Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet

Space on Earth: How Thinking Like an Astronaut Can Help Save the Planet — page 3
INTRODUCTION SPACESHIP EARTH Have you ever seen a photo of the International Space Station ISS It’s kind of an odd-looking thing Picture an insect with really big wings that stick out from a tiny body Those wings are solar panels that collect energy from the sun and they make the ISS look pretty big But actually the area where the astronauts live and work is small not even the size of an American football field That’s not a lot of space to house everything astronauts need to live safely and well for months at a time No wonder then that ever since humans launched themselves into orbit sustainability has been the name of the game for space travel and stays Astronauts have to protect their resources and their environment because their lives depend on it They can’t open a window to get fresh air because there is no air They can’t pop out to the store to pick up new supplies of water or food They can’t take out the trash And they can’t buy new parts if an important piece of equipment breaks down They have to take very good care of their home because that space station is their whole world Pollute the air or water for example and someone might get sick or worse Run out of power and the systems that make it possible to live in space will fail 6 SPACE ON EARTH