Source: "Are astronauts "fat" because the "space food" is too good? Will they wash their clothes in the sky? ——Guangming.com2022-03-21
Preface
As we all know, astronauts are hard work, because the pressure in space is not the same as on our ground, so the food they eat is a specific food.
It stands to reason that they eat very simply in space and should be thinner, but from the video from Shenzhou 18 on May 6, we can clearly find that they are much fatter than at the beginning.
So, why are they fat? Is it because the food is so good?
The successful launch of Shenzhou XVIII
On April 25, our Shenzhou 18 was successfully launched, and this time the astronauts were all post-80s.
Three post-80s astronauts started a six-month journey into space.
This day is a very meaningful day, not only the day of the launch of Shenzhou 18.
Source: "Xinhua All Media +丨Jiuxiao Chasing Dreams and Asking the Sky Again - Remembering the Shenzhou 18 Astronauts" - Xinhuanet 2024-04-24
"Xinhua All Media +丨 Nine Heavens Chase Dreams and Ask the Sky Again - Remembering the Astronauts of Shenzhou 18" - Xinhuanet 2024-04-24
On this day 54 years ago, our first artificial satellite, Dongfanghong-1, was successfully launched from here.
Since then, our space industry has grown rapidly and has the status it is today.
The successful launch of Shenzhou 18 made our hearts very excited.
Source: "Heaven and Earth Heroic! Divine Eighteen Astronauts Salute Heroes in Space - Chinese Military Number2024-05-06
"Heaven and Earth Heroic! Divine Eighteen Astronauts Salute Heroes in Space - Chinese Military Number2024-05-06
On the afternoon of May 6, the Shenzhou-18 space crew sent a video from space to pay tribute to the heroes and learn from the heroes.
We can see that they are a lot fatter than when they were training.
It can't be said to be fat, it's more like swelling, especially the eyes, which can be clearly seen to be swollen.
Otherwise, they are heroes, and they will suffer a lot of physical and psychological damage in space.
Judging by the photos from when they trained, there was a lot of change.
So, did they slack off in space, or did they eat too well in space?
Impression of the carved board
In fact, if you want to become an astronaut, the requirements are very high, especially physical fitness and stature.
Not only do you need to have skills, but physical fitness is particularly important.
Because to go to space, you must have firm perseverance, a good body image, not to mention dedication.
Character and good thinking are the most basic requirements.
On top of that, the height and weight requirements are also strict.
Source: What do you need to be an astronaut? ——People's Daily2022-05-27
What do you need to become an astronaut? ——People's Daily2022-05-27
It should not be too tall or too short, and the height requirement should be between 160cm-172cm.
The weight should also be between 55kg and 70kg, which is a mandatory requirement.
Even if you meet the requirements, you will have to go through a series of tests before you can become a candidate.
There are also several types of astronauts, and you must meet the requirements to pass the assessment, and you must also have very strong abilities to carry out tasks in space.
In space, astronauts need to replenish the nutrients, otherwise they may become unwell.
You can't eat too much, after all, they can't exercise in space, and if they eat too much, their bodies will not be able to stand it.
This requires them to have strong willpower and control their amounts while maintaining nutritional health.
But in our stereotype, it seems that what astronauts eat is not very tasty.
The impression is a bit like the jelly we drink, and the nutrients they need are made into jelly, toothpaste-like.
But in fact, this is our subconscious, and we may have been misled by some advertising.
With the development of our aerospace science and technology, astronauts are now living a good life in space.
Not only is there a wide variety of food, but it also allows astronauts to eat hot things.
So, what is food like in space?
There is a wide variety
Maybe the food in space was not very good before, after all, the conditions at that time were not very good.
But now their lives are good, much better than before.
Source: "There are more than 120 kinds of food in the space kitchen of China's space station, and netizens urge more space to "eat and broadcast"——China Military Television Network2021-06-22
In 2021, the astronauts of Shenzhou 12 shared their food with everyone.
It's all vacuum-packed, with brown sugar glutinous rice cakes, corn, and noodles and rice.
Our space station has equipped astronauts with more than 120 kinds of space food, which are still good with meat and vegetables.
There is porridge and bread for breakfast, meat and vegetables for lunch, maybe the vegetables are not as fresh as on the land, but they are already very satisfying.
Not only can you eat good meals, but you can also eat chocolate, biscuits, and canned food in space.
So, are they swollen because they are too well fed in space?
The real reason behind it
Actually, no, even though the current environment in space is advanced, you can eat a lot of food.
But after all, it is still necessary to manage the body, and astronauts will not eat and drink nonsense.
And we can see that their food is very healthy and light, unlike the heavy oil and salt on the ground.
Source: "Will a business trip to space "get fat"? The astronaut's response is coming" - China Youth Network2022-3-24
Basically, it is very similar to the fat loss meal we usually eat, and it should not be swollen normally.
In fact, they have edema in space, which is a very normal physiological reaction.
Because in space it is weightless, the pressure is not the same as on the ground.
Weightlessness will allow the fluid in the body to redistribute, and the upper body may have a little more.
This will make our astronauts look a little fat, and even have a "facelift" beauty effect.
This is normal and will return to normal after a while of adaptation when they return to the ground.
I have to say that astronauts suffer a lot in space.
Almost everything they do in space is interesting, because they are weightless, and all their lives are different from those on the ground.
Sometimes it may take a long time to stay in spaceflight, depending on the difficulty of the mission.
So astronauts also have to "settle down" in space, and astronauts will also get together to eat in their spare time.
Our country is also trying its best to make them live better and eat better in space.
epilogue
In any case, astronauts contribute a lot to our aerospace industry, and they work very hard when performing missions, and they can complete the mission after careful selection.
So we don't have to worry about these details, even if they get fat, it doesn't matter, after all, they are our heroes, and finally, we wish all the astronauts a successful return home!
Sources of information:
"The launch of the Shenzhou 18 manned spacecraft was a complete success" - Red Star News2024-04-25
"Astronauts "get fat" because the "space food" is too good? Will they wash their clothes in the sky? ——Guangming.com2022-03-21
"Heaven and Earth Heroic! Divine Eighteen Astronauts Salute Heroes in Space - Chinese Military Number2024-05-06
"There are more than 120 kinds of food in the space kitchen of China's space station, and netizens urge more space "eating and broadcasting"" - China Military Television Network2021-06-22
Will a space business trip "get fat"? The astronaut's response is coming" - China Youth Network2022-3-24
"Xinhua All Media +丨 Nine Heavens Chase Dreams and Ask the Sky Again - Remembering the Astronauts of Shenzhou 18" - Xinhuanet 2024-04-24