this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2024
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It sounds less than ideal — but as the report notes, Williams and Wilmore's difficulties don't end with their sleeping arrangements.

As with every ISS mission, the Starliner astronauts initially had specific jobs to do on board the station that would have eaten up their eight-day journey. As Time reports, their main priority was checking in on the Boeing capsule and making sure its communications, life support, and other essential functions were in good shape.

With that checklist done and their journey having been extended until possibly February due to Starliner's technical issues, Wilmore and Williams have instead been assisting their fellow crew members with their tasks and experiments, including repairing a urine processing pump.

Beyond that lovely job, Wilmore and Williams were also forced to stretch their clothing rations because there's no laundry on board the ISS. Generally speaking, astronauts pack enough clothes for the length of their journey, and with their trip home having been pushed back repeatedly, the Starliner crew had to make do until a Northrop Grumman resupply mission finally came to deliver them new clothes earlier this month.

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Beyond that lovely job, Wilmore and Williams were also forced to stretch their clothing rations because there's no laundry on board the ISS. Generally speaking, astronauts pack enough clothes for the length of their journey, and with their trip home having been pushed back repeatedly, the Starliner crew had to make do until a Northrop Grumman resupply mission finally came to deliver them new clothes earlier this month.

I can imagine hating everything about being up there and hating life and hating your job and hating boeing so fucking much right now. Sounds miserable. At this point, no one will be excited to do a one week mission ever again because of the possibility of this happening.

[–] [email protected] 58 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Trust me, wearing used clothing is far, FAR from the most uncomfortable thing an astronaut does. If something like that bothers you, you wouldn’t sign up for being an astronaut.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 3 months ago

Hell, I wouldn't sign up just because of the amount of exercise they have to do every day to avoid atrophy. I'm far too lazy.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Eh, I feel like any time I would get annoyed I’d just look out the window and marvel at the view

[–] [email protected] 24 points 3 months ago (3 children)

And remember that everyone you love is down there and you can't even hug your kids. But hopefully you can fix that urine recycling system before everyone dies of thirst.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I think the astronaut life is not for you...

Some people would happily accept the indignities of space flight, for the unique opportunity to go.

And as you point out, fixing the urine recycling system is a critical job, it's not like it's busy work. If it doesn't get repaired, everyone dies of thirst.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

It's not. For sure. Actually getting kind of creepy with projecting his attachments onto them with every post about the mission.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

They thought they were going to be there for eight days. That is what they happily accepted.

I might happily accept a vacation to Tuscany, but if I found out I couldn't leave or see my family for months after I got there, my mind might be different on the subject. And I wouldn't be stuck in a little space station.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Uhh... I've never heard a single astronaut say "I wish I'd spent less time in orbit".

Most astronauts sign up because they want to go to space, but then they end up only spending 1-6 months in space over the entirety of their career.

Imagine you wanted to be a chef, so you went to the finest culinary schools and then eventually for a job at an acclaimed restaurant. But then you had to just peel potatoes for years, before finally they let you be a provisional chef for a week and you actually got to use the skills you trained for, but still knowing that they'll put you back on boring prep duty at the end of the week... But then at the end of the week the head chef gets sick and he's out for the whole month! How would that feel?

Remember, this isn't a vacation, this is their career. This is what they want to do. And these people have the most impressive resumes you've ever seen in your life, no joke, reading one is intimidating. They could do just about anything they want, and they choose this.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Their family is so close too, around 200 miles away.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Way closer than if you're serving in the military overseas! That could be thousands of miles away!

Well you're closer for at least for some of the day... Which is about 45 minutes long because you're orbiting so fast...

Ok, so you're not really closer, but sometimes you are, if you squint!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 months ago

At this point, no one will be excited to do a one week mission ever again because of the possibility of this happening.

I'm sure theyve got plenty of capable people lined up that are chomping at the bit to do it. People know how risky going to space is, and if this turns into just an extended stay, it's not going to deter the people who have been training to do this.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 months ago

It sounds like you can definitely imagine a problem.