“It symbolizes unity and a touch of the unexpected,” says mission specialist Christina Koch.
HOUSTON: From sipping smoothies and taking phone selfies to troubleshooting crashed emails and repairing toilets, astronauts are proving they’re just like the rest of us.
The four crewmembers hurtling toward the Moon are on a mission unlike any other, yet they’re still navigating everyday challenges — all within a space roughly the size of two minivans.
Mission specialist Christina Koch, the first woman to travel into deep space, compared preparing for the 10-day journey to planning a camping trip.
“It symbolizes togetherness and something a little out of the ordinary,” she said in a video released by NASA.
Orion’s supplies include 58 tortillas, 43 cups of coffee, barbecued beef brisket, and five varieties of hot sauce.
And one toilet — which ran into a problem.
This marks the first time astronauts traveling into deep space have had a functional toilet onboard. During the Apollo missions of the 1960s and ’70s, crews used waste collection bags that were left on the lunar surface.
Fortunately, Koch fixed the toilet aboard Orion. “I’m proud to call myself the space plumber,” she said during a Q&A with U.S. media on Thursday.
“I like to say it’s probably the most important piece of equipment on board,” she added. “So we were all breathing a sigh of relief when it turned out to be just fine.”
Sleeping ‘like a bat’
The toilet is housed in a small, noisy cubicle, so astronauts need to wear ear protection while using it.
Astronauts use a “flywheel exercise device,” similar to a yo-yo, which allows them to do aerobic exercises like rowing and provides resistance for movements such as weighted squats and deadlifts.
Regular workouts are crucial: in microgravity, bones and muscles experience less stress, which can lead to significant loss if proper precautions aren’t taken.
NASA recently updated its policy to allow smartphones on missions. “We are giving our crews the tools to capture special moments for their families and share inspiring images and video with the world,” administrator Jared Isaacman wrote on X in February.
Despite the mission’s demands for precision, there’s still room for playful moments.
Stephen Hansen spoke to the media while floating horizontally, describing the joy of weightlessness: “It just makes me feel like a little kid.”
For Victor Glover — the first person of color to orbit the Moon — much of that exhilaration came during liftoff.
“It was a ride where you’re trying to be professional,” he said. “But the kid inside of you wants to break out and just hoot and holler.”
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