The possibility of a person doing a tour in space did not exist a century ago. Nowadays, it is so possible that specialized companies are popping up to develop space tours. Over 500 persons have been to space, and with this new development, the numbers will only increase. SpaceX recently designed a spacecraft for space tourism. This is a big step in the tourism industry.
Have some funds and thinking of taking a trip to space? Not sure what you would need? What would you pack? If you think packing, in general, is tricky, you should know that a spacecraft has limited room. In our last post, we talked about what you can pack for your space tour. You should know that there are also rules as to what you cannot bring. Here are some things that you can’t and shouldn’t bring on your space trip.
Space Packing Rules
Many of the things you can do here on terra firma you absolutely cannot do in space. As with all transport systems, you’ll need to follow specific rules for space travel. These rules are in place to ensure safety when traveling. They differ from those of traveling to foreign countries.
The first rule is a commonsense one. You may not bring alcohol on your trip to space. You need to be fully aware of what is happening around you at all times and should not be intoxicated on your space tour. There are many delicate instruments and equipment that a drunk space tourist can ruin.
This became a policy after NASA received some angry letters on astronauts drinking alcohol in space. A lot of people were just not okay with astronauts drinking. The space agency created a “No booze policy” after this. If you want to have a glass of chardonnay, you will have to wait until your return to earth.
Foods that create crumbs are also not advisable for space travel. You can’t eat food like bread, cake, etc. Their crumbs can be a danger to equipment as they will float around the spacecraft. The crumbs can get into the equipment or vents, damaging the spacecraft. You can also accidentally inhale them or they can get into sensitive body parts, for example, your eyes.
Bite-size cubes of compressed dehydrated foods are the foods that are best recommended for your space tour. Sandwiches are possible but must be served on tortillas instead of bread crust.
Laundry in Space
It’s not possible to do laundry in space. There is just not a way to efficiently wash clothes. Washing it by hand would be a waste of the limited water supply. Luckily things do not get dirty as quickly on the spacecraft, since it’s temperature-controlled and pretty clean.
When astronauts’ clothes get dirty, they pack them with the garbage and burn them in the space atmosphere. It’s unlikely that you will stay long enough to burn your clothes, but it makes you realize that one of the things you should not bring is too many clothes. Yes, it may be uncomfortable for you to wear the same clothes for days at a time, but this adjustment will have to be one you are willing to make.
So what are you waiting for? Now that you know what you shouldn’t pack, you can start planning your space tour adventure so you’ll be first in line when commercial space flights take off.
