43,120 Speaker 5: volunteer to go pick up rocks. I'm going to lie 490 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,440 Speaker 5: to you. I thought that I had carried my end 491 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 5: of the bargain. I had done contributed as much as 492 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,919 Speaker 5: I possibly could. To me, it wasn't worth it, that 493 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 5: wasn't worth assuming the risks because I wasn't inclined to 494 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 5: go pick up rocks. The last thing I ever wanted 495 00:24:57,960 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 5: to be was a professional astronaut. 496 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:04,520 Speaker 2: I love that actually because he's very honest with how 497 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,919 Speaker 2: risky it is, because people have died doing this, and 498 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 2: so you have to have a reason for why you 499 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,800 Speaker 2: are choosing to take that risk on. I love that 500 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 2: he reevaluated his risk assessment. I find that to be 501 00:25:18,680 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 2: like so honest and transparent. 502 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, I've definitely talked to people here on Earth who 503 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: you've you asked him like, hey, do you want to 504 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: go to space? A lot of people will sort of 505 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: say no, you know, like, yeah, I'm happy to see 506 00:25:29,200 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: it from here. I don't want to take that risk. Yeah, 507 00:25:31,680 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: thank you. Let somebody else who really wants to go 508 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: go exactly. 509 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 2: I think you have to have your why really solidified 510 00:25:38,400 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 2: to justify the risk. We love somebody who's honest. 511 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 1: Well, it's kind of hard to tell how honest, because 512 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 1: he did have a very emotional experience in his trip. 513 00:25:49,040 --> 00:25:51,719 Speaker 1: Do you know the photograph Earth Rice, Yes, I do. 514 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 1: It's one of the most famous photographs taken. It's the 515 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: picture of Earth just coming up from the moon horizon. 516 00:25:57,800 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 1: So he was one of the people who took that picture. 517 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:01,879 Speaker 1: So it would say him and the crewmates that they 518 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: were like taking pictures of the moon and then Sony 519 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,680 Speaker 1: he's like, hey, wait, look up. And then they look 520 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,040 Speaker 1: up and they see the Earth rising over the Moon's 521 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,520 Speaker 1: horizon and they're like, whoa, we should take a picture 522 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: of that. And so they quickly like loaded up the 523 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,120 Speaker 1: coloric film and then they took a picture of the Earth. Right, 524 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,320 Speaker 1: And so this is how he describes that experience. 525 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 5: That was probably the preminent memory of my journey. It 526 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 5: wasn't looking at the moment, but looking back at the Earth. 527 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 5: And of course being Christmas Eve, we were alone, we 528 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 5: were far away from home, so it had an impact, 529 00:26:29,520 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 5: had a great effect I think on all three of us. 530 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 5: The Earth looked so lonely in the universe. It's the 531 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 5: only thing with color. All of our emotions were focused 532 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 5: back there with our families, and so that was the 533 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,439 Speaker 5: most emotional part of the flight for me. 534 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 2: Amazing. 535 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, So as Griff as he is in real life, 536 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: the overvi effect got him. 537 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:51,400 Speaker 2: It snags everyone. You can't escape it. 538 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: Looking at the Earth from space, you know, reminded him 539 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: of his family. Is everyone on Earth? Yeah, you go 540 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: through that graphicsterior. 541 00:26:58,520 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 2: Yes, I think that it really helps put into a 542 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:06,159 Speaker 2: perspective that for everybody who seeks to do this, meaning 543 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 2: attach themselves to a rocket and fly to space. We're 544 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 2: all doing our own internal risk assessment. 545 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I'm definitely grateful for people who take that risk, 546 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: you know, and the explorers and the people go there 547 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:19,439 Speaker 1: and take that photograph. We wouldn't have that photograph if 548 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 1: Frank Hannon gone out there. Absolutely, So to end this 549 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:25,919 Speaker 1: on a positive note, I asked Katie the same question, 550 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,439 Speaker 1: so here's what she said. This was Emily's second question. 551 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:32,200 Speaker 1: She wanted to know if you've heard of anyone any 552 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,479 Speaker 1: astronauts who went up there and didn't enjoy the experience, 553 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: or maybe they enjoyed it but decided after that that 554 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: they didn't want to go back. 555 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,600 Speaker 3: There are none that I know of. Everybody loves to 556 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 3: go back. It is addictive. So it's really it's a 557 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 3: special place. 558 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 2: That feels more relevant to me because I told myself 559 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 2: that this was only something I ever wanted to do 560 00:27:56,640 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 2: once in my life. There's only one time where I'm 561 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 2: going to do this. But as soon as I landed 562 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 2: and that capsule hit the ground, I thought, I will 563 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 2: do literally anything to do that again. The idea that 564 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: it is addictive is so true. It was amazing. 565 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: So what do you think did that answer to your questions? 566 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 2: That was amazing. That was pretty cohesive answer to both 567 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,600 Speaker 2: those questions. Thank you for finding such relevant people. 568 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 1: Awesome. Well, thanks for your question, and thanks for going 569 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: up to space for the rest of us and showing 570 00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 1: us what it's like. 571 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I have the full video of my space flight 572 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 2: on my YouTube channel YouTube dot com slash space gal 573 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 2: if anyone wants to see the full magical experience. 574 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 1: Awesome. All right, I'm going to let Katie have the 575 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 1: last word on this episode. Okay, last question. So, as 576 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: NASA called today and said, Katie, we need to go 577 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: back up there tomorrow, would you do it? 578 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 3: Absolutely? In a minute? 579 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,719 Speaker 1: All right? Hopefully that gives you a sense of what 580 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 1: it's like to go to space, live there, poop there, 581 00:29:01,160 --> 00:29:05,240 Speaker 1: and watch the Earth spin without you. Thanks for listening, 582 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 1: See you next time. William Shatner's audi clip copyright twenty 583 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 1: twenty two by William Shatner. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon 584 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: and Schuster. Audio from the audiobook Boldly Go by William Shatner, 585 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: writ by the author, published by Simon and Schuster. Audio 586 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: vision of Simon and Schuster, Inc. Used with permission from 587 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 1: Simon and Schuster, Inc. Frank Bormann's interviews are courtesy of 588 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 1: the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, Nanessa History Office. 589 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: You've been listening to Science Stuff the production of iHeartRadio, 590 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 1: written and produced by me or Hey Cham candidate by 591 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: Rose Seguda, executive producer Jerry Rowland, and audio engineer and 592 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:43,120 Speaker 1: mixer Kasey Peckram, and you can follow me on social media. 593 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: Just search for PhD Comics and the name of your 594 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:48,880 Speaker 1: favorite platform. 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