Living In Space

Things of note about life in space.

• IPods: For the last few years astronauts have been allowed to fly with iPods, a great space saver over CD players.
• Silverware: Each space shuttle crew gets one set of silverware per mission. They can't do dishes in space (or laundry -- but that's another story) so they have to wipe their forks and knives down with disinfectant wipes after every meal.
• Pizza: NASA can put a man on the moon but there is no way to get pizza on a space station or space shuttle mission.
• Laundry: Astronauts never worry about doing laundry -- there is simply no way to wash clothes in space;
• Garbage: The astronauts don't just toss the garbage overboard. The mandate is clean your plate and drink all the coffee in your drink bag because all the trash created on orbit has to fit in a container the size of a large kitchen garbage can.
• Money: Money has no value in space. When seven astronauts are living together in a cramped atmosphere the psychology of small isolated groups kicks in. Whoever has squirreled away the most M&Ms, tortillas or coffee has the most bargaining power. Those are items that are most prized at the end of a mission if someone runs short in their own stash.