Life on the Space Station

Living on the International Space Station is very different from living on Earth. Astronauts float around because there is almost no gravity. They eat, sleep, work, and exercise in space for months at a time. About six people usually live on the station at once.

Daily Life in Space

Astronauts wake up, brush their teeth, and eat breakfast just like you do. But everything floats! They sleep in sleeping bags attached to the wall. They eat food from pouches and drink from bags with straws. Astronauts must exercise for about two hours every day to keep their muscles and bones strong.

Working in Space

Astronauts do science experiments that can only be done in space. They study how plants grow without gravity and how the human body changes. Sometimes they go on spacewalks outside the station to make repairs. The station orbits Earth 16 times a day, so astronauts see 16 sunrises every day.

Fun Facts

• Astronauts on the space station see 16 sunrises and 16 sunsets every single day.
• Water floats in blobs in space, so astronauts cannot take normal showers.
• The space station travels at about 17,500 miles per hour.

Did You Know?

Astronauts can grow up to 2 inches taller in space because without gravity, their spines stretch out.